Top tips for choosing off-campus housing

The vast majority of Loyola students choose to live on campus all four years, an arrangement ideal for both building a strong academic and social community as well as ensuring student safety. Some students will always be interested in exploring off-campus housing options in the neighborhoods surrounding Loyola. Off-campus housing can be an ideal way for students to gain independence, but these arrangements can offer challenges different and potentially greater than those experienced in on-campus housing. In addition, off-campus housing does not offer the same degree of security on-campus residences do. Several of the robberies that Loyola students have experienced in recent years have occurred as students returned to their off-campus residences from area bars late at night or in the early hours of the morning, so students and their parents are urged to pay particular attention to the location and security of off-campus apartments and housing.

Before students sign leases for off-campus residences, they and their parents should be sure to:

1. Visit the residence before agreeing to sign a lease.

Sometimes students will feel rushed into getting a certain apartment or house, and ask a parent to sign a lease for them, sometimes even doing so long distance. Check out the residence first, and make sure it is a livable space prior to signing. Once a lease is signed, it will be very difficult for your student to move anywhere else.

2. Read and review the lease with your student and roommates, and then make a copy!

The majority of issues in rental living situations stem from lack of understanding of the lease terms, and miscommunication about various responsibilities. What part of the deposit is non-refundable? Who is responsible for yard maintenance? What happens when rent isn’t paid on time? As parents often co-sign leases for students, it is important to remember that YOU are ultimately responsible for its terms. Read the lease with anyone else living in the house, and make sure to keep a copy for future reference. (This copy should also contain the landlord’s contact information, always valuable to hold on to!)

3. Discuss budgeting and finances, BEYOND rent costs.

It’s easy for a student who hasn’t had to live alone to consider rent the only cost associated with living off campus. Other bills such as gas/electric payments, groceries, and cable/Internet add up. Even something as simple as the extra money for gas to and from school can break a student’s budget. Make sure you and your student talk frequently about preparation for additional costs, and be prepared to step in if some financial mismanagement occurs.

4. Understand that living off-campus is NOT a free-for-all, and help your student navigate his/her independence.

Often students express a desire to live off campus in order to gain some freedom from University supervision. While living off campus certainly provides more independence, local laws, neighborhood association requirements, and Loyola policies specifically geared for offcampus students still apply. Read and review all of these guidelines with your student, and have a discussion regarding behavior you would expect from your neighbors, as many of our students will have neighbors expecting the same thing!

5. Encourage the use of campus police as a resource.

Even when our students live off of the Loyola campus, our campus police force is heavily invested in their safety and well-being. Campus police will come evaluate the safety of an off-campus home, including checking for adequate door and window locks and possible areas of access for intruders. They will also drive by off-campus homes during break to assure their security. Make sure both you and your students take advantage of the multiple ways campus police can help maintain safety.

For more information and suggestions on choosing off-campus housing, contact Greg Simons, assistant director of student life for off-campus relations, at gbsimons@loyola.edu.