The University of Rochester provides shuttle service to many parts of Rochester. Of particular interest for many Rochester Smart Student Housing clients is the Gold Line that provides service to the 19th Ward. All rides are free to holders of a University ID. To add to the convience, there is an app available for your smartphone that offers live tracking, arrival predictions, and proximity alerts for all University bus lines.
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For detailed information go to
 http://www.rochester.edu/parking/shuttles/

The City's Nuisance Point Abatement program is a way to identify and correct chronic nuisance activity which can have a negative impact on the quality of life for the surrounding neighborhood. The program is designed to provide property owners and business owners an opportunity to partner with City staff to abate nuisance activity. If the responsible party fails to properly address and abate the nuisance activity and the number of points exceed the thresholds established in Section 3-15 of the City Charter, the City can initiate an action that can result in the closure of the property or business.


The City of Rochester has a Nuisance Abatement Point System intended to maintain the quality of life in its diverse neighborhoods. In the event of loud parties or other unreasonable behavior by tenants Landlords can be fined, or even be prohibited from renting a property. Please respect you neighbors and roommates by keeping your parties and activities respectful and within the law.

Advances in automatic fire and smoke detection, central station alarms, and automatic sprinklers have helped property losses decline slightly in the last decade. However, despite all of this, the number of fires in student housing buildings across the United States remains relatively consistent.
Buildings including apartments, townhouses, row houses, condominiums, and other tenement properties, tend to have stricter fire and life-safety code requirements than single family housing units.

On average, there are over 100,000 multifamily residential building fires in the United States each and every year. Here are some facts on these fires:

400 deaths on average per year
Over 4,000 injuries on average per year
$1.3 billion in property losses.
Roughly 1/3rd to 1/2 of the these stats are originating from cooking equipment mishaps:
    45 percent of reported home structure fires
    17 percent of home fire deaths
    42 percent of home fire injuries
    16 percent of direct property damage
An official report from the Fire Safety commission stated the following:
“cooking equipment was involved in more than two-thirds (69 percent) of reported apartment fires and about one-third (35 percent) of fires in one- or two-family homes, although it was the leading cause in both.”

Cooking-related fires present a significant exposure in student housing and commercial cooking properties.
Heating equipment had the second-highest fire frequency, at over 5 percent.

The remaining causes were from the following:

Appliances
Arson
Smoking-Related Incidents
The majority of multifamily residential building fires, 73.8 percent, did not extend beyond the original object or area of origin, such as the kitchen stove. Fires that did extend beyond the area of origin were usually cooking-related fires.

Rochester Smart Student Housing urges each and every student to follow proper fire safety guidelines when saying in one of our off-campus housing units.  Fire safety is imperative and can mean the difference between life and death.

At Rochester Smart Student Housing we tend to fill up quite fast with occupants.  Despite the weather, Fall is a "hot" season for us as the bulk of our students get set up with housing for the Fall school term.  By no means does this mean we can't accommodate off-season student housing tenants.
Here's a quick run down of the students that rent our homes after the Fall/Winter school season ends:
 
Students Who Missed The On-Campus Housing Boat
Believe it or not, on-campus housing can be pretty competitive.  This results in many students being put on a waiting list, while others are denied during the on-campus application process.  Sometimes, the students who are placed on a waiting list will occasionally hold off on securing other housing, hoping that someone drops out, leaving a vacancy.  This can result in literally hundreds of students looking for off-campus alternatives.
 
Exchange Students
Most colleges and universities host a study abroad program.  This is where students from different countries all around the world will come over to study for an extended period of time. These programs often begin mid-year, so the exchange students probably won’t be seeking accommodations until later in the school term.  Echange students are a perfect example of "off-season student tenants."
 
Transfer Students
There are always transfer students each year.  Transfer students will change their school or program for multiple reasons.  Regardless of the reasons, these transfer students will usually be late-registrants, so they’ll be searching for accommodations later than most.  A portion of them will choose off-campus housing.
 
Students Changing Their Housing
Some students just don't want to stay on campus anymore.  They crave the freedom of being out on their own so it's not uncommon for on-campus student tenants to turn into off-campus student tenants.  Furthermore, some students may want to change their accommodation and move-in with new friends after the semester has started.
 
Recent Graduates
In many college and university towns, recent graduates that secure employment in the city may opt to remain living in their student housing accommodation to save money on rent.  This is a very smart decision on the students part. Typically, a studio or bachelor apartment will cost significantly more than Rochester Smart Student Housing.
 
Do you fall into any of the above categories?  If so Rochester Smart Student Housing can meet your needs and supply you  with the absolute best student housing in all of Rochester NY.

