Thresher Housing Guide 2020 | Wednesday, February 26, 2020

FEATURES

7 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018

HOUSING GUIDE 2020

Cover illustration by: Tina Liu Guide design by: Anna Chung, Joseph Hsu, Katherine Hui, Dalia Gulca

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- LEASING 101 AVERAGE MONTHLY RENT 9 - A LOVE LETTER TO MONTROSE 11 - MEAL PLANS UTILITIES/PLANNING 12 - ALONG THE METRO LINE 13 - MAP

HOUSING GUIDE

8 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

LEASING 101 LEGAL TIPS FOR OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS

IVANKA PEREZ | FEA TURES EDITO R

With students beginning to search for off-campus housing and anticipating the housing draws at their residential colleges, the Thresher decided to ask a lawyer about common legal rights and concerns that students might face when moving off campus. We spoke with Rick McElvaney, former clinical associate professor at the University of Houston Law Center, about the legal rights that tenants have.

What should students know about their lease before they sign?

What does the process of applying to rent a house or apartment look like?

[Landlords often look at] your rental history, any kind of criminal history, income [to see] if you can pay for it.

Many students face the problem that you’re in school, you don’t have any income, so often they make someone co-sign with you — your mom, your uncle, your brother, something like that — somebody will be responsible if you don’t pay. Anyone who co-signs is responsible and liable to the landlord to the same extent you are if you don’t pay them. If you’re accepted as a tenant, they’ll notify you and you’ll have to sign the lease.

How can tenants get their landlords to do repairs on the house or apartment?

You want to look at it when you move in, do a little inventory check sheet to see what’s banged up — [if] the window’s cracked, the door’s broken, something like that — you want to hand that in to the landlord, keep a copy of it [so] that you have it.

If you need repairs during the term of your lease, you’re entitled to get things that materially affect your health or safety repaired. So if you don’t have any water, stuff like that, the lock breaks [or] there’s water coming through your electrical outlet — something dangerous, you can require the landlord to try to fix that.

You have to give them notice of the problem. The best way to give them notice is through certified mail. If you do certified mail with that tracking method, the landlord will have one reasonable period, which is presumed to be seven days, to come in, look and make a diligent effort to repair that condition. If they don’t do it at the end of that reasonable time period, the landlord’s going to be liable to the tenant for failing to repair. So with the failing to repair, the tenant can terminate the lease, go to court, try to get some money awarded to them or get the judge to force the landlord to do the repair, that kind of thing.

So repairs are generally the main concern for tenants. If you don’t give that first notice [...] you have to wait the reasonable time, [and] if the landlord doesn’t repair, you have to give a subsequent written notice, wait another reasonable time, so you’re just doubling the amount of time the landlord has to do it if you don’t give it by certified mail.

How do security deposits work?

Make sure you read the lease. There’s going to be certain things in there — anything bold or underlined — things that are legally required to be underlined and bold to be effective, generally.

[Landlords] usually require a security deposit to make sure there are no damages to the apartment when you move out, and the security deposit covers damages, not just normal wear and tear on the apartment.

You have to give the landlord notice [that you’ll be leaving at the end of the lease]. The typical notice is 30 days, but there’s often a 60 day notice in some of the leases. Whenever you communicate with the landlord, you should probably do it with some method that you can prove you did it. If I call you and say I need something or I’m moving out at the end of my lease, I can’t prove I said that. So you want to send something.

The best way to do it is to send it by certified mail and you can request a receipt that they received your notice that you’re going to leave at that time.

What complications can arise with rent?

You have to read your lease about when you have to pay your rent. Mostly there’s a time that says this is the time you have to pay, usually the first or the third. If you don’t pay your rent by the first, you may be in default. There may be some provisions in leases that say you have a grace period, but you have to read your lease.

If you don’t pay by the date it’s due, you’re going to be in default and the landlord can evict you. If you get evicted, that then goes on your rental history, and then when you apply for the next place, you’re going to have an eviction on your record, and landlords aren’t going to be really keen on renting to you with prior evictions.

