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Frequently Asked Questions for Staff and Faculty
- Are all staff and faculty eligible to access Community Rentals Office's listings?
- What do I need to do in order to gain access to the listings?
- When should I start looking for my fall housing?
- How much should I expect to spend for housing?
- Where do I start?
- Where do I find other resources?
1. Are all staff and faculty eligible to access Community Rentals Office's listings?
Faculty and staff who are paid through the UCSC payroll system have access to the listings at no charge. Some individuals affiliated with UCSC in other ways may pay a $10.00 user fee for 30-day access (or 30 times accessed). Examples of affiliates are Shakespeare Santa Cruz employees and UC Extension students.
2. What do I need to do in order to gain access to the listings?
To request a password to view the listings go here, then click on the blue “Search for Rentals Here” button. Go to the right-hand side of the page with the heading, “If you don’t have a Housing Registry password,” and type in your UCSC email address. Your password will be emailed to that address. Note: If you are an eligible faculty or staff member who has not set up a UCSC email account yet go here and follow the instructions at the bottom of the page to request a temporary password. This access does not support the auto-match and emailing feature of the rental listings program.
3. When should I start looking for my fall housing?
Most landlords do not know when their rental will be available until their tenant gives them a 30-day notice to vacate, which means that most properties available after September 1st will not be advertised until August. Many tenants move on the first of the month, so be prepared to rent beginning September 1st, although the quarter begins later in the month. Search by the availability date on the listings posted on the Community Rentals Office Housing Registry website. Assume ads posted with other sources are available immediately or within the month. Start looking in early August to give yourself plenty of time for your housing search.
4. How much should I expect to spend for housing?
Our Rental Cost Statistics page lists price ranges of everything from
rooms in shared housing to 5 or 6-bedroom houses. Also, view current ads in our database. To do so:
- click here
- then click the blue "Post a Rental Here" button
- then click the fourth link: "View Rental List"
5. Where do I start?
If you are a first time renter in California, take our Online Renters' Workshop. Although it is designed for first-time renters, it will give you insight about what to expect as a renter in California.
Prepare a rental application packet. It is important to make a good impression with landlords. Even in a favorable rental market, there is always competition for the best rentals. Check out the Rental Application Packet Checklist (PDF, 68KB) on the Rental Forms and Resources page, and start working on your application packet. You will impress a landlord and have a much better chance of being accepted for the house of your choice.
Look at current listings to educate yourself about the rental market—get a good idea of what you can get for your money. Determine the best location for your needs. After looking at a number of rentals, you will know what a fair value is and what you can pass up.
6. Where do I find other resources?
Investigate the Rental Resources pages on our web site. You will find over 70 forms, resource flyers, and/or links relating to renting in California.