<p>Hi, I've been assigned to Annenberg USC housing, but I prefer not to live there. What are some options for me outside of USC housing? I heard of the Lorenzo, Tuscany, and Gateway, and I'm interested in the Lorenzo, but does anyone know of any other private housing options that are practical and common? </p>
<p>Edit: Are there any resources (websites... etc) I can use to look for private housing?</p>
<p>Just came back from looking at Lorenzo. A lot of amenities and just opened a newly constructed wing. However -the available storage within the apartment is less than what is available in a dorm room. Every bedroom comes with two beds which are separate leases so if you don’t have a roommate you’re stuck with whomever they assign to your apartment (and the lease specifies it isn’t their problem if there is a dispute). The three bedrooms are sold out which may be a blessing because the middle rooms in a 3-bedroom are kind of a rip off (have the public bathroom in the apartment, less storage, less privacy, not much wiggle room for rearranging furniture.) The parking (tandem) is odd. How does one get out of the space if you’re pinned in by someone else?</p>
<p>Still - the students I toured with liked the idea that it was upscale, work out rooms, multiple swimming pools, a restaurant on site, free cable and wi-fi, etc. And a shuttle to campus. Don’t know much about Gateway but hear it is similar. Still, right now, until construction is finished, only the two bedroom (4 people) and the one bedroom (2 people) is available. Check for specials and coupons. They were offering two free months for anyone who signed up for a two bedroom via posters in the lobby. But yesterday that was down to one free month online. Maybe you can haggle.</p>
<p>With the Lorenzo and any situation, get everything in writing. I’ve heard rumors of them not honoring their verbal offerings.</p>
<p>The places listed are too expensive for me. They’re the new housing in the area, so might as well add Icon and West 27th to the list. Paying $1000 to share a room is ludicrous IMO. </p>
<p>Google USC housing and you should find a lot of companies and places: Stuho, Nupac, Mosiac, SCSH, City Park, Menlo Apartments, Mirage, etc. </p>
<p>My last place was run by these guys and they were actually really attentive and nice: <a href=“http://www.southerncalstudenthousing.com/”>http://www.southerncalstudenthousing.com/</a>
I’ve also known people to be happy with City Park but they’re all filled up now.</p>
<p>Nice to know psydent. Thanks. I’ll pass the information along. I think mine got swept in the tide of friends enamored with Lorenzo. The pricing was much cheaper than living in a dorm. But hubby and I had a critical eye when touring - much to the dismay of the poor sales person who tried valiantly to stay on the time-share script.</p>
<p>I’m going to use the year to scout alternatives just in case.</p>
<p>@artsandletters - just fyi, working with Stuho has been a disaster for the last 3 years. There has to be better property management firms there, psydent mentioned one, but I would avoid Stuho.</p>
<p>Thanks @CADreamin. I appreciate knowing your experiences. I get the impression that a lot of housing options are based on the assumption that USC students are a cash cow. Sigh. Might consider talking to the parents of the roommates about finding something to buy instead of rent. The money being spent (combined) on the Lorenzo would buy a mansion (being facetious - but not by much). :-(</p>
<p>Daughter is moving to the Lorenzo this fall. She’ll be sharing a room in a 3 bedroom apartment. She’s happy with it as there is more space in the apartment than what they had this year in West 27th. It’s cheaper than Gateway by quite a bit - also farther away. Much cheaper than Icon. They toured some places on Ellendale - not nearly as nice and a huge deposit required. I am happy because I didn’t have to pay a deposit. The big downside of Lorenzo is the distance. </p>
<p>You know - we just drove back and forth this past week from Lorenzo to USC campus and it’s not as far as it seems. Honestly - just two blocks behind Jacks N Joes (which to me is an asset - 
) I think having a living room and kitchen in a 3 bedroom be the same size as the 1 and 2 bedrooms is ill conceived. And the layout of the middle room would have been comparable to the other two “suites” if the architects had routed the apartment door for the largest suite (the one with the outside entrance) through the kitchen in order for the middle bedroom to have a walk-in closet and become a suite as well. We put up a tension rod and curtain to give the middle room the allusion of more privacy. </p>
