Housing

CSU, Chico is a residential campus. Most students live on or within two miles of campus. The university doesn’t impose housing requirements, so you may select the kind of housing you prefer.

Housing and Food Service

University Housing and Food Service (UHFS), located in the UHFS Building on campus at the corner of Citrus and Legion Avenues, provides a center for all housing information and administration. Look here for

• Application process for university-owned housing
• Housing assignments
• Refunds
• Billings
• Part-time jobs in housing
• Cancellation waiting list space
• Conference and graduation housing
• Housing for summer students
• Vacancy listing service
• Information on landlord/tenant relationships
• Maps of campus and city
• Information on schools, shopping, recreation, and restaurants
• Free phone use
• Lease forms
• Lists of motels and real estate agencies
• Apartment brochures
• Information about discrimination in rental housing

University Housing

Residence Halls

The on-campus housing program encourages personal growth in a residential setting and provides a climate where the living atmosphere complements the educational mission of the university. Each residence hall has live-in staff consisting of a professional full-time Residence Community Coordinator or Resident Director and a student resident advisor for each living area. Staff members possess skills for helping and can also make excellent referrals. A recreation specialist initiates social and athletic activities within the halls, and ample opportunity exists for involvement with hall government and service on a variety of committees.

Chico has five on-campus co-educational residence halls, each accommodating from 120 to 520 students. Rooms are carpeted and air-conditioned. Most rooms are two-person occupancy with a limited number of three-person rooms and a few singles (in Whitney Hall). They are furnished with 80-inch beds (extra long), desks and chairs, bookcases, bulletin boards, wastebaskets, dressers, and closets. Mattress pads are provided, and students furnish their own pillows, linens, blankets, and towels.

All residence halls have computer labs with access to the Internet. Each lab contains an IBM compatible computer and a laser printer. We are in the process of connecting all of our living environments (two Ethernet connections per room). Please contact UHFS for an updated list of “connected” halls.

Located within the halls are the dining room, study lounges, TV rooms, laundries, saunas,  and small kitchens for snack preparation. Within the campus housing area is a recreation center for residents.

University Communications Network Services (CNS) provides telephone service to all rooms.  Students may choose to activate this service by dialing CNS at 898-6868 to receive an individual authorization code (IAC) and long distance calling card with rates lower than any major carrier’s basic rate. CNS provides individualized billing and voice mail so students sharing a room are billed only their portion of the monthly service charge and long distance.

Food service is a part of the on-campus housing package and consists of 15 meals a week with the option to add additional meals at low rates. Your meal card may also be used at the Bell Memorial Union, Primo Expresso, and BAGIT in Whitney Hall.

Thematic Living Program

In addition to the residence halls is the Thematic Living Program, composed of apartment-style units with common kitchen and living areas. Each unit houses 14 students who share the same major or common academic program. In cooperation with the faculty of their academic departments, the residents of a thematic housing unit create a living environment which enhances their academic program through activities such as lecture series, films, slides, musical and cultural evenings, ethnic dinners, trips, and foreign language conversation hours. Students must contact the specific academic departments to apply for this program.

University Village

The Village is an apartment complex that is owned and operated by University Housing and Food Service. When you choose to live at the Village, you’re getting more than just well-designed living space.

You have access to a computer lab (with access to the Internet), campus services, a supportive staff, and an environment which is conducive to your academic success. This is a great way to stay connected to the campus while living off campus.

The Village offers two living alternatives:

Double Studios: Each double studio comes with a bathroom and kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with a refrigerator, stove, and microwave. The double studios have a private entrance and a shared patio or balcony with two other residents. Due to the large number of students requesting university-owned housing, we have converted all of our studios into “double studios.”

Four-Bedroom Clusters: Each cluster is semiprivate. Residents who live in a cluster share a bathroom with one other person and kitchen facilities with three others, while having your own private room. Outside access and small patios are just part of what makes this a practical option.

Housing Rates

We have different rates for each of our housing communities. Please e-mail, write, call, or visit the Housing Office for the most current rates.

How to Apply

The application process for housing is separate from application for admission to the university. Please contact UHFS for more information.

Other Housing Options

Community

Convenient and enjoyable housing can be found in the Chico community. The area offers a variety of living choices which include privately owned residence halls, boarding houses, apartments, houses, rooms, and occasional opportunities to work for room and board. If apartment living appeals to you, but meal preparation does not, the on-campus residence hall dining room offers either a five-, ten- or fifteen-meal-per-week plan to off-campus students.

Living off-campus can be exciting and challenging, but it can also become a headache if you neglect to plan carefully. Read further for comments geared toward the first-time home hunter.

When to Look

Apartment complexes begin to rent in April and May for the fall semester. If you are interested in one particular complex, inquire during this time period about policies on deposits for fall leases. The rental process continues throughout the summer months, and as August approaches, apartments still available will tend to be located farther from campus.

A bright spot for late arrivals to campus is that as the vacant apartment supply diminishes, the availability of places to share with roommates increases. Continuing students who place deposits to hold apartments return to campus later and seek roommates. Many available sharing offers are in the best locations and have moderate rental rates. Find listings of sharing openings in the Housing Office and local newspapers. Shop early if you can, but if your hunting must be done just before classes begin, don’t despair. Just adjust your expectations, make a temporary housing arrangement (motel or with a friend), and hurry to the Housing Office to begin your search for long-term housing.

Greek Housing

Nearly all of the fraternities and sororities at CSU, Chico operate their own houses. Space in these facilities is generally limited to members or pledges, and thus is not available to students during their first semester on campus. For additional information, write to the Student Activities Office, Bell Memorial Union, CSU, Chico, Chico, CA 95929. Phone: 530-898-5396.

Discrimination in Rental Housing

Although owners are allowed to choose their tenants, they cannot discriminate on the basis of
Age
Children
Disability
Marital status
National origin or ancestry
Race or ethnicity
Religion
Sex
Sexual Orientation

If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any way, recourse is available:

• Call the Housing Office. An adviser can help you with rental law questions.
• Call the Community Legal Information Center (CLIC) at 530-898-4354. The CLIC staff offer legal information about housing issues.
• File a complaint with the State Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH), 2000 “O” Street, Suite 120, Sacramento, CA 95814. Phone 800-884-1684. You must file the complaint within 60 days of the violation.
• Consult an attorney. Suits alleging a violation of federal or state law must be filed with the federal and state courts accordingly.

Other Things To Consider

Personal Property Insurance Regardless of where a student lives, a review of insurance coverage with an agent is advisable. Some policies cover a student while away at school.

Post Office Box You may wish to consider renting a post office box. This offers an immediate permanent address and assures you receipt of mail if you change your residence.

Telephone and Voice Mail Regardless of where you live, University Communications Network Services (CNS) telephone and voice mail service is available. Using a CNS line means you are directly networked to the CSU, Chico campus and to the thousands of other students, faculty, and staff who use our service. The revenue generated by CNS is filtered directly back to the campus technology fund and used to upgrade and purchase new communication equipment.

A Final Word

University Housing and Food Service is ready to assist you in getting settled in Chico and to help solve housing problems if they arise. Information, including tips about roommate selection, pluses and minuses for living on and off campus, planning strategies, landlord-tenant relationships, and frequently used off-campus rental locations, is available by request from the Housing Office.