What are tenants’ rights for subletting?

That’s something you have to negotiate with the landlord from the [beginning] … Subletting by the law is not allowed unless it’s in the lease that you can do it. So if the lease is silent, the tenant cannot sublet without the consent of the landlord. Leases may [discuss] subletting, or they may have a different provision. If you’re concerned about that, you should negotiate that with the landlord right when you’re moving in. If you don’t, as a tenant, you’re going to end up on the short side of that issue.

HOW TO GET A HOUSE

When you move out, you’re entitled to get your security deposit back, unless you have any kind of damages to the apartment.

If you gave them proper notice, the place is in good condition, the landlord’s required to give you an itemization of anything they’re going to deduct from your security deposit and return the unused portion of that security deposit to you. They have to do both of those things within 30 days. If they don’t do that, they’re presumed to be in bad faith, and you can recover extra damage because they’re in bad faith. You can get up to three times the amount of your deposit back if they can’t overcome that presumption that they’re in bad faith by returning that to you. But you have to give them a forwarding address of where to send these notices and the refund. If you don’t give them that forwarding address, the time period [doesn’t] start until you give the [address].

Are property owners allowed to come into the property anytime without the tenant’s permission?

They will be allowed to come in for any kind of emergency or emergency repair. The lease is going to specify when they can come in, usually. And the typical provision is when they give you 24 hours’ notice to come in, to look at something that needs repairs or something like that, that’s fairly typical. Some of them [have] a 72-hour notice. If you’re worried about that, that’s something you can negotiate if you’re doing the lease, [but] there’s no law in the property code that says they have to give you a certain amount of notice.

Are there any resources available for students who encounter legal problems with their landlords?

[One] resource to call is Ryan [Marquez, professor of practice] over at [UHLC]. Ryan runs the clinic over there now, which provides free help for people if you’re accepted as a client. So if you’re a student over at Rice [and] you encounter a landlord-tenant situation, you call over to the UH legal clinic program and apply for some help there. They provide free lawyers — they’re actually student lawyers — [but they are] under the supervision of Ryan.

ANNA TA | MANAGING ED ITOR

Congrats! You’re going off campus! Even if you’re not amped about this decision (or had the choice taken from you), look on the bright side: it’s (likely) cheaper, you’ll actually get to know the city and no one will ever come into your house and throw out your candles. Nevertheless, this can be a daunting journey (it was for me) so here’s how to get through it all without a real estate agent and not end up moving into a spare room at Hanszen College.

one. finding prospective housing

Once you figure out who you’re living with (do this first for obvious reasons), start looking for potential properties that can fit all of your needs and hearts’ desires. One of the easiest ways to get housing is to get it from another Rice student who’s already off campus and about to come back on campus. Ask around and see if any of your friends (advisors, acquaintances, that kid you had a group project with one time) who are currently off campus and see if they need someone to take over their lease or know of anyone who does. Almost all rentable properties around Rice are typically rented by Rice students anyway. Even if you don’t know someone personally, plenty of people post options on the Facebook groups Rice Students Selling Stuff or Rice University Housing, Sublets & Roommates. Keep in mind that if you had dreamed of taking one of the extra large Bolsover Street houses, you’re actually likely too late to the game. Most of those houses will probably have already been handed down from current residents to their friends for next year.

But again, don’t stress, there’s still plenty of housing to go around.

If no one you know has an available property that you’re interested in leasing for the next year, your next steps are just doing things the old-fashioned way: checking on real estate websites (Zillow, for example).

You can also look up nearby apartment complexes.

Some places go actually old fashioned and don’t list online at all — you can drive around neighborhoods you’re interested in renting in and look for For Rent signs and the numbers attached to them as well.

things to keep in mind • • •

• • • •

Rent: Is it affordable? Is it worth it? How will I split it among my room/housemates?

Space: Do I want to live in a house or an apartment?

Will anyone in my group have to share a room and is that something we’re okay with?

Parking: how many spots do I get? Is it street parking or private? Do I need to pay for a street pass or does my landlord? (PS: street passes are only about $30 each for an entire year in Houston) Utilities: Are they included? Do I need to set them up myself?

