THE
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Housing Guide Spring 2022
CAMERON KRASUCKI, JONAH OZER, JULIA EVERSMANN, SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
COVID-19 cases spread in residence halls By Mona Alrazzaq & Weiyu Ding Assistant News Editor & Staff Writer
University Housing is experiencing concentrated COVID-19 cases, or COVID-19 “hotspots.” They are ensuring there are enough isolation spaces as well as shifting toward virtual activities to account for this. “It is a large operation behind the scenes to make (isolation spaces) run smoothly,” said Alma Sealine, director of University Housing. According to Mari Anne Curry, director of Housing Information and Marketing for University Housing, residential halls currently appear on and off of the list of areas marked as “COVID-19 hotspots” by SHIELD. COVID-19 hotspots are areas where there have been a concentrated amount of COVID-19 cases. Students living in these areas are required to get tested more frequently in order to maintain
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1001 S. Wright Street Champaign, IL 61820 (217) 337-8300
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Sherman Hall and other UI Housing facilities have been considered as COVID-19 hotspots.
building access. Despite these requirements and the amount of students living in housing currently in isolation, students are not required to show building access prior to entering University Housing. “If testing is already being done and monitored by campus, I don’t know if, resource wise, it is that helpful to add The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or The Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher.
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more people to check building access,” said Awais Vaid, epidemiologist at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. Sylvia Syp, residential adviser at Sherman Hall, noted the social effects of virtual events on residents. “You got less engagement from residents because a lot of friends were virtual, you weren’t seeing a lot of people come and that was a little draining,” Syp said. Syp said that events hosted at University Housing are a key aspect of student engagement. “Right now, I have 67 residents, and when I try to connect with them, a lot of people are avoiding me,” Syp said. “I felt it was hard to do a good job. I just wish people would reach back out to me and want to talk to me as much as I want to talk to them to hear how they’re doing.” monaa2@dailyillini.com weiyud2@dailyillini.com THE
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
UI continues to house students in lounges By Lilli Bresnahan Staff Writer
Students are still living in lounges during the spring semester because the University ran out of places to house them. “This semester, because our occupancy is so high—almost 100 percent—we had a larger number than anticipated (of) students choosing to come for the spring semester,” said Alma Sealine, executive director of University Housing. According to Sealine, when the incoming class is larger than anticipated, the University puts students in lounge spaces converted to temporary housing. “We’ve had record enrollment this fall and spring as students return to campus from COVID-19 to fulfill the campus live-on requirement,” said Mari Anne Curry, director of Housing Information and Marketing, in an email. According to Curry, the University also set aside some rooms for quarantine and isolation housing the past two years which has impacted the permanent spaces available. “Once space becomes available, because individuals don’t show up, or they choose to go somewhere else, then we move them into permanent housing,” Sealine said. Sealine said ISR is considered a preferred temporary housing location. In the fall semester, all of the lounges were used in Townsend and Wardall. According to Sealine, there are two different kinds of temporary housing spaces: preferred and nonpreferred. Preferred lounge spaces have windows, while non-preferred lounge spaces do not. “Students who are assigned to temporary housing pay 50 percent of their total cost for room and board,” Sealine said. When the student moves to permanent housing, the price is switched to the full cost. “The lounge spaces accommodate four to six individuals, depending upon the size of the lounge,” Sealine said. But sometimes there are two people staying in a lounge. The students can decide how to configure their lounge space and move furniture around. “Some of our students get very creative with how that’s all played
PHOTO COURTESY OF FAITH LEE
An empty student lounge in ISR that has been used for temporary housing when permanent housing was at maximum capacity. out,” Sealine said. Demia Simon, freshman in General Studies, lived in a temporary residence hall in ISR at the beginning of the fall semester. A few months before coming to campus, she got an email saying that she would be in temporary housing. According to Simon, she surprisingly enjoyed the experience. “I thought it was going to be bad at first because it was a lounge,” Simon said. According to Simon, living in a lounge didn’t feel like the standard
University Housing experience because of all the space. Simon had one other roommate and then eventually two roommates. “It’s probably two and a half rooms of a regular dorm,” Simon said. “It’s not as cozy, it’s open space … it doesn’t really feel like a home.” According to Sealine, individuals are picked for temporary housing based on when they apply. These students would have applied later, when there is no more available space for permanent housing. When there was a permanent housing
residence available, the University sent Simon an email with a deadline for her move-out date. “They gave a number for a move-in service; we didn’t have to pay for the service,” Simon said. “We just call them, set a date and everything, and they could come to get our stuff and take it over there. We just have to get there ourselves.” According to Sealine, there are about 300 spaces available for temporary housing. lillakb2@dailyillini.com
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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University adds 100 new COVID-19 isolation spaces By Lilli Bresnahan Staff Writer
The University has added 100 new isolation spaces for students who have tested positive for COVID-19. “The isolation rooms that we have available are available to students who live within University Housing facilities … This is specifically for residential students,” said Alma Sealine, executive director of University Housing. As of Jan. 26, there were over 70 isolation spaces still available. The location of these spaces is confidential. “We don’t want there to be any sort of individuals or things that would interfere with those individuals being able to recover,” Sealine said. According to Sealine, individuals are put into isolation when they test positive for COVID-19. If it is safe for them to return home, they are advised to. But if they are unable to, they are provided with an isolation space. If isolation spaces run out, individuals can contact the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District, which will help them find an isolation space off campus.
Close-contact individuals who are fully vaccinated and boosted are not required to quarantine. If someone is unvaccinated or has not finished their vaccination series and has been in contact with a COVID-positive person, they are required to test on day three and day five after exposure and monitor themselves for symptoms. According to Sealine, the CUPHD has also collaborated with local hotels in order to provide isolation spaces within the community. “CUPHD uses grant dollars to pay for the hotel rooms,” said Candi Crause, CUPHD Infectious Disease director. Sororities and fraternities have set aside some space to isolate, depending upon the size of the house. Those students can also work with CUPHD if they run out of space. Private Certified Housing has set aside several spaces for quarantine and isolation as well. On Jan. 19, a Reddit user attached an image to their post showing that Presby Hall, a private housing facility, wanted to turn the user’s sister’s dorm into a “COVID isolation ward.”
“We don’t want there to be any sort of individuals or things that would interfere with those individuals being able to recover.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF ALMA SEALINE
“It is my understanding that Presby is not currently providing isolation space in the way the Reddit post describes,” said Mari Anne Brocker Curry, director of Housing Information, in an email. “Residents (who) have not been exposed cannot be housed
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY HOUSING
Chef Mike and other University Housing workers prepare ravioli at the ISR dining hall. The dining halls have found it difficult to run efficiently with staff shortages.
