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The Minnesota Daily

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New guide to off-campus living offers students-in-transition housing advice

For many University students past their freshman year, residence-hall living is quickly becoming a distant memory.

Drawn by the promise of no more dorm food, communal bathrooms or sneaking beer past the front desk, they flock in droves to off-campus housing.

This will be the first time many University students will live independently.

But there will be electric bills, landlords and plenty of individual responsibility.

In an effort to help students adjust, Boynton Health Service, University Relations and Off-Campus Housing departments, the Hennepin County Community Health Department and several neighborhood associations have developed an informational booklet to help students integrate their off-campus communities.

“The only thing I am worried about is being farther away from campus,” said junior Amy Smith. “It will take longer to get to class and there are fewer campus buses near my house.”

Marguerite Zauner, project coordinator and Boynton community program specialist, said the booklet, “A Place of Your Own — A Guide for Off-Campus Living,” will focus on several aspects of the transition.

“The main goal is to improve the overall quality of life and inform students with the new responsibilities,” Zauner said. “Some students don’t know about keeping a budget or how to get involved in the community.

“The booklet will contain a variety of information about renters’ rights, renters’ tax credit, volunteering and how to host a party responsibly.”

“I think it would be helpful because many parents don’t inform their children of the information necessary for being a responsible citizen,” Smith said.

Students and neighborhood associations are concerned students are not aware of their rights as renters or knowledgeable about basic regulations, which are different in the metropolitan area compared to those in residence halls.

“I think it is a great idea because a lot of students come from outside of the Minneapolis area and don’t know the laws,” senior Brian Maliszewski said.

Boynton asked several neighborhood associations to contribute to the booklet in an effort to improve the neighborhoods.

Some of the main issues within the Marcy-Holmes neighborhood are parking and noisy parties, said Melissa Bean, Marcy-Holmes neighborhood association staff member.

“Students get taken by their landlords and tend to not know their responsibilities and rights as renters,” Bean said.

The booklet will educate students on such rights and responsibilities and will be distributed to 500 students at the end of September for a trial run.

If the booklet is successful, it will go out to students leaving the residence halls next spring.

Boynton is seeking distribution volunteers for the end of September.

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