2020 Fall Housing Guide

HOUSING GUIDE 2020

CU LTU R E

CAM P US

Love Lockdown: How college students are dating during the pandemic There have been triumphs and tribulations for everyone during this time in regard to their dating lives.

MSU graduate students Column: The RA role is more struggle with mental different than ever health, research “Although this year looks a lot different, I still enjoy being an RA.� uncertainty

PAGE 4B

PAGE 11B

T U ES DAY, O CTOB E R 27, 2020

@THESNEWS

O PI N I O N

PAGE 14B

STAT E N EWS.COM

l a u VirtAvailable! oT urs

CLOSE TO CAMPUS

ROOMMATE MATCHING PROGRAM

OUTDOOR GRILLING

CONFERENCE/ STUDY ROOM

PRIVATE BATHROOMS

Apply online today! LiveCampusVillage.com

2B

T HE STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BER 27, 2020

PRIVATE PARKING

HOUSING GUIDE 2020—21

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2020

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Evan Jones

CONTACT THE STATE NEWS

MANAGING EDITOR SaMya Overall

NEWSROOM/CORRECTIONS (517) 295-5149 feedback@statenews.com

(517) 295-1680

ART DIRECTOR Genna Barner

GENERAL MANAGER Christopher Richert

COPY CHIEF Mark Ostermeyer

ADVERTISING M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

CAMPUS EDITOR Karly Graham

The State News is published by the students of Michigan State University on Thursdays during the academic year.

News is updated seven days a week at statenews.com.

CITY EDITOR Kaishi Chhabra SPORTS EDITOR Jayna Bardahl PHOTO EDITOR Alyte Katilius MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Tessa Osborne AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR Sophia Kalakailo DESIGN Genna Barner Hope Ann Flores Emily Maze

State News Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation. Its current 990 tax form is available for review upon request at 435 E. Grand River Ave. during business hours.

Copyright © 2020 State News Inc., East Lansing, Michigan One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the MSU community. Additional copies $0.75 at the business office only.

Cover designed

by Emily Maze

A view from the back of The Abbot off-campus apartments September 2. Photo by Lauren Snyder

first

Be the to live at University Edge

less than luxury floor plans

1 mile from MSU

amenities & finishes

made for you

NOW LEASING FOR FALL 2021 Schedule a tour today!

LiveUniversityEdge.com 517.305.4570

FE E DBACK@STAT E N EWS.COM

T U ES DAY, OCTO B ER 27, 2020

STATEN EWS.CO M

3B

H O US I NG G UI D E

LOCKDOWN LOVE STORIES:

HOW COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE DATING DURING THE PANDEMIC

By Emma LaRocca elarocca@statenews.com Dating during a pandemic would have been much more complicated just years ago. But, with today’s technology, students were able to choose if and how they continued dating while being on strict lockdown.

Kelsey Robinson, a human biology sophomore, met her boyfriend, Evan Odar, like many college students meet a prospective partner: at a party with friends. Robinson laughed as she recounted how they first met nearly 10 months ago.

“I went with one of my friends to his frat and I ended up meeting Evan because I pointed across the room and was like ‘Oh my god that kid’s so cute,’” Robinson said.

Since Robinson and Odar had established their relationship before lockdown went into effect, the new normal was hard to adjust to for both of them.

“It was a whole process,” Robinson said. “That Monday we went into the lockdown, and I didn’t see him for two months after that because we weren’t allowed to leave or go anywhere.”

While they were both on campus, they would see each other frequently, but suddenly there were over 100 miles between them as they were in their respective hometowns.

Similarly, social relations and policy junior Wyatt Humphrey-Phillips was in his hometown and separated from his girlfriend, who he had met just weeks before lockdown went into effect.

In the beginning, Humphrey-Phillips was not too concerned that he was trying to establish a relationship amid a pandemic.

“I was pretty confident at first because I thought that we were

“It’s always really exciting when I would go and get to see Kelsey in person because it didn’t happen too much … because of distance and at the beginning because of the lockdown, so it just made our time together that much more exciting.”

