Finding affordable housing in and around the Claremont area when you first arrive as a new student can be extremely stressful. It is important that you keep in mind the following points:

- A one-bedroom apartment or studio, within walking distance of the Colleges, can cost you anywhere from $600 - $900/month, excluding utilities (the cost of paying for electricity, gas, water, and trash pick-up services) which vary depending on your personal habits. A good, high-end, estimate to use for these costs is $100/month.

- Finding available apartments in the city of Claremont itself can be difficult, because demand is high and vacancies are low, but I-Place will help you find a place to live, explain the rental process, and help you settle in to your new home.

- Apartments in the nearby cities of Upland, Pomona, and Montclair are less expensive than apartments in Claremont (a one-bedroom in Upland may cost around $750/month), but are generally not in walking distance from the Colleges. Public transportation is not readily available from the Colleges to apartment complexes in these areas, so most students ride bikes to and from classes, catch rides with friends who have cars, or end up buying a car after they have lived here awhile.

- It is possible to rent rooms in private homes from $400-$500/month. Finding these opportunities is a combination of luck and perseverance. I-Place can help you look for these opportunities after you arrive. It is important to remember that living in someone else's home means abiding by their rules. Before agreeing to rent a room in someone's home, you should be clear about your right to come and go, use the kitchen, invite guests over, use the phone, etc. I-Place can help you negotiate these arrangements.

 - On-campus housing at the CGU dormitory is the cheapest and most convenient living option. A small bedroom with access to a community kitchen rents for around $350/month, and a full-sized two-bedroom, one-bath, kitchen apartment rents for around $800/month. For information on availability of rooms, please go to the CGU housing website at http://www.cgu.edu/housing/index.asp .

-For information on selected rental properties and rents as of 1/1/2002, please go to: http://www.cgu.edu/housing/pdf/offhous.pdf .