3/12/2004

Off-campus housing has pros and cons

Sarah Baldwin
Daily Kent Stater

Many issues come into play when you are choosing a place to live off campus – wondering if you can deal with roommates, trying to find a good location, and budgeting for many nights of supper from Chez Aldi’s.

However, a thought that may not cross a future renter’s mind is if living among other students off campus is a good idea.

While popular perceptions of off-campus student housing may be that of wildly raucous Animal House-style parties, the truth seems to be quite the opposite.

“Everyone seems to think it’s both quieter and cheaper to live in an apartment,” said Heather Michalak-Beer, property manager of College Towers and former resident.

College Towers has 459 units, and 95 percent are rented to students, Michalak-Beer said. If things do get too loud, the courtesy officers work to keep things quiet. Courtesy officers are like security guards. They make sure noise isn’t excessive and residents are safe.

Another thing that draws many students to rent an apartment in a heavily student-occupied place is the sense of things being “laid back.”

“It’s a very easy-going, relaxed environment,” said Debby Wells, property manager of Holly Park Apartments, which has 192 units, and only five are rented to nonstudents.

Wells added many residents don’t even lock their doors.

The entire property is designed to meet the needs of college students, and to make parents feel safe having their children living there, Wells said.

Heather Lamanna, a junior advertising major and Holly Park resident, said a big reason she chose to live there is because of the other students – the same amount of noise that would bother a family wouldn’t phase a college student.

“Families tend to call the cops (if things get loud). They want to put their kids to bed by 8 p.m. – most college students’ lives don’t begin until after that,” Lamanna said.

One thing Lamanna said she doesn’t like is that the rules seem to be getting stricter for renters at Holly Park. There is now a $50 fine for a noise violation, and other infractions, such as cigarette butts outside a door, have fees as well.

Students living with students leads to a more lenient environment, and friendships often evolve with neighbors, said Matt Sample, marketing and leasing director and former resident of College Park Eagles Pointe. Eagles Pointe has 270 units, and 99 percent of them are rented to students.

While the negative perception lingers, the reality of the off-campus student housing experience seems to be beneficial.

Rich Bebb, senior marketing major and College Park Eagles Pointe resident, said he thinks that living off-campus, even among his peers, is a much quieter environment than the residence halls.

“I like having my peers around me and seeing people from class,” Bebb said.

E-mail: sebaldwi@kent.edu