Tips for your student’s housing search
It's not too late for students to find housing for next year! Whether your student is moving off campus for the first time or has lived in Boulder for a while, review these tips from Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations.
Exploring options
Encourage your student to use Ralphie’s List to explore their options. This is CU’s official rental database and an excellent resource for students to search for available apartments, townhomes, condos and houses in the Boulder area. Your student can filter options by neighborhood, price, number of bedrooms and other categories. They can also use Ralphie’s List to find roommates.
Popular Boulder neighborhood areas for students include The Hill, Martin Acres, East Aurora, Goss Grove and North Boulder. As your student explores their options, they should also have a budget created that includes rent, utilities, internet and other expenses to determine what they can afford. They can also ask other students about their experiences living in their neighborhoods to get an idea of where they’d like to live.
Considering transportation needs
In addition to searching for off-campus residences, encourage your student to research their potential commute to campus and review public transportation options.
Many students commute to campus by bus for free with their Buff OneCard. RTD public transit has routes that serve all of Boulder and nearby communities. Students may want to consider researching properties in neighboring communities such as Longmont, Superior, Louisville or Lafayette that have bus routes to campus.
Attending a housing fair
Encourage your student to attend the spring Off-Campus Housing Fair on Feb. 20 to speak with property managers, city offices and vendors. This is a great opportunity for your student can ask questions and explore more resources related to living in Boulder.
Learning about city ordinances
As your student prepares to live off campus, they should be aware of city ordinances to avoid tickets and other consequences. Encourage your student to:
- Review the city of Boulder's update on occupancy limits.
- Learn about the new chronic nuisance ordinance that went into effect Sept. 7, 2024, and other city ordinances.
- Keep noise levels within prescribed limits for residential areas.
- Never leave trash in their yard and use trash receptacles appropriately (especially if your student lives in a neighborhood that requires bear-resistant trash containers).
- Register their parties with Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations. If a neighbor makes a noise complaint about their address, Boulder Police will notify your student and issue a warning. This warning gives them 20 minutes to shut down the party before police are dispatched to their house or apartment and can help your student avoid a noise or nuisance ticket.
Getting legal advice
A lease is a legal contract that students should understand before signing. Before signing a lease, your student can schedule an appointment with attorney Bruce Sarbaugh through Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations for a free lease review before signing. Students can also get free legal advice on other rental concerns, from lease agreements to landlord disputes.
Student Legal Services also provides free lease reviews and landlord/tenant consultations. Learn more about scheduling an appointment.
Finding support
Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations offers opportunities and resources to students living off campus. With students who are seeking housing, they help educate them on their rights and responsibilities as tenants and assist students in resolving landlord/tenant problems and/or roommate conflicts. Students can stop by their office in UMC 313 or email och@colorado.edu to get insights from a neighborhood ambassador for advice on living in Boulder.
Beyond Campus Buffs also provides support for first-year students living off campus and commuter students. Students can stop by the Commuter Lounge in UMC 102 to find out more.