Staff shortages, COVID-19 precautions impact dining halls By Mona Alrazzaq & Weiyu Ding Staff Writer & Assistant News Editor
Dining hall staff at University Housing are attempting to work through staff shortages as a result of COVID-19. Alma R. Sealine, executive director of University Housing, is responsible for all the operations, such as business services, dining, facilities, marketing, residential life, student affairs technology, housing information and management. “We operated quarantine and isolation housing, which included not only the space but also the food for those students,” Sealine said. “And we lost a significant amount of money. So we deferred a large number of capital projects so that we could focus on the pandemic response.” Major problems with dining hall staff at the University arose as a result of this loss of money and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re trying to still respond to the Omicron variant and so it has added a layer of stress,” Sealine said. “Staff members are overwhelmed, they’re tired and so trying to find ways to keep the staff motivated and appreciated for the work that they do.” Marcus Barnhart, a supervisor at ISR, worked at PAR for three years. He recalled that after the 2020 outbreak, self-catering services were transformed into restaurant staff serving students. “That just changed the whole job, because then we had to make sure that we were cleaning up even more,” Barnhart said. “We had to make extra, I guess, precautions. We just did our job a little bit more securely.” Barnhart said the outbreak of the pandemic has created staff shortages in the University’s dining halls. “I think one of the biggest difficulties was losing people,” Barhart said. “When somebody tests positive for COVID-19,
every single person that has worked around them or with them or been around them also has been exposed.” Before COVID-19 mealtimes, all the dining halls were open. Now, half of them are closed, which means the other dining halls are open longer to accommodate. Dining halls try to make students’ schedules work, so they can come in and eat. “We tried to make sure everybody has a meal,” Barhart said. “So we did extend dinner and lunchtime, and we made it so during the week. Breakfast goes straight to lunch. So we’re just open for like seven or eight hours in a row so people can come in and eat when they can.” Sealine thought staffing shortages are not just related to COVID-19 and that the University Housing has simply not been able to move forward and fill positions as quickly as they would like. Their first priority is to maintain the safety and security of work envi-
ronments for their staff. “Unfortunately, our dining staff are some of the least vaccinated staff of any of our staff members,” Sealine said. “We are actually more staffed now than we were in the fall semester. So we are hoping that we’re kind of on the other side of the staff shortage and that we will kind of get back to somewhat of what we experienced pre-pandemic.” Despite the staff shortages and COVID-19 precautions that have made the dining hall run less efficiently, staff members such as Barnhart remain motivated and optimistic. “We’re still going to stay open, and we’re still going to make it work because as I was told by one of my full-time coworkers, the students need to eat, people need to eat and we need to make sure that they can,” Barnhart said. weiyud2@dailyillini.com monaa2@dailyillini.com
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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For domestic and international students at the University, the concept of home can be complicated. For these students, home is rediscovered on a college campus. University professor Cynthia Buckley teaches SOC 170: Integration, Assimilation and Multiculturalism: America’s Immigrant Society and SOC 270: Global Demography. Buckley said diversity is a core strength of the University campus, and acceptance is an essential measure of health within academic communities. Opportunities to interact with diversity are key to individual success and better local, national and international communities. “Campuses are, at their best, a home to all, a place of belonging, shared respect, and support,” Buckley said. “They are the tradition of the melting pot in microcosm, with different ideologies, backgrounds, identities and experiences mixed to create something more than the sum of its parts.” Buckley explained international students often come together on campus, and though it’s not the same as their original home, it still gives students a sense of community. “They provide valuable opportunities to enjoy the familiar even when in a new and unfamiliar place,” Buckley said. She added although the number of international students decreased because of COVID-19, technology keeps students connected, tethering them to home while they explore other environments. She said connections and ties are no longer limited by proximity; ‘home’ is now global. Buckley said her home is where she can connect to others, herself and her surroundings. ‘Home’ is the people she loves. “Being open to new connections and experiences means home can be anywhere,” Buckley said. Associate professor Brian Dill teaches SOC 364: Impacts of Globalization at the University. Dill said technological advancements allow students to sustain connections to home while being aware of global events. He said the University has a long history of global engagement, with a large population of nearly 8,000 international students from over 100 countries.
JULIA EVERSMANN THE DAILY ILLINI
“Our numerous global connections have led to increased diversity on campus, making this a truly remarkable place to live, work and study,” Dill said. After living in six states and five countries, Dill said he’s learned that home is not a specific place. “Home is wherever I’m with my family,” Dill said. My wife and I have four children, three cats and a dog. Home is when we are all together. Lingyun Xu, a first-year graduate student from Mainland China, came to the University in fall 2019 for her master’s degree. Xu lived on campus as an undergraduate, and she said she visited her family during winter and summer vacations. Although she has adjusted to living with schoolmates and the housing style, she still misses her country, especially the food, saying she’s “food-sick” for home. Xu said she hasn’t been home for two years and still isn’t sure if she can return this year because of flying expenses. She said even though it was tough, she survived these two years, and her parents trust her more, taking her more seriously when it comes to bigger decisions. “Home is all about people, which I always believe has not changed,” Xu said. She said she loves the multicultural environment on campus and feels safe because she is not judged for who she is. For Xu, home is where you are welcomed and loved. She said the University has been a second home to her because of the support she has received from people in the community. To her, homes are not unique, and people can have several homes. “Families are not necessarily of the same blood,” Xu said. People are family as long as they support and take care of each other.” kyliemc2@readbuzz.com
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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House shows create unique, intimate venue By Isabelle Bertolini Staff Writer
House shows take artists out of their normal environment — bars, music venues, etc. — and bring them to a more intimate space, like home. Many musicians play at house shows to promote their music and get a feel for performing in front of a crowd. There normally aren’t huge stages or fancy sound and lighting equipment. The ambiance is similar to a party rather than a performance — the fine line between intermingling and enjoying the entertainment. House shows are typically built around smaller local communities that bring in a mix of regulars and passersby — sometimes small but reliable crowds. House shows are popular venues for college students. Mila Matejcek, sophomore in FAA, runs a punk/goth art and music zine called Rabbiteen (@rabbiteenmag). “House venues are a wonderful way to elevate small and local artists,” Matejcek said. “It’s a great way to connect with other people in the scene, find and support local musicians and,
of course, have fun! They’re unique in the sense that they are obviously a lot cheaper than you would expect a music venue to be and are in random people’s houses.” Although there are a variety of concerts offered on campus through Star Course and in spaces like The Canopy Club and The City Center, a house show lets artists create a close connection with the audience. Typically, the atmosphere is more intimate and attendees are more attentive and willing to interact with the artists at house venues. This helps artists grow their own confidence. Most people tend to find out about the gigs through social media or signs on campus. Nonetheless, it seems there is little debate as to what area of C-U executes house shows the best. “Urbana for sure,” Matejcek said. “It’s got the corner on all the artists for some reason.” There is an abundance of local talent in the C-U area; house shows provide that perfect sweet spot of stepping out of your comfort zone just a little bit but not too much. “The house show environment tends to be a lot more chill than other kinds
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
One of the houses used for house shows is located on West Elm St. in Urbana.
