Resources For Off Campus Living

Off Campus Living Listing Service is available to ALL Yale Affiliates, whether you are a student on campus or a visiting lecturer, you may use our search engine to find housing to suit your needs. Visit Search Listing Page.

Helpful Hints

• The web browser version matters. The Off Campus Housing Listing Service requires a recent web browser for all of the features to work properly. We recommend Internet Explorer 7 or higher, Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or higher or Safari 5 or higher.
• Amount fields, for example, Rent or Sale or Deposit etc. These number fields do not allow comas, decimal points or dollar signs. A rent of ‘$1,200.00’ per month needs to be entered as ‘1200’.
• Pictures must be sized for the web and be in .jpg format. The maximum size is 1 MB.

Off Campus Housing Search Guidelines

Once you have logged in, begin by choosing the type of property that you wish to explore and follow the criteria to determine what you require.

All search terms are optional

If you do not select any, all available properties will be displayed. If you select too many, the search may not display any properties. If you select 2 bedrooms, only 2 bedroom properties will be displayed. Try different combinations until you find all of the properties that interest you.

An explanation of search criteria:

Term:

• Long term refers to academic year or longer
• Short term refers to 180 days or less
• Summer sublet refers to available rents during months from May to September
• Other sublet refers to a rental available until the end of a current lease term

Rental Type:

• Apartment - A self-contained dwelling, situated with other similar units in a larger building.
• Efficiency or Studio - A one room apartment usually with a private bath, sometimes with a separate kitchen area. The one room is a combination of bedroom, dining room and living room.
• Room - A single bedroom usually with a shared bath. May include limited privileges to the kitchen, laundry, yard etc.
• Share - A special apartment arrangement where one or more persons share an apartment which has an existing rental agreement. Typically an apartment renter looking for a roommate.
• House - A free standing multi room dwelling built for a single family of occupants.
• Condo – A group of multi room dwellings where the interior of each dwelling is individually owned and all other condominium property (hallways, walk ways, land etc.) is owned in common by all of the individual unit owners and may be referred to as common area. Typically each owner pays a “Common Area Fee” to maintain the condominium property outside of the unit.

Sale Type: Architecture style of home you’re a looking for, i.e. cape cod, colonial, ranch.

Location: Any of the towns/cities in Connecticut may be selected. There is not necessarily a listing for every town. The majority of listing are located in New Haven and surrounding communities.

Neighborhood: the City of New Haven is divided into neighborhoods – most listings for New Haven are identified by neighborhood. This can be selected but is not necessary to proceed.

Price Range: Monthly rent range can be chosen.

Number of Bedrooms: Allows you to search just for the specific number of bedrooms you need.

Handicapped Accessible: Check this box if this feature is important to you.

Available Before: The earliest date you need the rental or sale property.

Still not sure what to look for in a lease? Where to get groceries? How to get around New Haven without a car? Use this survival guide to get essential tips and in-depth info about renting in the New Haven area.

Off-Campus Living Guide

More information, visit Yale’s ‘Living in New Haven’ website.

Beware of Scams

It has come to our attention that several landlords have been contacted by prospective “renters” via email who are anxious to rent the apartment. They are so anxious they are willing to provide a full years rent in advance. Payments are forwarded to the landlord in the form of a check or money order and are often in excess of the full years rent amount. The landlord is then asked to remit the overpayment to the renter to cover travel expenses, furnishings, etc.

If this happens to you, Do Not Send or Return Money to a prospective renter until the check or money order has had ample time to clear. Banks will often unknowingly accept fraudulent checks at first, and contact the accountholders and discredit the check only later when the fraud is discovered. You may choose also to decline to accept the check or money order at all.

If you suspect a scam is in progress, you may request that the bank, post office or police investigate the situation.

How to protect yourself:

• Ask for references! (The Yale departments will be happy to verify the enrollment status of possible tenants.)
• Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you with requests like those described above.
• Do not feel pressured to respond or send money back; that is part of the scam.
• Wait for checks and money orders to clear before proceeding.

Guidelines for Submitting a Property Listing

• Yale University upholds the principle of equality in housing opportunity. We insist that landlords or agents who list with Yale Off Campus Housing abide by the Connecticut Statutes prohibiting discrimination based on race, creed, color, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, gender, marital status, age, lawful source of income, mental or physical disability or sexual orientation.
• If a complaint is filed with en enforcement agency we may remove all listings placed by the defendant until the complaint is resolved. If it is proven that illegal discrimination has occurred, listings will not be allowed to be re-entered into the system until we have received written certification that the landlord or agent will abide by the statues in the future. The landlord or agent’s ability to use the system will be suspended.
• We also reserves the right to deny listings and/or prohibit landlords from placing listings if:
  • Substandard accommodations have been listed with Yale (verified by the Building Inspection office)
  • There is evidence that the rights of tenants have been violated or that inaccurate information was provided to Yale Off Campus Housing.
• For both Rental and Sale Listings, up to five pictures less than 1 meg each in jpg format are permitted. If the pictures that are submitted for entry to the Property Listing are deemed inappropriate, the listing will be edited to reflect University guidelines.