Is this place furnished?

How far away is it from campus? How will I get to campus?

Is there an in unit washer/dryer? If not, how annoying is it to get there and will it cost money?

two. I’m interested in this house. now what?

Cold call the real estate agents listed on properties you’re interested in. This can seem scary but don’t worry — just let them know you’re interested in the property and ask to make an appointment to see it. Make sure to show up on time and try to look fairly respectable.

At the appointment, just look around the space, imagine yourself in it and ask any questions you have, like, is this place prone to flooding? Did it flood during Hurricane Harvey? What’s the parking situation? How can I start the process of applying for this property and signing a lease? Do I need someone to co-sign it with me?

continued...

Hopefully, the real estate agent likes you, you get there before any other interested groups and they agree to lease the property to you. You might have to go through a few properties before you can get to this stage. You may have to submit an application for the property, but the property’s real estate agent can walk you through that. In my case, the agent/landlord agreed to lease the house to us only if one of my housemates’ dad co-signed our lease (given that none of us made enough income to cover the rent individually).

Before you sign the lease, have someone you trust look over it all, whether that be a parent or someone with an actual law degree. There are plenty of concerns to watch out for (read our interview with someone with an actual law degree about these concerns) and it’s important to remember that this is an extremely important document for the next year of your life.

Again, you might have to see several properties or cold call a few agents before you find The One. Don’t stress too much, it’ll all work out. And worst comes to worst, you can always move into Hanszen.

HOUSING GUIDE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 • 9

A Love Letter to Montrose A beginner’s guide to the eccentric Houston neighborhood I have a theory that you could live an entire academic year on campus without having to leave once. Think about it. Every single meal is provided, and the options for food outside of the serveries are numerous: 4.Tac0, The Hoot, bites from Coffeehouse and Willy’s Pub, snacks at the campus store. Even boba cravings can be satisfied on campus. We have a gym, laundry services, kitchens, clothing swaps, concerts, sporting events, art galleries, a movie theater and even a student-run haircutting business. Why leave?

Some students, once kicked off campus, don’t have a choice. Others, like myself, find the notion of staying within a

ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE XU

300-acre elite university space for weeks and months on end absolutely terrifying.

Whether you’re moving off campus by choice or because your name appeared on the dreaded kick list, taking a break from the dorms is the perfect excuse to see more of Houston — the glorious, sprawling city we sometimes forget we’re a part of.

At 2.3 million inhabitants and almost 700 square miles, Houston is a city that feels like it could swallow me whole. But in my two years living off campus, I’ve found corners within its monstrosity that feel like home. My most beloved of those corners is Montrose — the artsy, queer, heavy with history and rapidly gentrifying neighborhood north of campus. For those looking for a neighborhood other than Rice Village to immerse yourself in, here are some spots in Montrose to get you started.

Satisfy your caffeine addiction.

If you’ve reached your Nutty Bee capacity or can’t stand one more minute in Fondren, Montrose is the perfect place to head for a coffee shop.

Campesino Coffee House: Tucked into an adorable repurposed house, Campesino is a Latin American take on Montrose’s coffee shop scene. Come for a homey space to study and the Pérez Prado, stay for un tamale y un cortadito, por favor.

Agora: With uncomfortable chairs, unreliable Wi-Fi and the perpetual possibility that one of its customers might break out in song and guitar when absolutely no one asked him to, Agora is good for one thing: ze European vibes. To its credit, it really nails those vibes. And, in very European fashion, it closes at 2 a.m.

Inversion Coffee House: Sharing a

space with Art League Houston and right next to Texas Art Supply, Inversion doubles as a cafe and art space filled with outlets, tables and natural light. Try one of their specialty drinks or homemade gelatos.

Honorable mentions: Siphon Coffee, Mercantile, Blacksmith, Southside Espresso Take a break from Seibel.

With everything from pizza to pho for every budget, Montrose is at the heart of Houston’s culinary scene.