Wyatt Humphrey-Phillips

Social relations and policy junio going to be back in three weeks like we were scheduled to be,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

But, this wasn’t the case, as online classes continued through the remainder of the spring semester. Reflecting back on this, Humphrey-Phillips and his girlfriend were able to go on very few dates before they would be separated for a long period of time during the lockdown.

“We hung out … Friday, Saturday, Sunday. We left on Sunday and didn’t see each other for three months,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

For Carla Simone, a Spanish senior, stepping away from dating was the best option for her once lockdown went into effect.

“Before COVID, I wasn’t really dating much to begin with,” Simone said.“It wasn’t one of my top priorities I guess, so I didn’t put much time and effort into meeting someone. I did have Bumble and I would be on and off with the app.”

Once the country got further into the pandemic, Simone said

Illustration by Daena Faustino

she decided to delete the dating apps she had and focus on herself instead.

“I think not having dating apps and not worrying about meeting someone … I put more focus on me in general and kind of doing more stuff for me,” Simone said.

Simone said she took this time to reevaluate why she had previously felt the need to be on dating apps. By deleting them she said she realized there were outside pressures that made her feel like she needed to be on the apps.

“It was kind of less pressure in a sense,” Simone said. “I feel like when I downloaded those apps it was because I felt like I needed to have a boyfriend or I felt like I needed to be dating someone because everyone around me was in a relationship or I was seeing people in relationships on social media.”

Packaging junior Claire Cassar entered lockdown and also decided to stop dating, as she wanted to make sure she was being as safe as she could be amidst the unknowns of the

pandemic.

But, as the world slowly began reopening, Cassar said she reconnected with someone she had met before.

Cassar said they were trying to form a relationship in the middle of a pandemic that would keep them away from East Lansing for many months.

A recurring trend among these relationships is the use of technology as a way to stay connected to their partner.

For Robinson and Odar, they utilized Facetime most days to catch up and talk about their days. They would branch out with other technologies in an attempt to create the closest thing to being on a physical date with each other.

“We ended up starting to use Zoom, and I would share my screen, and we would watch Netflix together,” Robinson said.

Cassar and her boyfriend also used Zoom as an alternative to going on dates in person.

“We couldn’t always meet in person so we had to rely on

Zoom, which was a little disappointing but understandable because we have to stay safe,” Cassar said.

Humphrey-Phillips and his girlfriend felt the effects of trying to advance a relationship solely over technology.

“It was Facetime, it was texting, it was praying that anything would change,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

Humphrey-Phillips said he and his girlfriend made extra effort to have deeper conversations so they could learn more about each other and their relationship all while not being able to see each other in person.

“There was a point where it could have plateaued, but we stuck with it,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

Cassar and her boyfriend also faced challenges when it came to maintaining their relationship over technology.

“Something that’s always hard is making sure that you can maintain a solid conversation with somebody over some sort of technology,” Cassar said.

“So it’s always hard if you can’t have that face to face contact but thankfully … my current boyfriend that I started talking to, we had a really nice time bonding over it but one of the challenges was we couldn’t go on dates for a while because we did have a COVID scare.”

However, it was not all negative effects that came from trying to support a relationship throughout a pandemic. For Cassar, she appreciated how well she got to know her boyfriend even before they got to be together in person.

Humphrey-Phillips felt similarly about how his relationship developed in the pandemic.

“We had a clear definition of who the other person was before we were able to meet back up,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

Odar felt that the time apart from Robinson made him even more appreciative of the few times they did have together.

“It’s always really exciting when I would go and get to see Kelsey in person because it didn’t happen too much … because of distance and at the beginning because of the lockdown, so it just made our time together that much more exciting,” Odar said.

There have been triumphs and tribulations for everyone during this time and everyone had unique experiences in regard to their dating lives.

Dating during a pandemic put Kanye West’s “Love Lockdown” into a new perspective.

Humphrey-Phillips said he learned a lot about himself and his relationship through all the ups and downs that came with dating during the pandemic, but overall, his idea of what love was supposed to look like was completely transformed.

“I really learned that there was more to love,” Humphrey-Phillips said.

