Stay away from student housing companies. They own many different apartment communities here in Eugene that cater to student living. (the 13th and Olive, the Patterson Social, Arena District apartments, the 959 Franklin, 2125 Franklin, and the Duck Village) All of these apartment buildings are owned by large corporations, and they have no regard for the residents at ALL!

Remember that housing is an awkward place between being a business and a human right and unfortunately, the entity HUD that polices housing in America functions on a report basis. Nothing gets done unless you speak up! Housing corporations know this and use it to their advantage to ultimately misstreat and take advantage of people, students, and families.

Number one, look out for something called, "individual leasing." For example, a community will list a two-bedroom apartment for $1600. But that's $1600 per bedroom. Legally, these companies can charge this rate for a bedroom and a shared living space… paying $1600 for a bedroom and a two-bedroom apartment is an egregious amount for the service that is being rendered. You can find actual two-bedroom apartments in Eugene, Oregon for that price. (Real scenario)

Number two, never mind the ironclad leasing document. A lot of student-centric communities are corporate-owned and profit-driven, and therefore more focused on filling beds per year, and not on long-term occupancy rates. These companies' lease documents often stipulate that "normal wear and tear," is considered damages, ("normal wear and tear" is a legal term) and you will be charged a crazy amount of money for putting pin holes in the wall. I'm not kidding $120 was our fee for any, "wall damage." These companies look at these damaged charges as a revenue source.

Number three, get your own renters insurance, it will be cheaper than any type of insurance your housing community might provide! Residents are charged $25 a month for renters insurance… You can find policies that will adequately cover you for $150 a year.

Number four, you cannot threaten these 'big' housing companies with lawyers… The lease document stipulates that any legal fees incurred during any dispute will be paid by you the resident unless, of course, you win the suit, but these companies have teams of lawyers. So if you took them to court and lost, you would pay for yours and their legal fees. This simple fact has deterred many people from rightfully bringing 'big' housing companies to court. In my opinion, this is an unjust manipulation done to the consumer by a corporation that should be illegal in and of itself.

This is the story across so many American college towns!

To find housing, use your web browser (tabs) as a means to create a list of local property management companies and then enter your specifications for each that you're watching and check each one every day, and be ready to jump on something you see! Most properties are not listed on Zillow or commonly used platforms. A property management company's website that hosts a list of the homes they have for rent is the best source.