July 31, 1998

MEDIA CONTACT: Rick Moore, (619) 594-5204.

 

SDSU Seeks Community Help to Alleviate Student Housing Shortage

SDSU is experiencing its worst shortage of student housing in a decade, and officials are appealing to the community for help.

"It appears the housing market in San Diego has tightened considerably, and is back to the levels we experienced in 1986," said Mike Hoctor, director of Housing and Residential Life for SDSU. "This has caused more students to seek on-campus housing," he added.

According to Hoctor, available spaces are filled and there are more than 500 people on a waiting list. Those who have returned contracts for on-campus housing will be accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis.

To help alleviate the problem, the university is asking those near SDSU with apartment vacancies or extra rooms in their homes to offer rentals to students, Hoctor said. Available housing may be listed with the University by contacting the Housing and Residential Life office at (619) 594-5742. There is a special reduced fee of $20 for four weeks of listing when information is received before August 15.

Students in need of housing may check listings between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays at the Housing and Residential Life Office near the northeast corner of College Avenue and Montezuma Road or use the off-campus Housing Search and Guide on the Housing and Residential Life web page at http://hrlo.sdsu.edu/och/.

From August 10 to 28, listings will be moved to the Housing Referral Center on the lower level of Aztec Center on the SDSU campus. Hours there will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. The office is holding a "Roommate Fair" on Saturday, August 15, to help students looking for a roommate to link up with one another.

Hoctor also suggested that students use other city resources including the newspaper or church contacts to learn of opportunities. Students could visit apartments to search for unlisted spaces to find a suitable living arrangement and roommates, he added.

Steps being taken to ease shortage

SDSU has two new housing projects in progress - 66 apartments soon to be under construction in the redevelopment area, which will be available for Fall 1999 occupancy, and an additional 650 suite-style spaces near existing residence halls, currently being planned for Fall 2000 occupancy.