ADVERTISMENT

HOUSING COMPANY DIRECTORY

The Lodges of East Lansing

Experience the best in college living at the Lodges of East Lansing – modern student living just steps from the Michigan State University campus. Get the lifestyle you want with our fully furnished apartments with private bedrooms and bathrooms, hardwood-style flooring and fully-equipped kitchens. Stay fit, healthy and happy with our heated swimming pool and hot tub, sand volleyball court and two 24-hour, state-of-theart fitness centers with strength equipment, cardio machines and free weights. thelodgesofeastlansing@americancampus.com (517) 333-3220 thelodgesofeastlansing.com

Journey House Campus Ministry Center

Journey House Campus Ministries is a community-based student living and ministry center located at 1628 E Grand River Ave. We offer student housing for up to twelve residents in a safe, substance free facility (no tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana). The facility and program are sponsored by Community of Christ, but residents are not required to adhere to any par4B

T HE STAT E NEWS

ticular beliefs or participate in any activities. Persons of all races, ethnicities, religions, genders, and sexual orientations are welcome to be part of the Journey House community. Length of lease is flexible and rates are available for single and double occupancy of rooms. All amenities and utilities are included in the monthly rent. johousecmc@gmail.com (517) 337-1845

Hub East Lansing

At Hub On Campus East Lansing, we offer fully furnished rooms with optional upgrades, amenities reminiscent of a resort, and one of the best locations of any off campus housing near MSU! Working or playing, socializing or chilling, our array of resort-style amenities lets you spend free time however you want.

You can take it to the max in our state-of-the-art fitness center, fully equipped with virtual trainers and on-demand classes, then take it down a notch in the on-site sauna and steam room. Come take a tour to check it out yourself, you won’t want to leave! liveeastlansing@huboncampus.com (517) 295-2253

MSU Live on

College is a time to grow, discover yourself and the world around you, and develop long-lasting relationships. With on-campus neighborhoods and apartments, students have an opportunity to realize their full potential through a wide range of programs, activities and support services in the heart of it all. liveon@msu.edu (517) 884-5483 liveon.msu.edu

University Edge Student Living

University Edge Student Living is the newest off-campus student housing apartment community located in Lansing, MI, and less than one mile from MSU. You will find a vast array of layout options across 1, 2, 4, and 5-bedroom floor plans to satisfy any need. Our luxury apartments feature fully-equipped kitchens, full-size washer & dryer, designer furniture package, sleek white granite countertops, and luxury woodstyle floors. liveuniversityedge.com

TU ESDAY, OCTO BE R 27, 2020

The Rocks Apartment

The Rocks is East Lansing’s premier apartment community designed for Michigan State students. Each spacious apartment includes hardwood style flooring, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, private bathrooms and much more! Outside of your fully furnished apartment home, you can enjoy a stroll through our trails located around the community or take your fur friend to our bark park. Are you ready to redefine Student Living? Call today! therocks@greystar.com (517) 679-4011 therocksatmsu.com

The Quarters East Lansing

Enjoy 1, 2, 3 or 4-bedroom apartments in a setting that offers a long list of amenities including a fitness center, pool and sundeck, tanning bed, outdoor fire pit, social events and located on the CATA bus route.

It is our goal to provide you and your friends a truly enhanced living experience. A place you’re excited to call home.

Call (517) 940-9400 or Text (517) 940-8457

Student Legal Services

Student Legal Services provides FREE professional legal assistance and representation to eligible students through a contract with the law firm of Jeffries and Associates PLLC. The attorneys at Jeffries and Associates PLLC have over 50 years of combined legal experience representing students at Michigan State University. Areas of representation include both criminal and civil matters with a focus on landlord/tenant law.

Service is by appointment only info@studentlegalservices.com (517) 353-3716 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. We are closed Saturdays, Sundays, and all Michigan State University Holidays. studentlegalservices.com.