of shows, I would say. It’s kind of like being at one of your friends’ parties where you don’t know most of the people there but know that generally you all share something in common. You’re probably in some of the same circles to be able to even find out about the party, right? It’s chaotic, sweaty, and wonderful,” Matejcek added. House venues have all the same perks as a bar or concert venue but with a less overwhelming vibe. What’s best is that ticket prices for house shows
are cheaper than larger concert ticket prices, and even less than bar covers on some nights. “Generally, there’s a cover fee at the door,” Matejcek said. “They tend to be cheap, with like $5 or donate to the band styled covers.” There are a variety of similarities and differences between concert venues and house shows. “They are similar to concerts in that there’s (hopefully) going to be a good band playing a set when you go,” Matejcek said. “They’re different in that it’s much more casual, and I think it’s easier to view the band as people rather than some group you maybe idolize and spend way too much money to see.” Those who are interested in house shows can learn more about them through flyers on campus, through word of mouth or through social media. Instagram accounts such as @ halfhouse.shows, @waluigismansion_ cu, @thecollectivemagazine and @the_ spicerackofficial share information about the house venue and artist scene in Champaign-Urbana. ib5@readbuzz.com
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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Champaign House provides refuge for those with HIV By Sydney Wood Assistant buzz Editor
Established in the early 1990s, Champaign House was the first center in downstate Illinois devoted to housing people living with HIV. Today, the transitional housing facility continues to provide shelter for people living with HIV who are homeless. Members of the local gay community formed the Greater Community AIDs Project in 1985 to provide support services for people living with HIV and to provide AIDS education to the community. Originally, GCAP was known as the Gay Community AIDS Project, yet the organization broadened its title in the 1990s to recognize HIV’s ability to affect anyone, not just gay white men. Jerry Carden, an original member of GCAP, said that at the beginning of the epidemic, there were no tests to detect the disease. He said many people who had AIDS early on in the epidemic were “very, very debilitated by the time they were diagnosed.” “By the time people were diagnosed, they shortly after — or maybe even before they were diagnosed — they maybe had to quit working,” Carden said. “So maybe, they had to give up an apartment because they could no longer work and pay the rent.” He said it became obvious that those diagnosed with HIV were losing their housing. “We (GCAP) decided that we could get PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE BENNER a house that would provide housing for A volunteer works in the Champaign House office. The House originally received most of its people,” Carden said. “The original goal funding from the community and through donations. was to provide temporary housing until they could find some other solution.” Benner and Carden accredited work to take care of your health care He said that’s when the idea for Georgia King, a local AIDS activist, for needs if you don’t know where you’re Champaign House was born. her contribution to Champaign House. going to be sleeping,” Benner said. The Champaign House was originally Benner described her as “the mother Benner said the location of Champaign built in 1904, according to Mike Benner, of GCAP.” House is confidential to protect the executive director of GCAP. “She was there every weekend helping identities of its residents and their HIV Volunteers from GCAP remodeled the work on the project,” Benner said. “If statuses. He said this practice dates back two-story building into a house with five it wouldn’t have been for her fortitude to the early days of the AIDS epidemic bedrooms, a full kitchen, a kitchenette, and ambition and motivation, then when HIV was considered taboo. two full baths and one living room. Champaign House would have never Unfortunately, there is still a lot of The renovation took two years, and the come into fruition.” stigma surrounding HIV, he said. transitional housing facility opened in Benner said the Champaign House “If we can eliminate that one barrier 1993. received its funding from community that individuals in the house have, that’s Benner said the House is located in a donations and the Prairie AIDS one of the things we can do,” Benner said. residential neighborhood and resembles Foundation. Currently, it’s funded During residents’ stay at Champaign a regular two-story house. Its central primarily through grants from the state House, GCAP offers them case location, he said, allows residents to have of Illinois. management services to minimize easy access to public transportation. Benner added that the Champaign barriers to permanent housing. During the House’s renovation, House currently serves as a safe refuge Benner said case managers have Carden said the volunteers often met for those who are living with HIV and weekly meetings with clients to establish on Saturdays to help with the remodel. homeless. He said people with HIV/AIDS goals, facilitate medical appointments He said the crew often called them “work deal with numerous health concerns, and and help with residents’ job searches. parties” because volunteers worked many experience homelessness. He said residents are also taught life together for a common cause. “With any population, it’s kind of hard skills that they maybe didn’t have access
KATE OATES THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO COURTESY OF JERRY CARDEN
Georgia King, a local AIDS activist, works on a pillar of the Champaign House.
Living spaces affect mental health By Olivia Rosenberg Assistant buzz Editor
PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE BENNER
A plaque located in the GCAP office displays a list of volunteers who lent a helping hand during the construction progress.