Virtual reality tours and 3D floor plans are the latest rage when it comes to checking out a house, whether the intent is to buy or rent.  The question becomes: Should student's rely on VR tours to help choose their rental home.
There are a few things to consider first...
As so many young people are considered "technophiles" in this day and age a virtual tour is something they get excited about.  However, nothing beats the real thing.  The absolute best way to see the home that an occupant plans on living in is by showing up in person.  VR software can be manipulated, after all, and what a student experiences in cyber space may not match up to it's real life counterpart.

There are a lot of software and CGI enhancement wizards out there that know how to multiply the wow factor of walking through a virtual reality version of a home a student is thinking about renting.  The problem is, if a student is not seeing the real picture then reality may have a nasty surprise in store for them.

A virtual reality tour can look clean and, well...perfect.  However, it is up to the student to see first hand if the VR tour matches up with the actual property in question.  Digital marketing makeovers are extensive in this day and age and false images are often promoted in hopes of attracting prospective renters.

Even if nothing beats the real thing, virtual reality housing tours offer advantages, especially for certain kind of students.  Out-of-state or out-of-country students cannot arrange for in-person tours of accommodations, at least, with any kind of convenience.  Virtual reality student housing tours become very useful  in this case.

Virtual reality tours go a step beyond photos and video, whereas they allow for an immersive and interactive experience for student renters, without leaving the comfort of their current home.

As marketing trends move to Gen Z versus millennials, expect more and more technology to be integrated into the mix.  , it’s reasonable to predict that virtual reality tours and immersive experiences will become more prevalent in student housing. Ten years from now, we may very well be seeing that virtual reality tours are a must, and photos are no longer the preference.

Here is RSSH's final say on virtual reality student housing tours.  It is simply better for a student to actually step foot inside the home they are considering renting rather than depend on a computer generated recreation.  This way the said student will actually see what they will be getting rather than hope the VR simulation tour holds a candle to the real home in question.
Technology is great but can also be deceptive. 
Student's should always practice due diligence and check out the property they are planning on staying in.  Is it safe? Clean?  The actual distance from the school that's advertised?  All thing that can only be verified in person, inside and on the premises of the actual student home.

The title might seem like it is directed just to student housing tenants but, honestly, this advice applies to everyone everywhere.  If you don't keep your personal space clean...it gets dirty.  Seems almost like the advice is sarcastic but it's actually that simple.

In other words...

If you want to make sure the creepy crawlies and the rodents don't show up it is always better to keep your apartment, home, or room clean.  Something most student's parents have probably told them countless times.

Clean up food spills and have no food left out for the mice to eat, including pet food and the crumbs and spills on the floor from eating around the home.  Use a wet cloth and household disinfectants, not just a vacuum.

Wash any dirty clothing in a washing machine in hot water any cloth items including blankets, rugs, and pillows. Steam any carpets if possible.

Avoid accumulating clutter. Clutter provides rodents and insects nesting areas and hiding spots. Extermination efforts are limited if the critters are hiding in boxes and personal belongings. Plastic bins and tubs can be utilized for storage..

Be aware of your living space at all times.  Are things out of place? Is there a mess somewhere? Clean it up.  The more litter and junk around, especially food, the more chance that an infestation can start.

Here is a quick rundown on how much time should be spent to ensure a living space stays clean.

Bedrooms
Approximate time: Spend 10 minutes per bedroom

Bathroom
Approximate time: Spend 10 minutes per bathroom

Kitchen
Approximate time: Spend 15 minutes cleaning the kitchen.

Living Room​
Approximate time: Spend 15-20 minutes(depending on the size) cleaning the living room

Staying on top of cleansiness is highly recommended otherwise, it is just more work a student will have to do later.  A little cleaning now can save a tenant a LOT of time in the future that could be better spent on the stuff they enjoy doing rather than janitorial work.

Two generation of college students stand out.  One is fully immersed in college life and the other soon to be.

Millennials and their ‘live, work, play’ mind-state and seemingly carefree (or no care at all) way of approaching many situations in life 

Next up are the Gen Z or iGen students... 

A different level of consumption and lifestyle behaviors are present with this generation. Compared to their predecessors, there are some similarities but there is heavy contrast as well.  Gen Zs, in particular, are digital natives, who are growing up in the Internet-dependent era and the smartphone world. Their accommodation needs are different and diverse as the likes and dislikes of these generations come into the light.

The lifestyle pattern of Millennials and Gen Zs have a strong desire to have ready access to fitness, recreational, socializing, and a variety of food options areas.  Foreign foods in particular.  Sushi and other east Asian delicacies are a hit with both Millennials and Gen Zs.  It is not uncommon to find them out and about at their favorite restaurant rather than home cooking.  A student housing facility located near a wide variety of restaurants is a hit with any group of millennials and GenZ'ers.

These generations are very purpose-driven, which means that their built space should contribute to the environment and society at large in a positive way (in their minds at least).  "Making an impact" is always on the mind of millennials.

The Gen Z accounting for more than 25 percent of the US population and the Millennials about 23 percent.