T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

STATEN EWS.CO M

5B

MSU Student Housing Co-op

Discover a new way of livinG CHOOSE FROM 17 DIVERSE HOUSES GAIN EXPERIENCES WITH FORMATIVE DEMOCRATIC COMMUNITIES

Apply todaY www.msu.coop

MSU ALUMNI OWNED STUDENT RENTALS ACROSS MSU

2 – 6 Person Houses

Management takes pride in maintaining great houses Website has video walk through tours of each house NO LAWN FEES

GO GREEN

NO LAUNDRY FEES

NO APPLICATION FEES

517-749-4767

GO WHITE

www.gutowrentals.com 6B

T HE STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BER 27, 2020

H OU S I N G G U I DE

‘The Earth has a deadline’

The value of sustainability and how to incorporate it into your daily life

By Sara Tidwell stidwell@statenews.com

Luxury Living on the Banks of the Red Cedar

Stop in for a Tour Today!

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00 Weekend by Appointment 517-853-2005

Climate change is real. Global warming is real. Every decision made from this day forth either helps protect the planet or adds to its demise. There are easy first steps to sustainability that every individual can follow, which can lead to a huge impact on our carbon footprint.

Robert Richardson, a professor and associate chair in the Department of Community Sustainability that branches from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, loves the Earth.

“Living sustainable comes down to a question of whether or not you care about the future and future generations,” Richardson said. “Most of us can go about doing whatever we want, and we can continue to still live our lives in relative comfort, but the impacts of climate change are already being felt.”

With his PhD in environmental economics, he dove deep into the costs of pollution, along with the economic benefits of natural resources, recycling, etc. He pursued his degree partly because he’s an environmentalist at heart and partly because he was a business major as an undergraduate — he wanted to marry his background and his passion.

He said he is a huge fan of national parks and has a goal of visiting every national park in the country, though they’ve added some to the list in recent years.

Richardson said that the sources driving the helm of climate change are our uses of energy and transportation — and not only our own driving, but corporations using trucks to deliver their products to our stores and our doors.

“If we can be aware and try to do a little bit to reduce the emissions associated with those, I think that’s low hanging fruit ... not that hard to do,” he said.

SO, WHERE DO I START?

For Richardson, it’s about practicing what you preach. And the three R’s, those are key: Reduce, reuse, recycle.

Sustainability is a lifestyle that an individual conforms to by lessening use of detrimental products in an attempt to reduce their carbon footprint.

Michael Ofei, from the Minimalist Vegan, wrote an article with nearly 120 simple tips and tricks to get on the sustainable track:

AROUND THE HOUSE

Instead of blasting the air conditioning or the heat, try opening the windows for a breeze or putting on an extra layer of clothing. In the colder months, blankets, sweaters, cabin socks

and thick sweatpants do wonders. Think like a skier. In the warmer months, shade does wonders, even indoors.

If you have a basement, they are usually the chilliest areas in your home.

Other things you can do include opening your blinds and using as much natural light as possible before you switch on your light bulbs. Similarly, turn off the lights when you leave a room. Also, hand wash your clothes and hang your wet clothes on a drying line or rack instead of using a powered appliance. You can do one or the other or both!

GROCERY SHOPPING

Avoid plastic bags.

Bring your own cloth reusable bags, jars and other containers instead. Also avoid plastic wrapped products, and go for free roam or biodegradable materials . If you take your own containers to bulk food stores, it saves you from supporting expensive commercial products and allows you a more eco-friendly way of getting a large amount of food at once.

Growing your own herbs, fruits and vegetables, even if it’s just a few pots around the house, or shop for them at local farmers and outdoor markets is another way to increase sustainability. If you do the first option, use organic fertilizer! Start a compost pile with cores and peels afterwards!

YOUR CLOSET

Whether your wardrobe is overflowing or nearly empty, whether you’re a big and trendy style person or not, stop shopping at fast fashion outlets. Instead, buy second-hand clothes when possible. Sustainable brands also work, but do your research beforehand — most companies are less transparent about their processes.

Also, it doesn’t hurt to acquire basic sewing skills that you could use to patch holes and sew buttons back onto damaged clothes. If you have a bigger sewing job, either take your item to an alterations shop, transform it into something new and improved, repurpose it or donate it.

AROUND THE OFFICE

Go paperless. Technology is the new wave for everything. That’s the way society is transitioning.

Ditch the paper, ditch the hard drives and servers and switch to cloud computing.

TECHNOLOGY AND APPLIANCES

It’s in the planet’s best interest for you to look second-hand first. If you can’t find any, look for energy-efficient appliances

T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

Illustration by Daena Faustino

next. Instead of throwing your old devices in the trash or letting them collect dust in your attic, donate them to schools and other institutions or recycle them at a specific plant.