to previously. “This is giving them an opportunity to hone those skills so they can live independently,” Benner said. “Being homeless is a major, major challenge. When you’re put in that situation, just trying to even get your bearings can be kind of difficult. So it’s always nice to have somebody there that can help you through that process.” smwood2@readbuzz.com
The months of isolation that the world went through during quarantine raise questions for many about how someone’s housing circumstances contribute to their overall well-being, specifically their mental health. What could the effects of being in a certain home environment potentially be? Dr. Andrea Amerio at the University of Genoa in Italy and co-authors from psychology, architecture, neuroscience and epidemiology fields of study explore this question in their 2020 study, “COVID-19 Lockdown: Housing Built Environment’s Effects on Mental Health.” According to the authors, their study is the first known large-scale investigation into the effects that housing environments have on mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. “A strong association between poor housing and moderate-severe and severe depressive symptoms was found, with particular reference to small apartments, poor-quality, views and scarce indoor qualities,” the study said. When living in certain conditions for a long period of time without escape, like quarantining for COVID-19, they found that there are multiple lasting effects on one’s psyche. “Quarantined individuals are significantly more likely to report psychological distress, anxiety and depressive symptoms along with fear, irritability, anger, emotional exhaustion and insomnia,” the study said. They reflect on significant isolation
periods in a singular home environment being damaging to mental health due to both being alone and being stuck in one place. Additionally, they found that if the conditions of their place of stay are poor, the impacts grow and could potentially last the rest of one’s life. “Considering housing conditions, units with poor housing quality and non-functioning or inadequate indoor facilities were related to current and lifetime depressive symptoms,” the study said. Hayden Johnson, sophomore in Engineering and first-time apartment renter, said he noticed firsthand how his complicated housing experiences had significant impacts on his mental health over time. After a week of animal infestations and maintenance issues in his apartment, Johnson recalled the obstacles he had to overcome to manage his personal and academic life. “During that week, I became irritable, had trouble sleeping and was unable to focus on anything else, even when not at home,” Johnson said. “While I was able to work in other places or open windows to air the place out, all of this requires time that in some cases I didn’t have." He said his behavior worsened during the time of the housing issues because his home environment was disrupted and unreliable. He said his ADHD significantly worsened due to the housing situation he faced. “In the context of having ADHD, having to work around things like this or having to make a large number of maintenance reports can have a large immediate effect because it pushes
everything academically back until the conditions can be improved or an alternative can be found,” Johnson said. He emphasized the importance of handling housing issues like his before they spiral out of control and continue to be detrimental to mental health as these types of issues tend to build upon each other. “For first-time renters like myself, it can be difficult to know how to respond when things aren’t going right, and it’s essential to do so before they grow beyond what you can take on,” Johnson said. The University provides many different housing options for students, whether it’s on-campus or off-campus housing. While living in an apartment is an option for upperclassmen like Johnson, many first years and other students opt to live in the dorms. Lauren Day, freshman in LAS, lives in the dorms. She recognized that the quality of her dorm plays a big part in the effects her housing environment has on her well-being. “I would say that overall, my experience hasn’t been that bad, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I am living in a nicer dorm with air conditioning, private bathrooms, etc.,” Day said. “I don’t think I would feel the same way if I was living somewhere else.” In her experience with being stuck inside in a semi-isolation due to weather conditions, Day said that is when she noticed her housing environment was affecting her the most intensely. “The only time I have spent in somewhat isolation was during the
recent snowstorm,” Day said. “I didn’t leave the room much the few days we were snowed in. I felt that definitely negatively affected my mental health because I wasn’t going outside, and I was confined to a smaller space.” For Callie Walsh, freshman in Engineering, her dorm housing experience has been one that is overall supporting her mental health. “I found that living in a dorm is beneficial to my mental health because if my thoughts are overwhelming me, there is always someone to spend time with, just so you don’t have to be alone with your stressors,” Walsh said. Similar to the information found from Amerio and collaborators’ study, Walsh explained that without having to experience isolation, she noticed an improvement in her mental state. “Being around people is a constant motivator for me,” Walsh said. “I am somewhat extraverted, so I get energy from my friends, and they help motivate me to work. With the dorms being such a social space, I am more inclined to have a clean dorm, which improves my mental health.” While the physical space is a large contributor to someone’s housing circumstances, she emphasizes that being around others makes any issues with the space less significant as her community is what makes the experience significantly better. “It is definitely the people,” Walsh Said. “Without the people, it would be a small, overheated, room where I work and sleep. The people really bring it to life.” ogr3@readbuzz.com
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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Seven07 residents face lack of hot water, extended Wi-Fi issues By Matt Troher and Ashley Gilbert Investigative News & Longform Editor and staff reporter
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Clare Oehler-O’Sullivan, senior in LAS, placed a pot of water on the stove of her seventh-floor apartment. She turned on the burner, took a step back and waited for the water to boil. Once the boil started to roll, she took the pot off the heat and waited a few minutes. Pot in hand, careful not to spill the much-needed warm water, she made her way to her bathroom. Oehler-O’Sullivan needed to take a shower. She was sick with COVID-19, and hot water from her apartment’s plumbing was not available. She and her three roommates all had — or recently have had — COVID-19. Using a friend’s shower, or public shower at the ARC, was out of the question. Boiling water was her only solution to clean herself. Oehler-O’Sullivan lives at Seven07, a 14-story luxury apartment complex located at 707 S. Fourth St., right in the heart of Campustown. Some tenants at Seven07 have been experiencing intermittent issues with hot water since the beginning of the school year. These issues have been exacerbated since Feb. 2, with hot water becoming completely unavailable for some tenants. After hot water became entirely unavailable on Feb. 2, Seven07’s management set up two temporary showers in the building’s model units for the complex’s residents to share. Tenants were instructed to sign up for 15-minute time slots to minimize congestion. These time
slots began at 3 a.m. Oehler-O’Sullivan and her roommates did not use the temporary showers because they were COVID-19-positive. According to residents, there was no procedure in place further than the honor system to stop COVID-19-positive individuals from using the communal showers. Manvi Sharma, a Seven07 resident and junior in LAS, said her three roommates resorted to similar measures as OehlerO’Sullivan. Before the winter storm on Feb. 2, Sharma went out to buy plastic containers for easy transportation of hot water from the kitchen to the shower. “It has been extremely frustrating,” Sharma said. “Firstly because this has not been the first time me and my roommates have been faced with this issue, that’s another reason we were so frustrated is because there’s always been a hot water problem in this building. Having basic amenities like hot water is so simple, and there are so many other things that they were supposed to have taken care of. Like maintenance requests are never fulfilled on time.” Seven07’s management sent an email to the complex’s residents regarding the hot water issues on Feb. 2. The email read: “We are aware of the hot water issue affecting the building currently. Our maintenance team and technicians from a repair vendor are diligently working to resolve this issue as soon as possible.” According to Sharma, Seven07’s management has taken down all of maintenance requests from its web-
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
MATT TROHER THE DAILY ILLINI
Seven07 has been under fire for inadequate services regarding water and living conditions during the areas largest snowstorm of the season. site. All past requests that do not concern the water heater have been put on hold. This has left some tenants with continuing Wi-Fi trouble. “I think that (management) should have been more proactive,” Sharma said, expressing her frustration about the situation. “They were extremely negligent in my opinion about the issue when people had reported it months ago, and if they hadn’t then it would not have gotten to the point where the entire boiler system went out.” Sharma said she has been frustrated with Seven07's management since August and feels that management should be more proactive to resolve issues. “We get that buildings face problems … the main issue is that we have been facing this issue for months now,” Sharma said. “I have emails with the building manager from August of last year talking about how our things don’t get fixed.” Seven07 is managed by The Cardinal Group, a property management and development company. The Cardinal Group is based in Denver, Colorado, and manages 177 properties in 36 states — the majority of which are apartment complexes near college campuses. “We are aware of the current hot water outage in the Seven07 community,” said Abby Hays, community manager for Seven07, in an emailed statement to The Daily Illini. “Our on-site team is actively working to restore ser-
vice to the building. We apologize to our residents for any inconvenience. We will communicate directly with our residents, when the hot water has been restored.” Tenants in some properties managed by The Cardinal Group across the country have experienced poor living conditions over the last months. Tenants at the Mint Urban Infinity, a property managed by The Cardinal Group in Denver, Colorado, have sought a class action lawsuit against the management company following hot water issues and a persistent lack of air conditioning. Tenants at the Westmar Lofts, a property managed by The Cardinal Group in Atlanta, Georgia, near the Georgia State University campus, have made similar complaints about living conditions regarding mold and insect infestations. Sreenidhi Vijayaraghavan, junior in Engineering, has also been experiencing hot water issues since November. Living on the building’s 12th floor, Vijayaraghavan claims it would often take upwards of half an hour for hot water to reach her apartment. The water heater at Seven07 is located on the building’s first floor. Tenants living on the building's higher floors, such as Vijayaraghavan and her roommates, have suggested that the distance between their apartments and the water heater has contributed to the issue. Tenants at Seven07 have to pay an upper floor charge when living above
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLARE OEHLER-O'SULLIVAN
Seven07 resident Clare Oehler-O'Sullivan boils water on her stove because she does not have hot running water in her apartment.
