Students voice concern as rents go up

College Club Town homes are popular with FAMU students.
Photo Courtesy of Apartments.com.

Over the past several months, Florida A&M students have been voicing their concerns about the increasing prices at student apartment complexes.  

“It’s hard for some of us to get jobs to afford rent,” Sydeera Martin said. “We came here for school, so why would they expect us to have a lot of money to afford expensive living?”

Many apartment complexes in the Tallahassee area are advertised to students. Student housing is individually leased. Monthly fees are calculated separately. Depending on how many people are residing in the unit, each person is responsible for paying their own rent and a portion of the utilities.

Rental rates for off-campus housing can start anywhere from $300-$500 per room and will continuously increase depending on the area one decides to live in.

In addition to an already high-priced rent, student apartment complexes are steadily raising their rates. Usually done at the beginning of each semester, rental rates for student housing can increase due to several reasons including renovations and competitors’ rates.

“Our rent has increased about $5 in the last semester,” College Club Townhomes community assistant, Joshua Forbes, said.

College Club is a popular student-housing complex for many FAMU students. Of the many off-campus housing options located near campus, College Club is what some students consider “most affordable.”

To some, a $5 rent increase isn’t much. However, over time an additional $5 each semester can add up to be too much for a student’s budget. “Most times, our rental rates go up due to renovations,” Forbes said. By apartment complexes supplying new appliances and making visual changes, they must increase rent to cover these fees.

According to AmericanCampus.com, College Club Townhomes rates start at $394 per room/per person.

Students living in The Social 2700 have also seen their rental rates go up.

Although closer to Florida State’s campus, the Social 2700 is home to a large number of FAMU students. Before undergoing new management, the Social 2700 was known as Villa Del Lago. This complex offers floorplans for 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom townhomes and flats.  

Due to the new management and their updated renovations, students living here say rates have increased about $60 in the past five months. Students living in a furnished townhome with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms pay about $554 in rent as opposed to $496 under the previous management.

Being a student is already a lot of pressure, but adding on the responsibility of paying a high-priced rent can be even more challenging. Student living can bring much personal freedom but also can be burdening to a student’s finances.

“I don’t think rent will ever decrease — it’ll only continuously go up,” Forbes added.