Ways to Find Housing
Networking
Talk with people you know about openings in off-campus housing.
Benefits: Find out about unadvertised spaces! You could also meet a potential housemate or group to search with.
How to get started: You never know who will have information about a place to rent unless you ask, so cast a wide net. Talk with friends, classmates, roommates, coworkers, and your Resident or Neighborhood Assistant.
Be specific. Ask if they know someone who is:
- Graduating from UCSC
- Studying away or abroad
- Looking for a new housemate/roommate
Search Places4Students
Places4Students is UCSC’s free rental listing service.
Benefits: It’s a one-stop shop. You can search for rental listings, short-term sublets, rooms for rent, and roommates.
How to get started: Use your CruzID Gold credentials to login. See our Search rentals page for all of the details.
Reach out directly
Reach out directly to apartment complexes and property managers.
Benefits: Apartment complexes can have a high turnover rate, which means more availability. Property managers handle multiple rentals, so getting in touch could give you a lead on more openings.
How to get started: Search Google Maps for “apartments” or “property management” in the Santa Cruz area:
- Apartment complexes often list available floor plans, amenities, and current rates.
- Property managers may have a rental listings page.
- Some apartments and property managers do not accept co-signers. Be sure to read their policies before applying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it okay to use off-campus housing social media groups?
Lots of students use social media groups to search for housing, but it does carry risks. Rental scams do happen, and falling for a scam can result in a lot of wasted time and money. Be sure to review our page about avoiding rental scams, and use your common sense. If a listing seems too good to be true, it probably is.
What about other rental listing sites?
UCSC uses Places4Students.com to provide an off-campus rental listing service for UCSC affiliates, as well as roommate profiles of UCSC affiliates who are looking for off-campus housing. Information about other rental listing sites is publicly available to use at your own discretion. Just like with listings in social media groups, if a listing seems too good to be true, it probably is. Read our page about avoiding rental scams for more information.
Disclaimer: All off-campus housing information posted on this page is done so for informational purposes only and the university takes no responsibility for any legal contracts or agreements made. All issues resulting or pertaining within student housing are the sole responsibility of the tenant(s) and the landlord.
Any reference obtained from this site to a specific product, process, or service does not constitute or imply an endorsement by UC Santa Cruz or the University of California of the product, process, or service, or its producer or provider. Neither UC Santa Cruz, the University of California, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information from the links from this site, or the product, process or service or its producer or provider.