The Housing Fair showcased different housing options, advocacy groups and ASUCD units for both students and the community
By JESSICA YUNG — campus@theaggie.org
On Nov. 13, the ASUCD Fall Housing Fair took place on the Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Housing Fair included booths from local apartments, ASUCD service units and local non-profit groups. The event was free and open to both students and community members.
The Housing Fair was set up by the ASUCD Housing Advising for Undergraduate Students (HAUS) and College Pads.
Sam Hopwood, a fourth-year political science major and unit director of HAUS, elaborated on the unit’s role for students.
“HAUS works with students to directly address their woes via housing,” Hopwood said. “[We do] housing advocacy and housing advising. We give [students] direct advice and counseling about housing. We connect them with tenants rights organizations. Students [can make] appointments with a housing advisor […] and we will get [students] wonderful guidance and counseling.”
Hopwood elaborated on the challenges that students face.
“The hardest part of college is finding housing,” Hopwood said. “We’re young people. We don’t know what to do. We don’t know how our tenants rights are being respected or disrespected. HAUS is a resource for students to know what to do when finding housing. Students can reach out to us and get assistance and receive guidance as a renter and as a tenant.”
Cherié Dimmerling, the executive director of Fair Housing Sacramento, said the main housing issue facing tenants today is disability rights violations.
“In California, the bulk of the [housing] complaints are around disability and disability rights,” Dimmerling said. “The other big disability complaint that we get is around reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations means if you have a disability, that [apartments] have to reasonably accommodate that disability, i.e. having a ramp, if you need a wheelchair [and/or] putting bars in the bathroom.”
Hopwood said that finding housing is particularly difficult in California because of the state’s high unhoused population. Dimmerling reaffirmed Hopwood’s statement.
“I do work with homeless individuals, as well as homeless students,” Dimmerling said. “There’s a surprising amount of students that I would have never anticipated that are homeless and taking classes until I got to California.”
There are many ASUCD and campus resources that support students facing a lack of housing, according to Hopwood.
“Aggie House is a wonderful transitory housing,” Hopwood said. “[HAUS] can help students with rent. We’re working on a service right now with Health 34 to make sure that students who are temporarily unhoused for a night can get into a hotel in Davis.”
Hopwood also gave his recommended process for first-year students that are looking for housing.
“First quarter, start looking [and] generally know what your options are,” Hopwood said. “Second quarter, narrow down your options and by third quarter, commit.”
Hopwood also added some general advice for all students.
“I encourage everyone to look at all of your options,” Hopwood said. “Don’t ignore options. Don’t ignore the trial co-ops. Don’t ignore cooperative housing. Don’t ignore a house. Don’t ignore Craig’s List. Look at everything, because you will find something that benefits you.”
Haleigh Johnson, a fifth-year environmental policy analysis and planning major, described the apartment complexes that were featured at the fair.
“I think the Housing Fair did an excellent job showcasing the various apartments,” Johnson said. “The majority of apartments in Davis offer long-term leasing, around a year or so. There are some apartments that offer short-term leasing, but both leasing types require you to find a replacement renter if you need to break your lease early. Many of the apartments had amenities like gyms, pools and in-unit laundry systems.”
Johnson also reiterated the resources that ASUCD HAUS provides to students at the fair.
“The housing search feels much easier and less stressful now that I’ve attended the fair,” Johnson said. “I learned that ASUCD [HAUS] has a housing portal that shows all the apartments in Davis and their current listings, so I know where to look if I decide to change my housing.”
Written by: Jessica Yung – campus@theaggie.org