AROUND THE KITCHEN

You can really get the “reuse” portion of things running. Reuse glass jars, opt for tupperware rather than plastic bags, rags instead of paper towel, metal over plastic silverware, use your dishwasher over hand washing to limit your hot water intake.

Another big thing would be to try making your own cleaning products, rather than using chemicals from the store that pollute the air and are dangerous for your body.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

Take shorter showers and turn off the faucet when washing your face or brushing your teeth. Timers help with this.

And again, reuse Cotton pads or washcloths for taking off makeup rather than single use wipes. For those that experience menstruation, try reusable pads, special built underwear or menstrual cups when it’s that time.

The biggest one would be to share products with those you live with. Whether it be toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, shaving cream, soap, etc., reduce your cart — buy bigger bottles less often, rather than smaller bottles more often.

For more than 20 years, Metronome, which includes a 62-foot-wide 15-digit electronic clock that faces Union Square in Manhattan, New York used to tell the time to and from midnight. Now, it tells the time remaining, Colin Moynihan wrote for The New York Times.

Sustainability, factually, makes the planet a better place.

STATEN EWS.CO M

7B

SIGN NOW BEFORE THEY’RE GONE!

%5/.(5 $0.

8B

T HE STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BER 27, 2020

4530/(&3 50(&5)&3 $1 j L T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

STATEN EWS.CO M

9B

HANNAH LOFTS OFFERS EVERYTHING YOU NEED!

24-hour fitness center with cardio and weight equipment

• • A clubhouse for entertainment Individual study rooms

Visit today and see for yourself what it means to live the Hannah Lofts lifestyle!

Contact us today!

517-220-0417 • leasing@liveathannah.com 1 0B

T HE STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BER 27, 2020

H OU S I N G G U I DE

MSU graduate students struggle with uncertainty

By Anastasia Pirrami apirrami@statenews.com The expectations going into the academic year were mixed among graduate students — some had a little bit of an idea and others, not a clue.

Michigan State University graduate students are adjusting to academic life since the novel coronavirus made its way to the United States earlier this year.

Since the beginning of the 2020 fall semester, MSU has switched most undergraduate and graduate programs to a remote format.

Anna Wilcoxson, a Ph.D. candidate in the sociology department at MSU, said that she was anticipating working from home regardless of COVID-19 since she is at the dissertation stage and not attending classes anymore.

Wilcoxson also is a Graduate Teaching Assistant, or GTA, for a methods course. Since the course includes lab instruction, it was set to be in-person until about a week before classes began. The administration then switched to an online format.

“I went into this semester basically not knowing what I was doing,” Wilcoxson said.

“I didn’t really have time to process what I expected for this semester. I genuinely had

no idea what was going to happen.”

Clay Oppenhuizen, who is a GTA and Ph.D. candidate in the department of history at MSU said that he felt nervous going into late July and early August because it seemed that the hybrid system the administration introduced did not seem prudent, even after clarification.

“I thought that having hybrid courses seemed like it was still going to lead to greater exposure for graduate students, but not only that, but for undergraduate students too,” Oppenhuizen said. “I was honestly worried too for colleagues in the department because I wasn’t sure when they were being notified, like if their classes were going to fully be in-person, fully online or a hybrid.”

For both Ph.D. candidates, the novel coronavirus has affected their students’ academic lives, as well as their own. As GTA’s, the pressure to produce results from their students is higher than years past.

Wilcoxson said she tries hard to reduce her students’ tasks because although Zoom classes are hard for her, they are equally challenging for other students, and she notices how much pressure and anxiety it

Illustration by Emily Maze

puts on them. Wilcoxson said that her students have admitted that other professors have moved to entirely asynchronous class formats and bumped up the course workload.

“I try to talk openly with them about mental health, and a lot of my students are

suffering from serious mental health issues at the moment,” Wilcoxson said. “It was either before this that they had mental health issues or it’s onset, but (nonetheless) everybody’s anxiety is heightened and exacerbated because of this.”

The pandemic has put in-

person research almost entirely to a halt for graduate students.

