Many AU students are unhappy with the rising prices and changing lease terms of Park Bethesda, AU's off-campus apartment building that was recently handed over to a private management firm.
Students will still be allowed to lease apartments through Housing and Dining Programs but terms will change. For instance, nine-month leases will be phased out and students will have to lease apartments for a full year.
Apartments will be designated for lease to a certain number of resident who will be required to live there. A one-bedroom apartment specifically designated for two people can no longer be bought out for use as a single, according to the AU Housing and Dining Web site.
Summer storage is no longer available and students now have to sublet their apartment if they study abroad, or pay rent in two places at once, according to the Housing and Dining Web site. Management wants to fill the building to capacity to try and earn back the lacking profit that initiated the management handover in the first place, The Eagle previously reported.
Jenna Jonas, a senior in the School of Communication, chose Park Bethesda because it was the easiest option for her roommates and herself, who were all coming back from abroad.
The overall student response to the management change brought out sentiments concerning the building's original circumstances.
"I think it's just counterproductive. There is no reason to stay without flexible leases - this is just a bad idea," said Con Efstathiou, a senior in the School of International Service.
"The joke around Park Bethesda is that no one wanted to live here originally, and no one will want to live here now. Now no one is happy," said Cameron Smith, a junior in the School of Public Affairs.
Due to the shortage of available rooms on campus, students who transfer to AU are usually placed in Park Bethesda. "We try and place freshman transfer students on campus but all the others have to live at Park Bethesda," Director of Housing and Dining Julie Weber said. "For a lot of transfer students the deciding factor when transferring is whether housing is available, so Park Bethesda is what is available for them."
Rob Ianelli, a junior in SIS, transferred to AU last semester. "They stuck me over here," he said. "It's way overpriced and it's just disenfranchising to the community."
The cost of one semester in a double-occupancy dorm room on campus is $3,675, which averages approximately $918 per month, according to the Housing and Dining Web site. New Park Bethesda prices for a two-bedroom apartment are $1,540 per month per student, which is up from $1,393 during the 2004-2005 academic year and $1,460 for the 2005-2006 academic year.
With prices headed even further up for the next academic year, students are looking for other housing alternatives.
Tenley campus is becoming more popular because, in addition to Washington Semester students, it is now home to students in the Washington Mentorship program, Weber said. The program invites students admitted for the spring semester to come in the fall and take a few classes. Also, the incoming freshman class is expected to be 1,325 strong, Weber said.
To assist students in off-campus alternatives, Housing and Dining is hosting talks to help students. The talks focus on alternative housing options, what to look out for when dealing with rental properties and questions the students might have.
