After their first year, many UT students choose to live off campus. Apartments in West Campus are popular. They’re close to main University buildings and popular restaurants, there’s a short commute to class and West Campus is considered one of the centers of UT social life. 

While Austin residents have raised concerns about urban planning and space in downtown areas, West Campus’ high-rise style apartments continue to provide a growing student population with convenient places to live. 

West campus’ proximity to UT encourages students to bike, walk or bus to class, cutting down on traffic and car emissions. 

However, while West Campus has taken steps to ensure accessibility and sustainability, there are still many improvements that need to be made. Some streets lack adequate bike lanes, constant construction causes lane closures and transit delays and many students face unfair housing practices.

Students are often overcharged and misled. Most students have little knowledge about finding an apartment for a good price. It’s easy for a landlord or realty company to advertise good prices for quality units and uniformed students to take them at their word. If they’re being misled, they most likely won’t know how to file a claim against their landlord. 

West Campus offers students opportunities to live near campus in sustainable, urban housing. However, West Campus can still improve by making apartments more accessible, affordable and convenient for students. 

In this forum, Plan II and biochemistry sophomore Aidan Comiskey discusses how many students face unfair housing practices when they live in West Campus and urges students to organize for improved rental rights. 

Civil engineering senior Kevin Quist explains what sustainability housing looks like and how West Campus can make changes to become more sustainable.

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