Tacos Tierra Caliente: A Houston classic, this food truck located on West Alabama serves up some of the best tacos, quesadillas and hot sauce in the city. Grab your tacos of choice and cross the street to the West Alabama Ice House for outdoor seating, ping-pong and a beer or a Topo Chico.

Ramen Tatsu-Ya: Originally founded in an effort to bring high-quality Japanese food to Austin, Tatsu-Ya is now serving up hearty and flavorful bowls of ramen right off Westheimer Roadd. The quality is comparable to other Houston ramen spots, with typically better prices and shorter waits.

Lúa Viet Kitchen: Located in a shiny, sleek space at Alabama Row, Lúa Viet offers modern takes on Vietnamese classics at a reasonable price. While it doesn’t come close to Houston’s best Vietnamese fare, it’s an accessible spot for a fresh and satisfying meal.

Honorable mentions: Velvet Taco, Aladdin Mediterranean Cuisine, UB Preserv Save Tetra, shop with cash.

While the majority of Houston’s

cheapest and best shopping exists outside of Montrose (see: Family Thrift Outlet), the neighborhood is filled with a number of strange stores suited for window shopping and shopping alike.

The Magick Cauldron: This witchcraft supply store on Mect, peculiar place for a study break.

Montrose Market: Located in the parking lots of Petty Cash and Pavement Clothing, this flea market has jewelry, clothing and art. The free event features music and beer.

Trader Joe’s: It’s only fitting that the best grocery store on the planet is located in Houston’s best neighborhood. Housed in a refurbished movie theater, the California chain offers delectable and affordable snacks and frozen meals perfect for a college student’s diet.

Honorable mentions: Goodwill, The Cottage Shop, Half Price Books How do I get there?

Houston is especially daunting without a car. But that piece of plastic we can pick up for free from the Allen Center? It’s a key to the city’s public transportation system — a system not nearly as horrible as Rice students love to claim. Buses are quick and fairly reliable, and the 56 and 27 are easy options for getting from near campus to Montrose.

Ella Feldman Features Editor

HOUSING GUIDE

10 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

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HOUSING GUIDE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 • 11

IF YOU’VE NEVER LIVED ON YOUR OWN BEFORE, BUDGETING FOR LIVING EXPENSES ON TOP OF RENT CAN SEEM OVERWHELMING, ESPECIALLY IF THE CLOSEST YOU’VE COME TO BUDGETING AT RICE IS PLANNING OUT HOW TO SPEND YOUR TETRA. THE MAIN COSTS YOU CAN NEVER REALLY ESCAPE ARE FOOD AND UTILITIES.

FEEDING YOURSELF FOR THE FIRST TIME CAN BE THE ONE OF THE MOST DAUNTING PARTS OF LIVING OFF CAMPUS. JUST ASK ME, WHO LIVED ALMOST COMPLETELY OFF FROZEN MEALS LAST YEAR. LUCKILY, I’VE ASKED A FEW PEOPLE WHO HAVE FARED MUCH BETTER FOR THEIR ADVICE ON EATING HEALTHILY AND WELL WHILE LIVING OFF CAMPUS.

AMY QIN

NEWS EDITOR

MEAL PLAN OPTIONS

Rice Housing and Dining currently offers five different meal plans, according to their website, as well as option to purchase $50 to $500 in Tetra points. It’s worth noting that meal plans do not allow you to roll over leftover meals into the next semester, whereas Tetra does roll over and can be used for servery meals (breakfast is priced lowest, then lunch, then dinner). See below for all the options.

Andrew Feng, a Jones College junior, purchased Plan B so he could eat most of his weekday meals on campus.

“I didn’t want to have to travel off campus to get food as that would be really inefficient, and I don’t like to bring food from home because it would require me to cook, and cooking also takes a lot of time and energy to prepare,” Feng said.

Stanley Tsou, a Will Rice College sophomore, said he chose to buy only Tetra.

“I chose this meal plan because of the flexibility to dine both at the serveries and at the [Rice Memorial Center] (e.g.

