UCLA to add 5,000 bed spaces by 2010

When she first moved in a year ago, Erica Sutherland’s
apartment manager told her she would probably spend the rest of her
time at UCLA in that building.

But this week Sutherland, a third-year sociology student, is
packing moving boxes, frustrated by the university’s recent
purchase of the building.

The Westwood Palms building, located at 475 Gayley, was
purchased in December as part of the Housing Department’s
ongoing goal to increase the amount of off-campus housing for
students.

The university currently owns six off-campus buildings for
undergraduates and faculty, and is aiming to obtain approximately
5,000 additional bed spaces by the end of the decade, according to
housing director Michael Foraker.

“We are aggressively looking for ways to add that number
of additional bed spaces to our current inventory,” Foraker
said. “We are always available to talk with owners about the
possibilities of our buying buildings from them.”

While the purchase of new buildings, including Westwood Palms,
may benefit future students seeking university housing, many of the
current tenants felt displaced by the change in ownership.

“Our former lease didn’t have nearly as many
rules,” Sutherland said. “(UCLA) can’t just buy a
building halfway through the year and expect us to sign their lease
or follow its rules.”

The tenants were notified of the change of ownership and were
asked to sign a university contract if they wished to remain on
beyond the terms of their original contract, Foraker said.

Once the school takes ownership of a property, university rules
go into effect, even if students do not sign a university
contract.

“We are very concerned about students living on our
properties being able to study and be successful with their
academic endeavors,” Foraker said. “We try to maintain
environments conducive to academic success in these
units.”

Despite additional rules, students benefit from better
maintenance and lower rent, said apartment coordinator Josh
Osborne, a fourth-year English student.

In addition, University apartment units are fully furnished and
upgraded to meet university standards, said University Apartments
North manager Russel Davis.

“We want to make sure that we continue to provide some
good quality apartments,” Davis said.

Students seeking lower rent and an alternative to standard
off-campus apartments can also live in university cooperative
housing.

The co-ops, which include two buildings located on Landfair
Avenue and one on Ophir, offer even cheaper rent and a greater
sense of community, something that can be difficult to find after
life in the dorms.

“It’s like a little community,” said
graduate-student Marie Enright. “It’s great because we
have lower rent and it forces you to meet other people.”

The co-op is able to offer lower rent by requiring each resident
to complete four volunteer hours for the building each week, which
range from food service to building maintenance.

The co-op units are also furnished, and residents are provided
with 19 cafeteria-style meals per week.

Along with meal-time interaction, the co-ops provide social
events committees to organize activities for the building.

“Students have more involvement in the activities ““
they make the rules and policies,” said Arusha Weerafinghe,
executive director of the co-op. “There is a certain comfort
zone here because you meet so many people and you can depend on
them for help.”