Holly Pablo, Staff Writer
Just a few years ago, it was not uncommon to have more than a thousand students on waiting lists for university housing. Today, there are no waiting lists, Director of Housing Administration Patricia Francisco said.
Because of the reduction in state funding, the university has substantially decreased the number of students admitted. As a result, there has been enough room for all new and continuing students interested in living on campus, according to Francisco.
Another reason for the vacancies could be the availability and appeal of off-campus housing. There are three separate private housing developments currently being built near San Diego State, Francisco said.
One of the works in progress is an apartment building at the intersection of Hardy Avenue and 55th Street, close to the Extended Studies Center and the Calpulli Center.
The four-story building will have 49 units for 191 residents, project manager Lou Haberkern said, and will offer individual leases, full kitchens and full-sized appliances, including washers and dryers.
There will be enclosed outdoor courtyards with resort-style furnishings and gas-operated barbecue grills, and residents will even have access to a convenience store, tanning salons and a community room geared toward relaxation and social gatherings with neighbors, according to Haberkern.
The company in charge of the construction, 55th and Hardy, LLC, has yet to determine rental rates, he said, but the final price will reflect that each unit will be fully furnished and include the cost of utilities, Internet and cable television.
“This is an ideally located project and it offers proximity to the services students like using after school: the ARC, aquaplex, Viejas Arena,” Haberkern said.
While students of all ages and class levels are welcome to apply, he said they hope to reach students who have already lived in the residence halls and are ready to “take the next step to more independent living.”
In spite of the fact developments such as these are targeted toward SDSU students, Francisco is confident that campus housing provides residents with opportunities and
tools that off-campus housing cannot.
There are social events, special programs and living-learning communities where students live with people they share classes with and available staff who work especially with assisting students’ transition to college life, she said.
“By and large, I feel that we have a different product,” she said. “An apartment is an apartment, but it doesn’t come with the educational component that we offer.”
Freshman student Samantha Arevalo agreed that by living in the residence halls, she is better able to “get the full experience of college” by being in an environment conducive to learning and making friends. Had she decided to live off-campus, she would not have been inclined to attend Welcome Week activities, football games and other school-sponsored events, she said.
On the other hand, because there are always people around, you lose a sense of privacy, she said, which makes off-campus housing sound more appealing.
Graduate student Thomas Boston said living off campus is simpler for people such as himself who prefer living alone. Graduate students need more privacy because they have a larger workload, he said.
Project Superintendent Jim Knorr said they are currently building the structure’s framework. Because they are using a panelized system of prefabricated materials rather than loose lumber, they anticipate finishing earlier than their targeted completion date of July 1.
The leasing office for the development at 55th Street and Hardy Avenue will be opening between Thanksgiving and the winter recess for people interested in learning more about the facility, Haberkern said.