the building’s eighth floor. According to Vijayaraghavan, the upper floor charge for the 12th floor is $50 per month. Vijayaraghavan and her roommates’, Kruthi Challa and Nireeha Yerramserdi, both juniors in LAS, issues with Seven07 extend further than the hot water issue. They say that the apartment’s WiFi network – which is included in tenants’ rent – has been frustratingly slow since the beginning of the semester. This proved to be an issue from Feb. 2 to Feb. 4, when a snowstorm forced all classes to switch to online modalities. While attempting to take a zoom class from her apartment during the snowstorm, Vijayaraghavan’s Wi-Fi was so unstable that the call dropped four
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times. She ran an internet speed test, and saw her internet speed drop to two mbps – the average speed in the U.S. is 136 mbps according to speedtest.net. “The general Seven07 Wi-Fi would work for some time, but then it would cut out, so it was extremely inconvenient for taking online classes or if students are at home trying to study for midterms,” Vijayaraghavan said. “It's completely unacceptable. We have complained about the Wi-Fi as well, and they have not taken steps to fix that.” Tenants have also complained about frequent fire alarms. According to Clara O’Sullivan, junior in LAS, the apartment’s fire alarm system would sometimes go off twice or more per week. Accustomed to the alarm’s frequency, some tenants have stopped evacuating the building when an alarm would sound — especially those living on the building’s upper floors. “It’s a boy who cried wolf scenario,” O’Sullivan said. “A lot of people do not come down when the alarms go off. You can even see people still working out in the workout rooms. They’re just like ‘it goes off too much.’ No one really takes it seriously.” Vijayaraghavan claims there is no fire extinguisher located in her apartment unit. Oehler-O’Sullivan also claims there is no fire extinguisher located in her apartment either, although she noted an extinguisher in the hallway outside her apartment. O’Sullivan highlighted the disparity between Seven07’s advertisement as a luxury apartment, and the living conditions she and her roommate have experienced. “When we signed our lease, we had the impression that they were going to be taking good care of us, and we were going to be living in a really nice place,” O’Sullivan said. “What we found is that it's really just made to look nice so they can really advertise themselves as being luxury, but when it comes to living here and having to try to deal with them, they don't help. The management themselves are very kind people, and they'll smile at you when you walk in, but then if you ask them about something, they're gonna just pretty much avoid answering.” Seven07's building manager, Abby Hays, was out of the building's office from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, as the water issues reached a peak. The building's hot water was restored on Friday, Feb. 11, according to Sharma, however, there are still some rooms that have difficulties. Seven07 was without hot water for nine days, most of which were during the largest snowstorm of the season. mtroher2@dailyillini.com alg7@dailyillini.com
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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Six practical ways to master campus housing By The Daily Illini Editorial Board Choosing the best place to live is never easy. Specifically for college students, there seem to be unlimited and limited options available when deciding where to live, whom to room with, how to decorate, what leasing companies to avoid and so much more. For most students, this is your first time living on your own. It’s hard not wanting perfection. However, the housing process is never flawless. Perhaps your budget limits you to fewer amenities or maybe an apartment in Urbana is far from campus bars? Either way, by using these tips and understanding housing search obstacles, you can navigate campus housing and discover the perfect place for you.
THE NEWER THE DORM, THE BETTER.
Although all University dorms serve the same purpose — providing basic amenities and a great introduction to independent living — some dorms are simply better than others. For instance, dorms like Allen Hall and LAR are nice for their tranquil Urbana locations, but without air conditioning, the rooms can become impromptu saunas. New or renovated dorms such as ISR and Wassaja are constantly coveted for all the right reasons. Featuring air conditioning, access to tremendous dining halls and more modern rooms, newer residence halls should rightly be everyone’s top priorities. When choosing dorms, shoot for what’s new, and even if you miss, you’ll hopefully land among starry, air-conditioned halls.
BACKGROUND CHECK YOUR ROOMMATE.
Not in a literal sense, but ensuring you and your roommate are compatible is a housing must. This is someone you may walk in from a brutal exam and cry to, awkwardly laugh around while watching a movie across the room or walk naked into — it’s a big deal. Accordingly, rooming with your best friend is a housing miss: Just like the housing process, there’s no perfect roommate. Finding someone you’re just comfortable with is better compared to risking your friendship over defining borders for the mini-fridge.
TOUR LOCATIONS IN PERSON.
Particularly for apartment searches, visiting in person rather than using online tours or videos is imperative. Online, landlords or leasing companies can depict entirely different apartments than what’s advertised. By touring locations in person, you can not only inspect rooms, appliances and furniture but begin to design how you’ll utilize and decorate the space. Pictures tell one story; tours tell the reality.
BEWARE "LUXURY" APARTMENTS.
Throughout the Champaign-Urbana apartment scene, “luxury” is the latest craze. High rises featuring pools, balconies and larger rooms arise regularly and promise a grand living experience — an experience often exaggerated. Not only are most “luxury” apartments overpriced, but frequently these buildings feature cheap constructions or foundations. Because the apartments are quickly constructed, concerns regarding cut corners and cheap materials are valid as these buildings later experience irritating issues. For instance, one might pay around $1,000 to lease but deal with repeat-
ed flooding and electrical issues. “Luxury” is nice to consider, but remember its implications. Nevertheless, any college apartment is “luxurious” as long as its utilities stay on and water remains in the faucet — not bursting out the walls.
RESEARCH THE RIGHT LEASING COMPANY.