There have been numerous graduate students who have either had to change their dissertation topics or put their dissertation projects on hold indefinitely, meaning that their graduation timelines will likely be pushed back one to two years, Wilcoxson said.

As for herself, Wilcoxson felt a reduction in pressure. She talked through her strategies with her committee and advisers, and after looking to enter the job market this year and seeing that there was nothing available from top prospects, she realized there was no rush to get through the program.

Overall, the speed and pressure of completing the program declined, but in another way, Wilcoxson said she feels stagnant.

Oppenhuizen said that he has already had seven or eight students test positive for COVID-19. Each of them missed class for about seven to 10 days. In these cases, because the students were so fatigued, Oppenhuizen said he gave week-long extensions on assignments to ease the pressure.

“Nobody really prepares for how to teach in a pandemic,”

T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

Oppenhuizen said. “I try to be as open and transparent with my students as possible and be more lenient with grading.”

Oppenhuizen and Wilcox said they feel fortunate that they have colleagues and committees that communicate so well together to maintain a steady work environment. However, they agree that despite their students doing their best to complete online work, there are more benefits and collaboration with the face-to-face format.

“If you’re face to face with ... your peers, you’re able to get a lot of feedback and also able to talk to each other, but my students are having a hard time engaging with each other because there is not any inperson interaction, and there’s not that classroom interaction” Wilcoxson said. “There’s a lot of missed opportunities, and so there’s quite a reduction in collaboration.”

Oppenhuizen emphasized how important it is for everyone at MSU to be transparent and forgiving.

“It is not easy for anybody, necessarily,” Oppenhuizen said.

“This isn’t how the university has been structured, and how pedagogy and learning are supposed to be undertaken, ethically, at the university levels.”

STATEN EWS.CO M

11B

Student Affairs & Services

The Department of Student Life invites you to the

2020 MSU HOUSING FAIR AND HOUSING WEBINAR SERIES The MSU Housing Fair provides students a low-pressure opportunity to consider off and on-campus housing options

THE 2020 MSU HOUSING FAIR WHEN: Thursday, October 29th, 11am - 4pm WHERE: spartans.easyvirtualfair.com OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS AND 100% VIRTUAL

15+ Housing Vendors • Prizes: Gift cards, Spartan Gear and more!

Off-Campus Housing Resources

New to 2020: The Housing Fair Webinar Series Topic: Understanding Legal Issue with Housing When: Oct. 27 7:00PM (EST)

Topic: Housing Perspectives Round Table When: Oct. 28 7:00PM (EST)

REGISTER AT STUDENTLIFE.MSU.EDU/HOUSING EVENT PARTNERS

Student Life Michigan State’s Independent Voice

12B

T HE STAT E NEWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BE R 27, 2020

H OU S I N G G U I DE

Landlord discusses investing in property

By Wendy Guzman wguzman@statenews.com Whether it’s dorms, apartments, houses or condos, many of Michigan State’s nearly 50 thousand students are looking for a place to live in the city of East Lansing — but who owns the property?

“As far as investment properties, a college town is awesome, because you’ll always basically have a renter,” Owner and Co-Founder of Real Estate Redesigned at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Dominic Lee said. “So worrying about whether or not your property will be rented is a lot less risky than outside of a college dorm.”

Landlords in East Lansing have a unique opportunity. Due to the demand for housing in college towns, the property investment can begin reaping rewards quicker as properties have a good overall appreciation — an increase in the value of the asset over time.

“The biggest thing I see in why people should (invest in college towns) is the overall appreciation,” Associate Broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Rob Buffington said. “I mean, if you have a long-term plan … properties are going to appreciate. And most likely, they’re gonna appreciate quicker than some typical investment property, like if you invested in Lansing, a property in East Lansing will appreciate a little bit more.”

Buffington has specialized in the sale and acquisition of East Lansing rental properties since 2007.

East Lansing varies in that there is a moratorium on rental licenses. A home cannot be rented out if it does not have a license and the

license classifies properties on how many tenants can live there.