Ambassador’s Cafe),” Tsou wrote. “Unlike meal plans, in which students have to use all their meals by the end of the semester, Tetra points roll over the semester. Not having to worry about ‘wasting’ meals or not having enough meals in the middle of the semester is a huge perk for me.”

GROCERY SHOPPING

Lia Pikus, a Baker College junior, opted for no meal plan this year. Pikus and her roommate alternate cooking every day and do bulk meal prepping on weekends.

“If you bulk cook on the weekends, usually you can get through the weeks,” Pikus said. “There are the occasional PB&Jfor-breakfast-lunch-and-dinner days, but

they are few and far between. I also have come to really treasure the time I spend cooking.”

Since her housemate has a car, Pikus is able to carpool with her to buy groceries, but sometimes opts to use Instacart, a grocery delivery service, to save time. According to the Instacart website, delivery is free for orders above $35 for Instacart Express members, and membership costs $99 per year.

Natalie Siejczuk, a Lovett College junior, is living off campus for her second year.

She makes breakfast every morning and meal preps once a week. Siejczuk gets her groceries delivered from Shipt, which costs about the same as Instacart.

“I don’t have a car, so getting groceries is kind of impossible on a bike,” Siejczuk said.

According to Pikus, it’s understandable for a busy school schedule to occasionally get in the way of cooking, so a convenient backup meal, like frozen veggie burgers, is usually a good idea to keep on hand.

MEAL SWIPE DONATION INITIATIVE This semester, a new initiative was launched that allowed students to donate guest meal swipes to students living off campus who cannot afford meal plans. By the time the online form to donate meal swipes closed on Jan. 24, 246 people had donated a total of 615 swipes, with 2.5 swipes donated on average per person, according to Anna Margaret Clyburn, Martel College president. At the time of print, the Thresher has not determined when the swipes will be accessible to students.

The Pantry, another program by Student Success Initiatives, offers non-perishable food, such as soup, proteins, pasta, dairy and nondairy milk, rice and snacks and hygiene products. It is available to walk in from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

MEAL PLAN C: $1350 (170 meals/semester, $100 tetra) MEAL PLAN E: $425 (50 lunches/semester) MEAL PLAN F: $550 (85 breakfasts/ semester) MEAL PLAN A: $2220 (20 meals/week, $100 tetra) MEAL PLAN B: $750 (85 meals/semester, $100 tetra)

SIMONA MATOVIC

BACKPAGE EDITOR & DESIGNER

FOOD Grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning dishes take time and money. Plenty of off campus students still opt for some kind of meal plan to save time, especially when they don’t have easy access to a car for grocery shopping. It’s worth noting that meals left over on the plan you choose do not roll over. Some plans cover certain numbers of any meal, while others only cover breakfasts or lunch. But, you can buy Tetra to use for servery meals (breakfast is priced lowest, then lunch, then dinner) that will roll over from semester to semester. So, if you don’t want a full meal plan but want to be covered in case you’re stuck on campus for a meal that you haven’t packed, Tetra is a low-commitment option.

With all of this being said, I live off campus with no meal plan or Tetra and it’s completely feasible if you have access to a car. You’re going to have a lot more repeated meals and fewer options each week than with dining on campus (especially if you don’t split groceries with a roommate), but learning to plan meals and cook is an essential life skill. I spend $40 to $50 a week at HEB and will have ingredients left over from week to week — it’s not uncommon that I decide I don’t need to shop on a given week because of groceries I haven’t yet used. I usually have frozen vegetables on hand because they’re cheap and usually just as nutritious as fresh ones, and then buy around four or five items of fresh produce a week. Frozen shrimp and frozen berries are good for the same reasons, as well as canned beans. Potatoes and sweet potatoes also take longer to go bad than other fresh produce, as well as alternative milks like oat or almond as opposed to cow milk. Also, eggs are cheap and you can eat real eggs now as opposed to servery eggs!

Embrace eggs!