No leasing company will be your friend. Still, researching and finding the least frustrating one will make your school year a breeze. Reddit will also be your friend when learning which companies are helpful. Moreover, choosing whether to trust a national versus local leasing brand is beneficial in terms of maintenance responses, liability issues and customer service quality.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
On the University’s Office-Campus Community Living website, tenant rights and legal guidance are provided to protect you from exploitation and violations such as leaks, flooding, infestations and hot water complications. Furthermore, these rights are more relevant than ever especially as students share showers and stories of Seven07’s hot water outage. In addition to knowing your tenant rights, understanding when to apply them is crucial to ensure you’re happy and your space is habitable while living on campus. The housing scene in CU can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. Fortunately, there are about four years and chances for your preferred dorm and apartment. It won’t come easy, but applying these tips ensures a smoother search to avoid a rocky room. opinions@dailyillini.com
CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI
Natalie Romanes, sophomore in LAS, moves into Wassaja Hall with a cart of belongings on Aug. 20. The Daily Illini Editorial Board shares tips on how to have the best housing experience.
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OPINIONS
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Parasitic landlords infect with no end in sight SAMUEL RAHMAN ASSISTANT OPINIONS EDITOR In “The Lehman Trilogy,” the question “What makes good money?” commands an answer. “Money is made from what you cannot avoid buying.” When you think of a parasite, what organism do you think of? Maybe a tapeworm? Fleas? Hookworms? Leeches? The immediate thought goes to a small organism that slowly and gradually drains its host of nutrients for its own use. There is no symbiotic relationship, just a continual leeching of resources from the host organism. That’s a bit wrong. There exists a larger organism that avoids scrutiny for its parasitic ways. What might it look like if a parasite could infect hundreds at a time — exploiting resources, growing in physical proportion? A tapeworm drawing nutrients from enough humans that it could grow to a hundred times its normal size? That is the stuff of nightmares. These are landlords. The parasitic description still works for the small-time landlord with just a few tenants, but as C-U is currently domi-
nated by big firms servicing thousands of college student tenants, the focus will stay on the big realty groups and apartment complexes such as those sitting on Green St. Because these corporations have capital, they receive ungodly low-interest rates from banks or investors to either purchase new real estate or build new units on undeveloped land. In one way or another, these companies procure housing units with the end goal of making a profit. Here’s the problem: The housing market is such that real estate owners don’t have to rent out the property to make a profit. Housing prices have increased faster, and will continue increasing faster, than general economy-wide inflation. So, what happens if you have a property increasing 3% in value every year, inflation is basically zero (before the pandemic) and if you’re big enough, your interest rate on your loan stands at only 1.4%? After all is said and done, your property effortlessly increases at a true value of 1.6% every year. You don’t have to rent one unit to make a profit: Payments from renters are icing on the cake. Shelter is a basic need. It is something you cannot avoid buying.
SEBASTIAN HOLT THE DAILY ILLINI
This spells double trouble for those who can’t compete with real estate investors: We have a commodity no one can avoid buying with a market not requiring renting for investors to profit. Landlords can charge any rent they desire because they don’t need to rent their units out. But you, as a human, either rent from a landlord or sleep on the streets. Do you remember the scene in “The Matrix” when Keanu Reeves emerges from a vat of slime to discover the machine rulers are using him and all other humans as bioelectric batteries? Well, landlords are the machines, and if
you are a renter, you are the bioelectric battery. My condolences to you. You are being taken advantage of: Your wages are siphoned off at a disproportionate rate. Reported by Redfin News, people who were born into massive money or work for corporations that control more money than you speculate on housing, artificially increase the price due to scarcity brought on by speculation and charge you whatever they want because you need them — they don’t need you. If you disagree, bring the receipts — or more specifically, the deed. Not a landlord yourself and you still disagree? You’re arguing against your interest. Landlords have an inherently parasitic relationship with their tenants. Decommodifying housing and eliminating speculators from entering the market might be a solution. A government program to build middle-class public housing similar to those in Vienna might be a solution. Whatever it is, the first step is to acknowledge a good deal of us are infected with a nasty parasite and to decide to take some sort of action to remove it. Samuel is a senior in LAS. srahma37@dailyillini.com
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OPINIONS
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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Busey-Evans offers convenient location, modern amenities
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THE DAILY ILLINI PHOTO FILE
Busey-Evans is one of almost 40 certified housing locations on campus. Columnist Maggie Knutte argues Busey-Evans is the best option for when choosing dorms.
such as Friendsgiving or Valentine’s Gift Exchange for residents. The features, location and community of the dorm make it a comfortable, safe and convenient place to live. This dorm has helped me adjust as a college freshman. From this resident, I advise you to give living here some thought when you apply for housing. Maggie is a freshman in LAS.
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When moving to the University, I never expected to consider my dorm a as a new home. Busey-Evans, a small University Housing dorm located at 1111 W. Nevada St., Urbana, was the first building I entered as a college student last August. Four floors tall — not including the basement — stands a roughly 100-yearold dormitory. Don’t let it fool you, though. This air-conditioned residence hall holds all the standard amenities: WiFi, water bottle fillers, security cameras and gender-neutral bathrooms, all necessities for the average college student. Busey is connected to Evans — the allfemale and all-male dorms, respectively — through the lobby. Both buildings host identical lounges — in a classical style complete with their cozy furniture, lovely glass windows and beautiful baby grand pianos. These areas entice students looking for a quiet place to study. Beyond that, the shared basement encompasses a multitude of resources.
