AMERICAN UNIVERSITY

WASHINGTON, DC

Off-Campus Housing

American University

Housing & Residence Life

Presented by Martin Sagendorf

Associate Director of Housing Assignments & Communication

www.american.edu/ocl/housing/off-campus-services.cfm

housing@American.edu

Who is here?

• Who is from the DMV area?

• Who is living at home & commuting to campus?

• Who has lived in a city before?

• Who is renting nearby campus?• In D.C., Virginia, Maryland?

• Who is living by themselves?

• Who is living with room/apartment-mates?

• Is anyone still looking for housing at this time?

• Who lived off-campus at their past university and commuted to campus?

Our plan for today

• Review off-campus housing data and tips• Where & how students live

• Safety and being a good neighbor

• Off-campus housing search• What to consider and resources to find what you’re looking for

• As needed per your needs

• Other considerations & resources• Transportation & living with room/apartment-mates

• Connecting on when living off

• Questions and anything else to share for the greater good

Let’s Review our off-campus housing

data and tips*based on 2018 survey*

Where do AU students live?

Off-campus housing search

The off-campus housing process

• Consider where you will want to live in DC. Research neighborhoods.

• Determine your budget (rent, transportation, etc.)

• Visit multiple properties and compare. Ask questions, take photos, and make notes.

• Learn your rights as a tenant.

Necessities

• What are your needs and wants when searching for an apartment?

• Determine your personal priorities and what is most important to you in housing.

Apartments

• Generally, a lease is 12 months

• Some lease options are flexible, but may be costly

• Many apartments include some or all utilities

• The property management company is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the unit

• Renting a condo means the individual landlord is responsible for repairs and general maintenance

Visiting a Property

• How long is the space available?

• When is the first payment due and for what month?

• What utilities are included? What are the average costs?

• What is the security deposit?

• Are there laundry facilities in the unit or building?

• Is parking included in the rent price?

• Bring other people along

• Read over the lease

• Confirm that your landlord has a Basic Business License• Check the DCRA website

Other Questions

• What is the subletting policy?

• What is the repair and maintenance policy?

• Are there any additional charges for pets, lost keys or lockouts?

• What is the guest policy?

• Is there an early termination penalty?

• Is there anything I should know about the building?

Sharing a House?

• Leases may be flexible

• Individual landlord

• Need to determine who is responsible for maintenance

• Common areas shared with housemates

The AU Off-Campus Posting Site

The AU Off-Campus Posting Site

• Narrow your search by:

• Price

• Location

• Lease terms

• Find roommates

• Communicate with other students about off-campus housing

• offcampus.american.edu

Our off-campus page

• YouTube Video Guide• Living in DC• Budgeting information• Guides & Newsletters• Helpful links• www.american.edu/ocl/housing/

off-campus-services.cfm

Other search sites

• ApartmentFinder.com

• Padmapper.com

• Zillow

• Truilla

Other considerations &

resources

Transportation

Cars

• Should I bring my car?

• How often will you use it?

• Where can you park?

• Are you comfortable with city driving?

• Cost of owning a car in DC

• Parking at most apartments is $100-175/month.

• AU parking pass is $506/semester or $2/hour in certain lots.

• Insurance premiums

ZipCar

• A membership based car sharing service.

• Cars are available at many metro stops, airports, and other high traffic areas in DC.

• American University students can get a discount on their ZipCar membership.

• www.zipcar.com/universities/American-university

Car2Go

• A membership based car sharing service.

• You pay by the minute and find a car using a smartphone app.

• All of the cars in this service are Smart vehicles.

• http://washingtondc.car2go.com

Car rental and car sharing

Metro

• Metro’s website, www.wmata.com, contains a trip planner, bus schedules, bus & train route maps,

hours of operation, and updates.

• As part of your student fees, full-time AU Students receive an unlimited metro pass for rides on the

Metrorail and Metrobus during the academic year.

• https://www.american.edu/finance/transportation/upass.cfm

• AU provides a free shuttle from the Tenleytown metro stop to campus.

Biking

• Capital Bikeshare has over 200 stations across DC and Arlington, VA where you can

pick up a rental bike and return it to any station near your destination.

• There are several Capital Bikeshare stations on campus.

• Other dockless bike or scooter share programs are also available across DC.

Getting around Washington

Reagan National Airport (DCA)

Dulles International (IAD)

Baltimore-Washington Intl (BWI)

Super Shuttle

MARC

Amtrak

Other Transportation Options

www.flyreagan.com

www.flydulles.com

www.bwiairport.com

www.supershuttle.com

www.mtamaraland.gov

www.amtrak.com

Living with Roommates

• Communication is key!

• Write an informal mutual agreement

• Respect one another:

•Space

•Property

•Schedule

• Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution Services

• Office of Advocacy Services for Interpersonal and Sexual Violence (OASIS)

Office of the tenant advocate

• What is the OTA?

• Ota.dc.gov

• Informs tenants of their rights as renters in DC

• Provides legal advice for renters

ota.dc.gov/publication/tenant-bill-rights

Other Resources

• Metro Trip Planner• WMATA.com

Crime and Safety• Crimemap.dc.gov• Mylocalcrime.com

DCRA (District of Columbia Regulatory Affairs)• Dcra.dc.gov

OTA (District of Columbia Office of the Tenant Advocate)• Ota.dc.gov

On-campus resources

• Housing & Residence Life • Housing@American.edu

• Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution Services• conduct@American.edu

• Office of Advocacy Services for Interpersonal and Sexual Violence (OASIS)

• oasis@American.edu

Connecting on-campus when living off

• How will you feel connected to the AU community?• Working on-campus• Clubs & organizations• Campus events (speakers, presentations)• Academics (study groups, meet with faculty)• Using campus resources (gym, dining facilities,

library, etc.)• https://www.american.edu/universitylife/index.cfm

• What plans do you already have?

Considering on-campus housing

• Benefits to living on-campus:

• Connection

• Community

• Convenience

• Visit our website and contact our staff to discuss your needs

• Applications from off-campus residents are welcomed!

Questions?

Anything to share with your peers?