UTILITIES Utilities include electricity, gas, water and internet. Some apartments will have all utilities included in rent, but many don’t and most houses won’t have any utilities included. Houses typically require a lot more energy to cool in the summer (and every other season) and heat in the winter (for the two weeks that it’s actually cold) than apartments. Some internet companies offer flat-rate fees for Wi-Fi, while others charge based on usage. My share of Wi-Fi (split with three roommates in a house) is usually up to $20 a month.

Water, electricity and gas vary immensely based on the size of the living space, so be sure to ask whoever’s lease you’re taking over — or landlord — how much utilities typically cost when you’re deciding on a place. I spend $100 a month on average.

Reducing utility usage is better for your wallet and the environment. These tips may seem simple, but you probably haven’t thought much about them on campus. First of all, turn off your air conditioning or heating every time you leave. If it’s too hot for no air conditioning, still set the temperature much higher than what you’d keep it at when home and vice versa for the cold. It’s not pleasant to walk into a warm home in the summer or a chilly one in the winter, but it probably won’t take that long for the temperature to get back to a comfortable one. Second, if you live in a unit with a dishwasher, it actually uses less water than washing all your dishes by hand. With that being said, never run a half-empty dishwasher. The “dishwasher saves water” rule doesn’t apply to running it when it’s mostly empty. Finally, always turn off your lights. It’s extremely obvious, but the only light switch you’re in charge of controlling while living on campus is probably your own room. Plus, your parents won’t be around to (rightfully) complain when you leave the light on.

KITCHEN >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >>

3 pans, varying size (non-stick) 1 medium-sized pot 1 rice cooker 2 spatulas 1 pair of tongs 1 big wooden spoon 2 bowls/roommate 2 plates/roommate Silverware 2 knives 2 cutting boards (1 big 1 small) 1 baking pan/vessel, glass is most versatile tupperware Spices: salt, pepper, garlic powder,

>> >> >> >>

basil/oregano, red pepper flakes, paprika/cumin Dish soap, sponges, steel wool Measuring cup Metal strainer/colander Drying rack

BATHROOM AND CLEANING >> >> >> >> >> >> >>

Shower liner and curtain Bleach Toilet bowl cleaner Plunger Vacuum Rags (t-shirts come in handy!)

All-purpose disinfecting spray

HOUSING GUIDE

12 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

>> ALONG THE METRO LINE MCGOWEN

HERMANN PARK/RICEU

This is the stop closest to Brown College, on the corner of Fannin Street and Sunset Boulevard.

This is the stop for Midtown — which also means delicious and affordable Vietnamese food. While you might already know Pho Saigon, Les Givral’s is the place to be for a cheap rice or vermicelli plate and an iced ca phe sua da (extremely strong and sweet iced Vietnamese coffee). The new Cafe#13 also just opened in this plaza and has amazing banh mis with gorgeously toasted bread and just the right proportion of every ingredient. I seriously cannot recommend all of these places enough.

After dark, those of you over 21 can also get off this stop for Proof Rooftop Lounge (when it reopens) and its chill vibes when the weather is right, Mongoose versus Cobra for a board game night or group night out at one of the two karaoke bars.

MUSEUM DISTRICT

Get off here to see some of Houston’s best (you guessed it) museums, including the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, the Houston Natural Science Museum or take in the new Glassell School of Art and its sculpture garden. The MFAH has a great cafe space if you’re looking to study somewhere that’s not Fondren and want to easily get off campus without a car.

For the less educationally-oriented folks, consider Bodegas Taco Shop, an easy walk from the metro stop for Mexican food and great deals on margarita

pitchers. While Bodegas is great for groups looking to relax after a long school week, if you’re looking for a place to take your date after all that art-going, consider MF Sushi for a pricey but yummy dinner. A little further away are the chiller eateries Dak & Bop (Korean fried chicken), Barnaby’s Cafe (decadent brunch) and Fadi’s Mediterranean Grill.

ANNA TA

Managing Editor

MEMORIAL HERMANN HOSPITAL/HOUSTON ZOO This is the stop closest to the South Colleges, across Main Street from Sid Richardson College. A lot of quick food options are available, such as Chipotle, the Halal Guys and the newly-opened Juiceland.

