USU students struggle to find housing after developer fails to finish apartment complex on time

At the beginning of August, over 300 students at Utah State University found out their planned housing for the fall semester, the 800 Block apartments, would not be move-in ready.

In an email to the would-be residents, 800 Block said due to construction delays housing would not be available until further notice.

 Emily Robins, a freshman at USU, is one of the hundreds who had to scramble to find a place to live before the semester began.

 Luckily, Robins said she had family friends nearby who she was able to sign a lease with — a little over a week before she needed to move in for school. 

Other students weren’t so lucky. 

Kermen Petithomme, a freshman from Florida, had signed a lease with the 800 Block apartments only to have his college plans for aviation at USU postponed.

 “I don’t know anyone in Utah I could stay with until they finish up,” Petithomme said. “I spent weeks looking for a new place but nothing. I had no choice but to transfer to another school and wait another year to start my dream of flying.”

800 Block had promised a modern and well-located student housing, but simply fell through with completing the “in the near future” part. 

Not only were the students given short notice and now have nowhere to live, but it has also created financial stresses. And dealing with 800 Block apartments to get money back, wasn’t an easy task. 

Students put down deposits on the apartments that have still not been refunded. Petithomme had his fees waived, but he said he knew other students had paid over $300 to the apartments that they never got back. 

It also became a struggle for many students to get out of their contract.

“The only way I can get out of the lease is if I promise not to do anything to them, to harm their business,” Robbins said.

For Robbins, this was the most infuriating part of the whole situation. Moreover, the email was deemed equally as frustrating, as it was described as vague and not accommodating to the students’ needs. 

“Please accept our apologies and be patient with us. The 800 Block will be one of the most modern and well-located student housing communities in the Logan area in decades and will be well worth the wait,” 800 Block said in the email.

But there is only so much waiting a college student can do when they have classes to attend and nowhere to call home.

USU is aware of the issue and has done what they can to provide help to the students who recently found themselves homeless. 

On Aug. 10, USU spokesperson Amanda DeRito addressed the situation, saying USU was doing everything they could to assist the struggling students. 

USU Housing Services said they are working with on-campus, as well as off-campus housing complexes, to provide extra spaces for these students in need. 

They said they reached out to the Logan community as well in hopes it will be able to take in students until 800 Block is finished.

However, time is running out and it’s unlikely all the students will be able to find housing. This means that many hopeful students will have to turn to online courses or potentially have to find another university to attend.

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