buildings but also restaurants. Across the street on either side of the block are several establishments, including multiple cafes. Subway, Basil Thai, Espresso Royale, Rosati’s, KoFusion and Caffe Bene are all a short walk from Busey-Evans. In between those restaurants is The Canopy Club. This popular venue for events, concerts and more is a great place for students to have some fun on the weekend. It often hosts events and formal dances for different clubs. In the past, several big names have performed at the venue, including Snoop Dogg and Fall Out Boy. In the backyard of Busey-Evans is CRCE. It is not yet at full capacity but still boasts facilities including an indoor pool (with a waterslide), a hot tub, a cardio/weight area, an indoor track and several sports courts. As a smaller and lesser-known dorm, Busey-Evans tends to foster a quieter community. The hallways and lounges are often quiet which is good news for any students in need of a new place to cram for a midterm. While the halls are quiet most of the semester, the community is still friendly, warm and welcoming. The hall council plans seasonal events
AR
MAGGIE KNUTTE COLUMNIST
The MPR (or TV lounge) is the main lounge with a TV, furniture, study rooms, music practice rooms and tables for ping- pong or foosball. Down the hall, you can find the computer lab which also contains several modern study rooms and printer access. Other essential things found in the basement include the laundry room, kitchen, vending machines and current ly empty dining hall. While BuseyEvans’ dining hall is not currently open, the area of tables and chairs is often taken over by studying students. As for dining, the options stretch across campus. Having a dining plan while living at Busey-Evans presently allows the freedom to eat at any University Housing dining hall. You may think it is a pain to travel for meals, but thankfully the University bus service makes it as easy as possible — serving several bus stops right outside Busey-Evans. If you prefer walking, that’s fine. Just a block away is the Main Quad. Having arguably one of the best locations on campus, Busey-Evans is one of the closest dorms to the Main Quad standing across from the School of Music. Not only is it close to many school
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OPINIONS
The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Dorms aren't prisons: Stop random patrols TALIA DUFFY COLUMNIST
Teenagers have a natural resistance to authority. And for college freshmen, newly freed from their parents, able to make their own choices and given a sprawling campus to explore? The resistance is multiplied a thousandfold. Hence the demonization of resident advisers — RAs, for short. The sound of those two simple letters — “RA!” — has become a warning, sending residents of University dorms scrambling to pull out their masks or hide their — ahem — beverages in the suspicious ottoman next to the mini-fridge. For many, the existence of RAs is a nuisance, an unwelcome interruption to a blossoming sense of independence. As a freshman, I too have fallen victim to this mindset. However, when I pocket my naivete for a moment, I recognize the importance of RAs. They’re just doing their job — a job that’s nec-
essary when hundreds of young people occupy the same building. The relationship between RAs and their residents is flawed. The solution to this conflict is not to change residents’ attitudes but rather the operations of RAs themselves — namely, random patrols. The place where anyone lives should be a source of comfort and safety for them. This is especially true for university students, many of whom are leaving their childhood homes for the first time. But random patrols exude hostility, completely altering the environment of residence halls. Random patrols are when RAs take spontaneous laps around their floors and search for any sign of wrongdoing. If they find a student, for example, walking in the hallway without a mask or being too loud, they take a picture of the student’s i-Card and report them. Even more disturbingly, the worst RAs seem almost giddy at the discovery of a broken rule and emanate elementary school tattle-tale energy. Congratulations, you busted a student who took two steps outside their door to fill up a water bottle without dawning
a mask. Does that make you feel good? Does that bring you joy? Does it bring you a sense of justice to knock on that student’s door and say they’re laughing too loud for 11 p.m. on a Thursday? Those violations, in the grand scheme of things, are completely harmless. Random patrols serve no purpose besides the creation of a hostile living environment. If anything, they make the jobs of RAs more difficult. This seems counterintuitive, but think about it. If students feel their RAs are out to get them, resistance to their authority will only grow. Residents that have more respect for their RAs are more willing to listen to their suggestions and follow the rules. In addition, if distrust grows too high, students will feel unable to reach out for help in case of an emergency. This compromises the most important part of an RA’s job: Keeping their residents safe. Down the line, the adversarial resident-RA relationship created by random patrols can’t justify the practice. Of course, RAs should be there to enforce the rules if things get out of hand or if someone asks for their involvement. But their actions should
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
A RA name tag sits on a door in Wassaja Hall.
be responsive, not offensive. RAs should be sources of support during students’ transition into independence. They should act as their residents’ equals, fostering a community of reciprocated respect. They should be keepers of the peace, not soldiers. Residence halls are not prisons. For at least nine months out of the year, they are what thousands of students across campus call home. With the elimination of random patrols, it’ll start to feel that way. Talia is a freshman in Media. taliagd2@dailyillini.com
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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Bousfield Hall's legacy empowers Black women By Cecilia Milmoe
“Her legacy represents the strength that Black women have, I think it represents our resilience.”
Staff Writer
When Ashleigh Kendrick, sophomore in Media, moved into Bousfield Hall, she was surprised and happy to learn that the building was named after Maudelle Tanner Brown Bousfield. “When I found out, I was very excited,” Kendrick said. “I called my mom and my dad, and told them that the dorm hall I’m staying in is named after the first Black woman to graduate from the University of Illinois.” In 1906, Bousfield became the first Black woman to graduate from the University. She earned degrees in both astronomy and mathematics, graduating with honors. In 2013, the University opened Bousfield Hall and chose Bousfield as the namesake to commemorate her legacy and impact. “To see a dorm hall named and dedicated to someone of your own demographic, it feels like the University sees us,” Kendrick said. “It knows its students’ history and it’s paying attention to us, and it cares about us.” Jameatris Rimkus, archivist for reference and user engagement, praised the University for its recognition of Bousfield. “I also believe that her impact can still be felt on this campus,” Rimkus said in an email. “The naming of a residential hall in her honor is an example of the University working to ensure her legacy and impact lives on.” Chanel Ziegler, sophomore in LAS, said she felt inspired by Bousfield and her accomplishments. “It’s very inspiring, as a Black woman myself, seeing how far she could go, especially in a time where she didn’t have that many rights,” Ziegler said. “And she was still able to have a lot of success in her life.” Jada Powell, sophomore in LAS, said Bousfield’s impact is still felt at the University. “Her legacy represents the strength that Black women have, I think it represents our resilience,” Powell said. “It shows strength, and it makes other people, especially Black girls, feel like if she could do it, then we can, too.” Kendrick said Bousfield’s achievements empower Black women. “I think it represents the excellency of Black women,” Kendrick said. “We often talk about Black excellency in the Black community, but sometimes I feel that Black women get forgotten about.”
Jada Powell, sophomore in LAS
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHICAGO BOARD OF EDUCATION ARCHIVES / ILLINOIS STORIED
SYDNEY LAPUT THE DAILY ILLINI
Bousfield Hall is named after Maudelle Tanner Brown Bousfield for being the first female Black woman to graduate from the University.
Bousfield Hall is located in the Six Pack at 1214 S. First Street.
Furtnermore, according to Rimkus, Bousfield’s impact didn’t end after her graduation. “She taught high school math in Baltimore, east St. Louis and Chicago,” Rimkus said. “Her career continued and she was the first to (do) many things.” Rimkus also said that Bousfield became the first Black public school principal in Chicago. Ziegler said that she believes Bousfield’s graduation from the University set the stage for the future success of students from all backgrounds. “Her being at the University definitely opened doors for more people in the future,” Ziegler said. “Someone always has to be the first to step through the door so that other people can follow.”
to educate students about Bousfield and her legacy. Kendrick and Ziegler echoed this. Kendrick said she thinks the University is doing a good job at representing students from diverse backgrounds but that there is still more to be done. “I feel like the University does try its best to educate students about diversity,” Kendrick said. “They’re pretty woke. They don’t tolerate racism.” Ziegler shared similar thoughts. She said more change still needs to happen. “There’s always more changes to be made, it could be better,” Ziegler said. “I think they’re recognizing that there are some issues they have to address, but I think there’s always more to do.”
