Student House Share
Like sorority and fraternity houses, a student house share creates affiliated houses with or without a gender preference. You could create a house based on a field of study or shared recreational interests.
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Steps to find college-age housemates to start a student house share
- Defining a common interest can be a big draw, such as a recreational pursuit or field of study that defines the house. Turning a family room into a dedicated space for a shared activity or shared project can make the residence a social hub. Although you can move to a different rental if a more ideal location is found, a stable location will allow your reputation to grow, so take the time to choose your location carefully.
- New recruits are easy to find thru personal networks or roommate-finder platforms. Inviting those interested to send their profile from ICmatch.org can help you identify whether potential members that have a common purpose, lifestyle, or values.
- Hire a stable older member or couple who could manage bills, and other responsibilities that maintain the residence long term. This caretaker may prefer to live nearby or in an onsite guest house in exchange as part or all of their payment, close by but not disturbed by late parties.
- Frame and prominently display house rules, including how group decisions are made, timing of regular meetings, and how chores are assigned. Include small framed rule reminders in the locations where they most apply.
- The group can function somewhat like a sorority or fraternity house, but rules are made by existing members instead of a national organization.
- Set the initial culture and governance style carefully, because it will likely be perpetuated long after the original renters have graduated and moved on. Make sure to create agreements about if you can let friends crash for the night, with or without informing others, and for how long.
- Groups that develop a high trust level can substantially lower costs by sharing service subscriptions of many types such as academic databases, music, or movies.
Examples
At ic.org, you will find many examples of student co-op housing. The Supernuclear blog has tips and stories about living with a group of friends in over-priced apartments.
Consultants for a Student House Share
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Members Interested in Student Housing
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Resources
Below is a linked practical description of how to find, modify, and invite renters into a community house for college students. If the housing is designated specifically for non-binary, male, or female students only, investigate the legal limitations and carefully word your ads in a way that does not make you vulnerable to accusations of discrimination. In general, describe who you are, not who you include or exclude.
You might also like an example of a shared-house intentional community rules refined over a decade.