When to Start Housing Search? (Tucson: high crime, neighborhood, university)

[Rlynne]

Hi! I'm an incoming grad student to UA, and I'm hoping to get some advice about finding a place to live. La Aldea looks nice but expensive, so my roommate and I were going to try to look for off-campus housing within walking distance. I live in Chicago, and I can afford to come out once before I move to look for places. I'd like to move in early or mid July. My question is-- when should I visit? I have plane tickets for next weekend, but I'm thinking maybe I should change them because most places would want me to move in June 1st. Any thoughts?

Also, does anyone have general advice about the search? Proximity is probably most important, as we're trying to avoid driving to campus every day. I'm not afraid of crime (I'm working on the South Side of Chicago now). We'd need a two-bedroom. Thanks so much!!

[psulions2007]

Hi there! I'm pretty much in the same boat as you...and I've been doing tons of research over the past few weeks on this.

Go ahead and start shopping around for apt complexes in places you think you would like. Get your list, and contact these complexes to see if/when they will have availability when you want to move. I'm moving in August, and the complex I've requested won't know until July about what they will have.

Tucson is crazy in that you can be in a really good neighborhood, then walk one or two blocks away and be in a really bad neighborhood. I've found that around the university, it is very loud and most of the complexes within an ~1 mile radius are mostly undergrads. Graduate students tend to live further out, and many bike to campus (Tucson is apparently a very bike-friendly town)

I don't think most places are going to want you to move in June 1. Many complexes have availabilities in June 1, some in July, but it seems the most are August (i.e., student turnover). The best thing here is to contact your list of apt complexes and see what they usually have when.

The biggest crime problems in Tucson seems to be burglary/break-ins. It isn't too terribly difficult to stay out of the bad areas...i.e., don't live NW, W, or S of campus. Go here: TPD Crime Stats for crime density maps of the area. There are random pockets of high crime scattered throughout the area such as 1st/fort lowell and broadway/alvernon. The best places to live are generally NE, E, and some areas N of campus. If you like to bike, the foothills are also a great area, though understandably far.

Don't forget, too, that many students take advantage of the U-pass on the SunTran (Tucson's bus system). If you stay on bus lines that take you through campus, you have nothing to worry about.

I totally feel the same way about La Aldea as you...great location, but way too friggin expensive!


Hope this helps!

[Rlynne]

Psulions,

Thanks so much! You were a big help! :-)