The housing crisis is a real issue for university students across the nation, especially in cities like Santa Cruz. If you are a student who does not have on-campus guaranteed housing and has not found secure housing for the next academic school year, I am truly sorry you are in this awful position. Please take these useful tips while you search for securing housing!

1. Ask everyone you know.

Use your friends and extended network to your advantage.The best place to start your housing search is with people who you know. Get the word out that you need a place to live, ask your friends, co-workers, classmates, people in your organizations and club, ask everyone you know. Continue asking friends, even if they do not have a place for you, to let you know if they hear of any available housing off-campus.

2. Have your housing group and application ready.

The housing crisis in Santa Cruz has made the search for off-campus housing exceedingly competitive and cut-throat. This means it is extremely crucial for you to have your rental housing application ready. Type out your responses to the fillable PDF application instead of by hand to make your application look more professional. Include a cover page and describe your group and why you'd be the perfect person to rent a house. Include a page with everyone in your group's professional headshot and name. If you want to take it a step further, put your application in a report cover to give your application an extra edge – it's the little things that make you stand out. Have your references ready and include recommendation letters. Include all of your financial information, whether that be a parental letter of guarantee or letter of financial aid. Assign everyone in your group to look for housing (if this is applicable), do not just let yourself with the responsibility of finding housing – it is not fair. Make goals as a group at least to look at two houses or speak with two people about a potential house.

3. Be professional when speaking to landlords.

When in doubt, wear business casual. You are basically trying to impress a potential landlord and convince them that you should rent their house. This means proper grammar when sending emails and treating this as you would any interview. Speak with confidence and bring out all your charm. Be friendly, too! When you meet your potential landlord or the person in charge of leasing the house, shake their hand and give them your best smile. Even if they aren't the landlord, treat them with respect and courtesy; they have a big part in who gets to live in the house.

4. Extend the distance range of where you want to live.

Don't limit your search to the base of campus. The base of campus is not the only place where you can live, and honestly, that is one the most expensive areas for student to live simply because it is "convenient" to live there. There are many places that are not at the base of campus and are along a bus route and much nicer to live in with affordable rent.

5. Apply for apartments as a back-up.

Many apartments have a high demand, often having waitlists. Be sure to submit an application for apartment complexes early, just in case you don't find a house. The sooner you apply, the better. There are many apartments that include utilities, are often more affordable, have more amenities and offer security.

6. Beware of scams.

Make sure you've seen the inside of the house first and have signed the lease before making any deposits. Be weary of Craigslist scams and always meet people in person before giving them any money. Ask the person you're speaking to for contact information. Do not be afraid to question their legitimacy and follow your intuition.

Keeping looking and hoping for the best. May you all find a place to live!