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■ Handbooks are available to help students
know their rights and responsibilities when
finding a home
By Monica Hande
Oregon Daily Emerald
For whatever reason, you’ve decided to move.
Perhaps you’re tired of the residence halls. Maybe it’s
your neighbors. Or it could just be that you and your room
mate have absolutely nothing in common.
Regardless of your motivation, the fact remains that mov
ing is not always an easy task. However, knowing how to
begin can really take away some of the pressure.
First, you face the task of finding a roommate, or perhaps
making the decision to live alone.
Selecting a roommate is a very important step, ASUO
housing advocate Matthew Lieuallen said, because you
have to be able to trust the people you decide to live with.
“Choose who you live with wisely, because it could
make or break your housing experience,” Lieuallen said.
He also warns that, in many situations, if your roommate
abandons his or her responsibilities, you are left individu
ally obligated.
The Roommate Survival Guide, available at the Rental
Information Office in the EMU or on-line at oregon.uore
gon.edu/~rio/survive.html, suggests a variety of options for
effectively selecting and getting along with roommates.
Next, it’s time to decide what type of housing you’re
looking for.
Do you want to live in the residence halls? Hoping to
share space in a fraternity or sorority house, a co-op or a pri
vate residence? How many bedrooms are you looking for?
Do you want a washer and dryer? Do you need a parking
space? All these questions and more abound.
Thankfully, many options are available. And once you
have a good idea of what best suits your needs, you’re ready
to start your search.
According to the Renter’s Handbook, prepared by OS
PIRG and the ASUO, it’s in your best interest to look at
many different places before choosing one, even if you like
the first one you come across.
Several resources are available for you to consider when
looking for a place to live. Try newspaper advertisements,
the Rental Information Office and property management |
firms. Also, bulletin boards throughout campus carry no
tices from renters seeking roommates or people to take over
their leases. Several landlords use signs in windows ant
lawns, as well, to attract renters.
Also, never overlook the power of word of mouth refer
rals. If you know people who live in places you’re interest
ed in, ask them to notify you of vacancies. According to the
Renter’s Handbook, many residences are rented even be
fore they are advertised. Friends can also help you weigl
the pro and cons of places they are familiar with.
But no matter how you go about finding a place to live,
make sure you do it with time to spare.
“Don’t wait,” Lieuallen said. “If you wait, you’re not go
ing to find much.” He said there’s always a supply of apart
Turn to Renter Tips, page 2c