ENSEMBLE HCC

Ugh, now this is Houston food. Get off here for The Breakfast Klub (and be prepared to wait), Tacos A Go Go (if you’re not tired of eating it at every catered food event at Rice), Diced Poke, Spicy Girl (Szechuan Chinese food) and Kura Revolving Sushi Bar.

*gathered from our OC survey

RANTS RAVES

“There’s essentially no resources given to students when they’re kicked off campus which can pose an especially large burden to low income students.” - Mezthly Pena, Duncan ‘22 “The shuttle app should be improved. It’s oftentimes significantly off which is frustrating for those of us that take the shuttle everyday!”

- Rebecca Egan, Martel ‘22 “The walk to West Lot at 10 p.m. is the worst.”

- Natalie Goddard, Duncan ‘21

RANTS RAVES

“It seriously made my relationship to Rice so much healthier!”

- Areli Navarro Magallon, Duncan ‘20 “Living next to Trader Joe’s is as awesome as it sounds.” - Josh Bochner, McMurtry ‘20 “I just think that having your own space to go back to is so underrated. People are always talking about the convenience of living on campus, but it’s so good for your mental health to be able to go home off campus at the end of the day.”

- Chris Walters, Will Rice College ‘20

HOUSING CLASSIFIEDS Fully furnished all bills paid 1br garage apt located 1/2 mile from campus in Southampton.

Cable/Electric/one covered and gated parking spot included (no large SUVs).

No washer/dryer.

Available beginning late.

May/June 2020.

Single occupancy only.

No smokers, no pets.

Rice students preferred.

Email: boyyakima@yahoo.com or call/text 832-573-2694 SUMMER AND/OR SCHOOL YEAR LEASE IN A FOURPLEX IN RICE VILLAGE. BILLS PAID WALK OR BIKE TO CAMPUS. Spacious furnished 1B, 1B, separate living, dining room and kitchen apartment $985.

Furnished Studio $765.

Furnished room in a three bedroom, one bath and kitchenette/dining area $560.

Furnished room in a two bedroom, one bath, kitchenette/ dining area apartment $660.

Bills paid. W/D available.

Email: melsyo@sbcglobal.net. Phone: 713-205-6681

7900 N Stadium Dr. #81, Houston, TX 77030 - Lovely 729-sqft condo: French shutters, bathroom and kitchen with granite countertops and new cabinets, laminate wood floor, spacious walk-in closet, brand new AC unit, in-unit washer & dryer, small yard, outside storage shed, covered parking spot.

-Friendly complex: swimming pool, tennis courts, club house, on-site manager, 24/7 security guard.

-Ideal Location: various transportation options (bus, rail, bike...)

-Rent: $1,050.00/month (including water, trash, cable, Internet...)

-Contact: cuonghoa264@gmail.com Furnished rooms walking distance to Rice Univ. Bills paid.

Safe, quiet location.

W/D. Internet. Single rooms. Summer and school year ending 2021 leasing.

Rent $560.00/mo.

International Students Welcome!!

Email: nutydreams2@yahoo.com Cell: 713-703-6372

HOUSING GUIDE

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 • 13

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HOUSING GUIDE

14 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020

HOUSING & TRANSPORTATION IN HOUSTON* HOW DID YOU GET TO CAMPUS EVERYDAY?

DID YOU SHARE A ROOM?

Walked

YES (23%)

Biked Drove self Got driven (Uber, carpool, etc.)

NO (77%)

took the metroRAIL

Took the bus Took a Rice shuttle Scootered / long boarded

*results taken from 92 respondents who said they lived off campus during their time at Rice

MONTROSE 5 percent of survey respondents live here, paying from $750 to $1000/month

MUSEUM DISTRICT

BOLSOVER / CLOSE BY 39 percent of survey respondents live here, paying from $750 to more than $1000/month

BELLAIRE

RICE UNIVERSITY WEST U 23 percent of survey respondents live here, paying from $500 to $750/month

HERMANN PARK

MED CENTER 15 percent of survey respondents live here, paying from $750 to $1000/month

NRG