“In normal towns, you don’t really have that, in Lansing, you do have to have a rental license, but it’s not as strict as East Lansing. So it varies a lot differently,” Lee said. “Because if you purchase a property in East Lansing … if it doesn’t have a rental license, and I try to rent it to students or something, I’d actually be breaking the law.”

Even in towns just outside of East Lansing, like Mason, you don’t necessarily need a rental license as long as it fits with code, Lee said.

Ideally, homes should be purchased in September and October to be ready for the next fall semester. Initial rental licenses in East Lansing take about two to five months to process and cost $1,550, according to the city of East Lansing.

The process includes a completed application with all required documents, administrative review by the housing office, and inspection followed by a letter indicating any code violations that must be fixed. Then the commission hearing forwards the recommendation to City Council and a Council Hearing where the final decision is made.

“What happens often is because obviously, East Lansing doesn’t want college students to be living in rough living situations, they have certain guidelines for what the property has to have,” Lee said. “So the inspector comes through the house and marks everything up that needs to be repaired or gives you the green light. And then after that they submit it to the city, obviously and then you go through the hearing and all that. So it’s a pretty extensive process and it can be expensive.”

Due to the length of the process, it’s not always

“The biggest advice I can give people is to find someone that actually knows this niche of the market” Rob Buffington

Associate Broker at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices guaranteed, but homes can be purchased with a preexisting license that has to be renamed under the new owner.

When looking for off-campus housing, parents of students often consider purchasing property for their students to live in with friends while they’re studying in East Lansing, rather than renting.

“Now you have investors that will look at it, but you also have … all these parents that come in looking for places for the kids to rent, and now they see this house for sale, and they think, well, ‘I never thought about the house for sale,’” Buffington said.

Deciding to purchase a home depends on the family’s situation, Buffington said. If students are going to be living there longer to continue their studies or there are multiple students who will be living in the house across a few years, it could be a good investment for the parents.

Animal science sophomore Erin Boyle-Levy

will be living in a three-bed, two and a half bathroom condo her parents purchased for her to live in the next few years.

“I’m looking to go to vet school. That’s the plan. And so since I’m a sophomore right now, if that happens, and I go to MSU’s vet school, I’ll be here for the next six years,” Boyle-Levy said.

“My other two roommates, we were looking into renting like a house or something ... and I was updating my parents about all this, then one day, just kind of out of the blue (my dad) texted me and he goes, ‘If you find a house, that’s a good price, I’ll buy it for you.’”

Boyle-Levy and her parents began looking for property to purchase in East Lansing. She was familiar with the area and her father focused on the logistics of the home, eventually opting for the condo option over house or apartments.

“We found two condos, and then we went and toured them. And we just went to one that we thought we could really be liked and didn’t take much work. And I had two roommates lined up and everything,” Boyle-Levy said. “So I think we put in the offer for the condo three weeks ago, and we’re supposed to close next week.”

Investing in property in East Lansing can be worth the investment, but realtors recommend becoming familiar with the regulations of East Lansing and seeking advice from experts.

“The biggest advice I can give people is to find someone that actually knows this niche of the market, if they’re serious about investing in East Lansing or even just want to learn more about it, they need to know someone that knows, they need to hire someone or recruit the expertise of someone that knows the different classes of licenses in East Lansing,” Buffington said.

T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

STATEN EWS.CO M

13B

H O US I NG G UI D E

COLUMN

Classified The RA role is more different than ever Class

By Janelle James jjames@ statenews. com

A

dapting to the challenges of COVID-19 means being flexible and supporting students, just instead from behind a laptop screen.

The Resident Assistant, or RA, program is very unique this year. The main goal of an RA is to provide support to students, especially on a social level. Transitioning from high school to college can be difficult for everyone, whether you’re an in-state freshman, out-of-state freshman, transfer student or international student. That is why we plan floor events every month: to be a resource for students to use if they are struggling to make friends during their transition.

It isn’t always easy being an RA. Even though we are about halfway through the semester, roles are still being modified.

While you could be a student’s

first friend, it has always been difficult to get residents to participate in events unless we use food as an incentive. Now, getting students to attend events is harder than ever because everything is virtual.

Last year, we planned events where we did face masks, had emotional support animals, movie nights and floor dinners. This semester, there are only so many things you can do virtually without it being redundant.