Powell said she believes Bousfield showed the University what Black women are capable of. “She proved a point to the University,” Powell said. “It shows that we are here; Black women are here.” Despite living in Bousfield Hall, Kendrick, Powell and Ziegler all said they knew very little about Maudelle Bousfield. They explained that they only learned about her after moving in. “I had no idea I was staying in a dorm named after a Black woman until I read the little plaque outside of the hall,” Powell said. “I think other people, probably most people in this building don’t even know who it’s named after.” Powell further explained that she believes the University should do more
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
Student housing decisions encompass rent, location By Matt Troher Investigative News & Longform Editor
College is often the last time students live in a small, walkable community. It’s the last time friends live down the street from other friends and the last time that in-person responsibilities are only a few minutes’ walk away. Housing decisions can dictate a student’s life. The yearly hunt for housing is an important decision weighing on the minds of students. Factors such as rent, location and amenities play important roles in students’ choices of where to live. Cesar Monsalud, senior in Engineering, spent his first year on campus living at Koinonia — an allmale Private Certified Housing option for Christians. He enjoyed his time at Koinonia but said he felt restricted by the Private Certified Housing rules. When it came time to search for an apartment for his senior year, Monsalud listed three factors that influenced his housing choices: cheap rent, proximity to classes and basic amenities. Monsalud said he felt as if the housing
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search could be better organized. He wished there was a centralized system for housing searches. “I hated having to look through five different leasing company websites for apartments,” Monsalud said. “I like my apartment, but I doubt it’s the best one for me; it’s just the one that I could find. There should be one centralized site where people can filter things such as location and cost of all housing.” Location is often the most important factor for many people when it comes to choosing housing options. Engineering students are apt to live on the far north side of campus, closer to the Engineering Quad, while music students seek out housing closer to the
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Music Building and Krannert Center for the Performing Arts. Sharyil Garg, sophomore in Engineering, currently lives at ISR. He said the building’s height gives him an opportunity to have a scenic view — one of the biggest factors in choosing what dorm to live in. However, after two years of living in the dorms, he is looking to move into an apartment. “My rent is pretty low because it includes utilities and amenities, so I don’t need to account for that,” Garg said. “The apartment is like a fiveminute walk from the ECE building; it could have been closer, but it was the best it could have been for the price.” Rent prices vary across campus.
Price-savvy students can find apartments in the lower range — $500 per month — while those who wish to live in popular areas of campus can expect to pay upwards of $1,000 per month. The upper floors of Champaign’s high-rise buildings are another factor that could influence students’ living decisions as the top floors bring picturesque views and large balconies. However, the upper floors of these buildings are higher in price than the lower floors. Faith Skrzelowski, senior in LAS, lives on the seventh floor of her apartment building, the last floor before the upper-floor charges kick in. Skrzelowski said that unaware students could be caught off guard by the upper-floor upcharges. “We’re not even that high up, we’re only halfway up the building,” Skrzelowski said. “The thing that no one is really mentioning is that higher floors often pay a floor premium. The people right above us pay more, and the highest two or three floors will pay even more.”
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
23
COUCH provides affordable, communal housing By Faith Allendorf Features Editor
In Urbana at 702 W. Washington St. sits a large, white house. In the warmer months, the building, comprised of three stories and 14 rooms, is surrounded by greenery. Upon entering through the front door and small deck, you are greeted with the many faces of the Harvest House. In the early 2000s, a group of cooperative housing renters formed COUCH, the Community of Urbana Cooperative Housing. COUCH is a nonprofit organization that offers lowcost communal living. Harvest House — originally called the Summit House — specifically houses vegans and vegetarians. There are currently 11 residents. Jake Dixon, Harvest House resident, explained that the house focuses on being environmentally friendly. “We focus on sustainability,” Dixon said. “We’ve had harvesters in the past who got our energy to switch to all wind power, which we try to get all of our electricity from. We, like other coops, have a compost system.” Afolabi Missa, another resident, explained that living in the COUCH co-ops is financially sustainable. The average rent per room is $350 plus $215 for utilities and food. “A big part of the reason I came to the house was finances,” Missa said. “If I wanted to live alone in a big house, it would be expensive, but this was an option where I could live (in one) and not have to pay a lot of money. I don’t come from money.” Kei See, senior in LAS and resident, explained how the house finances groceries. “We put the utilities (money) into one account for the house, and we just buy food and stuff from that account,” See said. See also said that COUCH has a board that communicates with NASCO, which finances the properties. Michael Dzianott, senior in ACES, explained the duties of the board. He said it is comprised of members from the three houses. The board makes decisions on issues such as leases and resident acceptance. The board also coordinates events within the house. See, along with Jada Fulcher, senior in Media, are social coordinators. “We plan events,” Fulcher said. “We do like, yoga nights, quiet reading time, but we’ll get together and read books
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Residents Jada Fulcher, Kei See, Jacob Dixon and Anri Brod spend their free time in the living room of Harvest House on Saturday. together.” “In general, people just hang out and watch TV and movies,” See said. Dixon also explained that before the pandemic, the three houses did more community outreach events at places such as The Red Herring. Richard He, senior in LAS and FFA, gave examples of some events Harvest House still does with the other two houses COUCH operates: Brooks and Randolf. “The past Halloween was hosted at the Brooks House,” He said. “We dressed up and had snacks and talked and watched movies together. We’ve also had Thanksgiving dinner together and Christmas dinner.” He also mentioned that the houses participate in community brunches and festivals. Another coordinated aspect of co-op life is chores. Residents are expected to cook at least once a week as well as
clean. There is a calendar board to sign up to cook. A labor coordinator oversees chore delegation. “When you move in, you pick your top three (tasks) that you want to do,” Fulcher said. “You can pick whichever day you want to do it as long as it gets done within the week.” Reflecting on how living in a co-op impacts them, Fulcher brought up a story. They explained that once the house received an unexpected visitor who claimed he lived in Harvest House 14 years ago. The visitor went up to a wall of memories and pulled off a picture of himself as a baby. “We basically have artwork from many years ago for people who lived here,” Fulcher said. “It’s like a whole buildup of traditions and traces of people who have lived here.” To Dixon, living in the Harvest House turns friends into family. “Oftentimes, you’ll come here, you’ll
meet a good friend, and you’ll oftentimes want to stay because you know that you’re just in this good space,” Dixon said. Dzianott agreed and said that living in a space where you are a community is what drew him to the house. He desired connections he could not get in his last living situation. “I found COUCH, and they said that they were all about cooking meals and sharing chores,” Dzianott said. “Having a more intentional community-based place to live, I’ve really found that here. “I wouldn’t have met any of the people in the house had I not been living here. But other than that, people from different majors, people from different countries, people from around town; I wouldn’t have met any of these wonderful people if I hadn’t chosen to live here, and I feel like that’s really a blessing.” faithaa2@dailyillini.com
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The DI · Wednesday, February 16, 2022
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