Rent prices spike complicating student housing 

San Diego experiences one of the highest rent increases in the U.S.

COLIN MULLANEY / ASST. NEWS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

As the Spring 2022 semester winds down to a close and fall course registration is nearly complete, many current sophomores and juniors have turned their attention to the next academic year, especially the housing options available to them. While rising freshman and sophomore students are required to live on-campus and many have already chosen their preferred living arrangements, juniors and seniors have a wider array of options, such as living off-campus. In addition to the complications of finding a suitable location, roommates, and signing a lease, upperclassmen this coming year are likely to encounter another challenge: skyrocketing rent prices across San Diego. 

Metropolitan areas like San Diego are notorious for high cost of living and rent, but even among urban centers, San Diego’s recent spike in rent is outpacing the rest, making it the city with the sixth-highest average rental increase in the U.S., according to Fox 5 San Diego. 

The current median rent prices in San Diego are $1,850 per month for a one-bedroom and $2,450 for two-bedrooms, as reported on apartmentlist.com: a growth rate of 18.3% over the last year. This growth rate is higher than the statewide growth rate of 16% and the highest rate in the state of California, but still lower than other cities like New York City, which experienced an increase of 33%, the Times of San Diego reported. 

USD economics professor, Dr. Alan Gin, explained the abnormal nature of this year’s rent price hikes, in an interview with CBS8.

“Typically, inflation in terms of rent is in the low single digits, so if you have something approaching 20% that is a really big number,” Gin observed. In other words, rent is “extremely high in comparison to previous years.”

Gin also commented on the disproportionate effect a rent price increase will have for college students, who are often lower income. 

“People at the lower end [of the income scale] are more likely to be renters, so if the rent goes up almost 20%, that’s more money out of their pockets,” Gin stated. 

USD sophomore Amanda Ghibaudo discussed her rental search and how the increased prices county-wide have impacted her and her roommates’ decision to live off-campus.

“The housing search process has been slightly stressful with trying to find the most affordable place to live that is still close to school. Despite the high cost, Pacific Ridge seems to be our top housing choice, because of its convenient location next to campus,” Ghibaudo stated. As for the reasons behind the price spike, higher rent prices might coincide with higher inflation in general; as the cost of everyday goods and products goes up, adjustments must be made to pricing across the board in order to compensate. 

However, this is likely not the only cause; housing economist Chris Salviati stated the price increase comes down to simple supply and demand, with a large number of renters searching the market and few new vacancies.         

“We’re seeing a lot more folks renewing leases, so I think a lot of that is just folks not wanting to move during the pandemic,” Salviati told CBS8 in an interview.   

In students’ search for housing, USD Residential Life recommends that students “plan ahead,” and “start your search four to six weeks prior to your move-in date.” Furthermore, “be cautious when paying a deposit or rent before you actually visit and check the place.” Finally, “walk or drive through neighborhoods looking for ‘For Rent’ signs, as some landlords will use that as their only means of advertising.”

USD offers students a variety of resources to assist with the off-campus housing search, including HUGS, a program founded by a USD international student who experienced challenges with finding housing in the U.S. HUGS provides international student focused housing solutions for undergraduate and graduate students.

Additionally, temporary  on-campus housing will be available to students in June and early August, which could be an ideal option for students in need of a short-term living arrangement, while continuing to search for other accommodations. 

For those students who are unable to secure housing off campus, the 2022-23 on-campus housing application will reopen in late April or early May for returning residents, and in mid-May for new/incoming students. 

On campus, upperclassmen students can expect to pay $7,865 for a single unit, $6,935 for a single bedroom, and $5,535 for a double, per semester in Manchester and San Antonio de Padua (SAP), which comes out to be either $1,966, or $1,733, or $1,383 per month, respectively, compared to the average going rate of $1,850 a month at local apartments. 

Although the prospects of finding housing accommodations can often be daunting and recent economic trends do not make that search any easier, USD offers students a variety of options. 

Residential life can help from living on-campus in one of 2,650 bed spaces available across its ten dorm locations or assistance in finding off-campus options, through one of its various programs and online resources.