<p>Still - so far so good. The students seem happy. But it may change once everyone moves in. We like the security and the availability of the shuttle, and the closeness of the metro stop. But guest parking is kind of almost non-existent despite what they claim. Still scratching my head over “tandem” parking logic.</p>
<p>Anyone have experience with Mosaic? I don’t know if I want to live where utilities aren’t included in rent and furnished options aren’t available (since I’m from out of state)</p>
<p>Kids seem to be happy at Lorenzo, it certainly has some great services. The distance thing isn’t so bad, especially with the shuttle. They just do less back and forth stuff and learn where to get things done on campus. Mine is off Adams, just a tad closer than Lorenzo and makes one trip (bike) and is around campus all day till classes finish, then heads back. Since they have a nice apartment they won’t need the library at midnight when you don’t want them traveling back through the neighborhood solo anyway. We do have an issue with the internet being a consistent problem in his building which they can’t seem to resolve (which shouldn’t happen in Lorenzo) and we had to invest in a hot spot plan off his phone so he didn’t have to make late night trips back to campus. Mo money mo money. </p>
<p>My issue with the distance is that she felt West 27th was far this year, so the Lorenzo is even farther. Not much, but farther isn’t good when she already felt too far from campus. She bikes and walks, no car. The shuttle might help. </p>
<p>I do have a bit of a beef with the way campus housing works; in that if you go off campus one year, the university makes it close to impossible to get back on. Not because of the scarcity of housing per se but rather the rules that current residents get to renew before anyone else can return. I think all upperclassmen should have an equal shot at the few rooms set aside for them regardless of whether they lived on or off campus the previous year. </p>
<p>@scahopeful the furniture was another issue at the places on Ellendale and elsewhere. You can rent furniture from Cort but it’s another expense. </p>
<p>@Snowdog - one way to come back is to apply to be an RA. I think they get free room and board as compensation.</p>
<p>^ Right I know, and I misspoke really…was referring not to actual on-campus housing but to university housing (Cardinal Gardens etc.) RA is not an easy gig to come by, there are more applicants than spots, and you don’t know if you have been selected until pretty late in the spring. </p>
<p>Darn. Thanks @Snowdog. Good to know. It’s never easy is it!</p>
<p>Frankly, we’ve been very happy with the apartment D rents through Stuho. I understand from this board that people have had problems, but they have treated the girls really well. The apartment is lovely, newer construction barely a block from campus. It’s not super cheap, but a better value to us than Lorenzo. Each girl has there own room/bathroom with shared kitchen/living room. D likes being very close to campus–heck when she hurt her knee they were willing to zip across the street and pick her up in a golf cart. She parks on campus–in part because I think the parking fee at the apartment is crazy, in part because she doesn’t like the way she would have to park at the building. There are many options at many price points around USC…</p>
<p>@mom2m What is the price range? And are utilities included?</p>
<p>StuHo manages a wide variety of properties. For D’s apartment, which is fairly new construction, laminate flooring, laundry room on the first floor, it’ basically the same as Lorenzo charges per bed but it’s a private bedroom and bathroom. It’s VERY close to campus. The laminate flooring, etc was important to us. D is mildly allergic to dust, very allergic to mold. Utilities are not included, but are very reasonable (I put them in my name, so I get the bill). We had HUGE LA DWP issues, not StuHo’s problem, but they stepped up to help solve things…including meeting a La DWP staff member at the building a couple of times.</p>
<p>A private bedroom and bathroom at the same price point is very VERY appealing. We may start our search early for future options. Thanks for sharing. Much appreciated @Mom2M</p>
<p>There are some differences–no furniture is included, and it’s a 12 month lease. We did a fair amount of Craiglist shopping, so furnished her room nicely without huge expense. As for the 12 month lease, it works, she will be in LA much of the summer doing an internship. Right now, she’s finishing a Problems without Passports trip. The girls started shopping around Christmas of their freshman year. I don’t know what’s available in the building at this point…I can ask when she gets back. I did put the utilities in my name, so there was only a $19 charge to turn them on, no deposit required. Having her own room/bathroom was worked well for our D.</p>