Now, universities are constantly micro-managing their budgets amid rising costs and lower government grants.  They generally lack in-depth expertise in managing student housing and more times than not, students turn to professional off-campus housing companies. Changing demographics add to universities’ challenges as many existing accommodations would become obsolete and may need an upgrade. Demographic trends and their impact on the student housing sector.

The millenial and GenZ generation cannot be taken lightly.  They are the present and future body of universities all across the United States.  As the demographics of services and institutions continue to change throughout the US it is important to note that all students are welcome as the RSSH.

When students vacate rental units and new tenants move-in it can be quite busy and stressful for students who already have a lot on their mind.  After all, some of them are just beginning their higher education and they really don't need any extra aggravation so here at Rochester Smart Student Housing we decided to put together this helpful guide to make the experience of moving into off-campus housing much less stressful.

Start The Researching Student Housing Early
When students are considering living off-campus one of the worst things they can do is put off the process of looking for a good student housing company until the critical time when they desperately need a place.  Every student should begin looking for student housing months in advance.  If anything, there are other students who can easily secure a spot and fully fill up a student housing facility in no time.  Procrastination can keep a student from the wonderful experience of off-campus housing so it's best to start researching student housing companies in the area as soon as a student decides they want live off-campus during their time at their University.

Make A Move-In Checklist
It is advised that students write down what they will be bringing into their new off-campus home.  In the flurry of the new year forgetfulness is quite common.  It's a terrible feeling when a student final gets settled into their new student housing rental only to find out that they forgot a favorite item of theirs back home.  Sometimes their home is out of state making it extra difficult.  A list can avoid this.  With a proper checklist of everything the student is planning on bringing each item can be checked off one by one to ensure nothing is forgotten.

Digital Research
Google Maps is a great tool.  A student can learn their surroundings from the comfort of their laptop, desktop, or even their phone by googling their destination student rental home.  This can save time for a student trying to get a "feel for the area" once they initially move in.  Living in the digital era is a great opportunity for students to use technology to truly get a head start on their off-campus environment.  Time-consuming tasks associated with the process can handled online, which saves time.
 
Make A Move-Out Checklist
Communication between the landlord and the tenants isn't always easy.  A move-out checklist can make things a lot easier. Security deposit disputes can totally be avoided by providing a move-out checklist with vacating expectations for the accommodation. It’s recommended to provide this move-out checklist at least a few weeks in advance, so the tenants have Proper notice about what they must complete before moving out.  Like the move-in checklist, this will help forgetful students a great deal.

​Junk/Furniture Removal
When student tenants don’t plan or make arrangements to remove junk items they start showing up outside of the rental property and in the street, cluttering up the area and causing a headache for the student housing landlord. Scheduling junk and furniture removal early is a surefire way to save a lot of time and trouble and it keeps the premises clean.
 
Following this short guide will ensure any student seeking out off-campus housing will have a stress-free experience from start to finish.

Is Canada's student housing market dragging it's feet behind it's US counterpart?  A recent examination of the two country's in comparison of student housing indicates a solid "Yes." Enrollment rates are increasing in Canada, but student housing isn’t advancing in conjunction with these rates.
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In 2011, only 16 percent of undergraduate students in Canada lived in on-campus housing. 7 years later that number is right around the same spot. One answer may simply be that American landlords are putting more work into their off-campus housing facilities and making them appealing to a wide range of students.  The average household expenditure on home renovations increased 57% in the last 12 months, according to HomeAdvisor. A large portion of that coming from the student housing communities in the form of renovations and expansions of various off-campus housing companies.

The CFAA Rental Housing Business Magazine stated that the United States has 10 times the number of student housing units on a per capita basis than Canada.

This report serves to inform the Canadian rental housing industry on the most current and pertinent information fueling this profitable and rewarding segment of the multi-unit rental housing industry.

Back in 2012, Henry Morton, president of Campus Suites, a Canadian off-campus housing company, called for more transparency and information flow within the student housing sector of Canada. Morton contended that in order for Canada to meet the United States in student housing numbers, there needs to be a greater deal of information made available to developers and investors.  Many feel this was a lukewarm response and that budget problems in Canada are the real culprit.

Another contributing factor as to why the Canadian student-housing sector isn’t on par with America’s is due to the number of students and schools. While there are more than 800,000 students attending colleges and universities across Canada, they are spread quite thinly across the country.

There are 98 recognized universities in Canada and over. 800,000 current students. In 2012-2013 alone, there were 819,644 new undergraduate students in the United States which exceeds the cumulative total of all post-secondary students in Canada. Without a doubt, enrollment rates and the number of students point to a much larger pool of student tenants within the US.

This all points to the fact that Canada is somewhat behind their America counterparts in terms of the third party funded student housing sector, and a great deal of potential for further development exists. Public student housing is quite lacking currently. Over the next decade it is incredibly unlikely that Canada will ever meet the American student housing market on the same level.