The RA program has downsized, partly because of COVID-19, but also because of the lack of organization among the administration. Following President Samuel Stanley L. Jr.’s August announcement that the university would transition to mainly remote learning, RAs in community-style dorms had to move to suitestyle dorms if they wanted to stay on campus. Some of them chose to move, and others decided to go back home.

I was lucky because I was already placed in a suite-style dorm when I was selected to be an RA.

DOWNTOWN 2 BEDROOM LUXURY APARTMENTS & LOFTS! Parking - Convenience Shopping Restaurants Bars Walk to Everything!

ALSO AVAILABLE 2021 4-8 BEDROOM HOUSES STUDIO, 2, 3, 4 & 5 BEDROOM APARTMENTS Premium Locations Locally Managed Premium Living Personal Service

I was placed on the alternate list at first, which wasn’t the best feeling, but it was better than not being selected at all.

I eventually got a call from my community director asking if I wanted to be placed in Case Hall and I took it. South neighborhood wasn’t my first choice, but if I declined the offer, I wouldn’t have been able to be an RA at all.

The reduced staff has also affected another component of being an RA, which is duty.

We don’t have to be on duty for as many days a month as in previous years, which is a relief. While we’re on duty we have to do rounds in the building every couple hours, answer the duty phone and also handle any situations that may occur during that time.

Although this year looks a lot different, I still enjoy being an RA. I love seeing my residents in the hallway or in the cafeteria because that is the only time I can interact with them in person.

To read more statenews.com.

T HE STAT E N EWS

TO PLACE AN AD …

DEADLINES

BY TELEPHONE (517) 295-1680 IN PERSON 435 E. Grand River Ave.

BY E-MAIL advertising@statenews.com ONLINE www.statenews.com/classifieds OFFICE HOURS 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mon.-Fri.

LINER ADS 2 p.m., 1 business day prior to publication (includes cancellations) CLASSIFIED DISPLAY 3 p.m., 3 class days prior to publication

NOTE TO READERS

The State News screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

Houses/Rent

Houses/Rent

Apts. For Rent

AUG 2020-2021 HOUSES. Lic. 3,4,5,6,7,8. Excellent Locations.

Top Conditions.

Extensive Updates. Call or Text: 517-4903082.

LIC FOR 4. Close to campus.

Excellent rates. Call 517-4101198 or 517-203-5157

RECENTLY RENOVATED apartments-Grand River+MAC. Free heat+water! Email mmarcinko@ landmarkcres.com to receive detailed information.

2021 AUG houses available. Lic 2-6 people. www.gutowrentals. com or call 517-749-4767 2021 Houses. Licensed for 3-8.

Great locations & rates. Call 517202-0920 or visit msuhouses.com

Aug. 21, 233 Kedzie, 4bd, 2 bth, new high efficiency heat and AC. Excellent location. USB outlets.

517-712-9600. No fees.

24 7 365

statenews .com

For more on housing, visit statenews.com LIVE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN, RIGHT ACROSS FROM MSU!

The Residences 211 Ann St.

565 Building 565 E. Grand River

Stonehouse Village 605 E. Grand River St. Anne Luxury Lofts 213 Ann St.

For leasing information visit or call: WWW.CRONMGT.COM 517-351-1177 14B

visit

Your campus marketplace! statenews.com/classifieds

The Element 903 903 E. Grand River

TU ESDAY, OCTO BE R 27, 2020

chandlercrossings.com T U ES DAY, OCTOBE R 27, 2020

STATEN EWS.CO M

15B

YOU BELONG HERE VOTED BEST PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN LANSING FOR THE YEAR 2020

AFFORDABLE • CLOSE TO CAMPUS • FRIENDLY CUSTOMER SERVICE

WITH OVER 200 APARTMENT HOMES NEAR CAMPUS, WE ARE THE PRIME PLACE TO CALL HOME

CALL TODAY FOR A VIRTUAL TOUR PRIME HOUSING GROUP

1390 EAST GRAND RIVER AVENUE 517-337-1133 • PRIMEHOUSINGGROUP.COM 16B

T HE STAT E N EWS

TU ESDAY, OCTO BER 27, 2020