Student Subletting Guidelines

You can list a room, apartment or house on our website. On the listing be sure to include that those interested have to assume the lease, if that is the case. We suggest you check with your landlord to confirm that it is ok to sublease your place. A discount is available for student with valid Yale ID advertising a summer sublet opportunity. A coupon code can be obtained from the Off Campus Housing office for online payments.

Energy Efficiency Resources for Landlords

Energy bills are a major concern for landlords and tenants. The state offers a wide range of programs to help landlords reduce energy bills. Energy saving improvements can save 30% on energy bills and increase tenant comfort. They increase net operating income and can increase a building’s value.

Information about these programs can be found on the Energize CT website. The programs described on this site provide rebates and other incentives and low cost financing for insulation upgrades, replacement windows, and high efficiency lighting and HVAC equipment.

Owners of buildings with five or more units are also eligible for the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy Program. C-PACE can finance up to 100% of the cost of energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. The low-interest loans can have terms of up to 25 years. Projects are often cash positive starting in year one. View further information about the program.

Incentives for other Improvement

If an owner substantially rehabilitates their property, the city initially freezes the tax assessment at pre-rehabilitation levels and then phases in the assessment on the added value. The freeze lasts during construction (up to two years) and one year thereafter. The assessment on the added value is then phased over the next five years. More generous terms apply to rehabilitation of building’s in the city’s Enterprise Zones. More information about this program is available by calling 203.946.7093 and on the City of New Haven website.

Determining the presence or absence of lead-based paint hazards is most important if you have children under 6 years of age or if you are pregnant or if you expect the apartment to be occupied by young children.

The best way to determine if your apartment has lead-based paint hazards that could be harmful to your child is to have a lead-based paint risk assessment done by a state-licensed professional. This includes measurements of lead in deteriorated paint, settled house dust on floors, window sills and window wells and bare soil. Some landlords may have had such assessments already done. You have the right to see the results of those assessments or to obtain one yourself before you become obligated under a rental lease or sales contract.

While the presence of lead based paint hazards is more likely in an older apartment, age alone is not necessarily the best predictor.

Landlords who advertise on this website may have completed risk assessments and mitigated any lead hazards and may have reported that their apartments are free of lead hazards or may have disclosed any previous lead measurement or mitigation results.

Yale has not measured the lead in apartments/buildings advertised on this site and that landlords are responsible for the accuracy of the reported statements.

For more information, you can call 800-424-LEAD or visit U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.

Visit the Elm Campus Partners website.

What does the Yale Off Campus Living Office do?
The Yale Off Campus Living Office provides students help with their housing needs. Looking for a place to live, signing a lease or dealing with roommates can be a new experience for many students and we want to provide tools to make the experience an easier one. The Graduate Housing Office provides resources, information and events to navigate the housing search; whether looking for an apartment, house or dormitory.

How can I contact Yale Off Campus Living?
Contact offcampusliving@yale.edu or 203-432-9756.

Can you recommend the best apartment for me to live in?
The Off Campus Living Office is not a referral service but a resource service for our students. We provide you with information to help you make the best housing decision for you. We suggest you contact and visit multiple places to find the one that best fits your needs.

If a property is a featured lister are they affiliated with Yale University?
No. Being a Featured Lister only means that the property has chosen to reach out to Yale students, but is not affiliated with Yale University.

Does Yale vet the properties that are featured or advertised on the Graduate Housing Website?
No. Yale University has not inspected the premises of any of the advertisers, and has not independently confirmed the accuracy or reliability of statements made by third-party advertisers. A landlord rating system has been provided by the Yale Off Campus Living Office for your convenience.

How do I begin my search for a place to live?
You can use the Yale Off Campus Living Office listing service. Once you have an idea of what type of place you would like, use our Property Search on the website to find places that match your needs.

Where can I find short-term housing?
Short-term housing may be rare and is searchable on our website. We encourage you to contact a property directly if you have specific questions.

Are lease lengths negotiable?
They can be. If a complex isn’t 100% full, they may be more willing to negotiate a lease length with you. Just give them a call.

How do I know if an area is a safe place to live?

In order to make your own judgment on the safety of a neighborhood, please use the New Haven Independent Crime Log.

Does my financial aid cover my rent?
It may. Any financial aid that you receive must go through the Student Financial Services Office first. All pending Yale charges are paid first and any left over financial aid is then credited to the student, which may be used for rent. For more specific information please contact Financial Aid at 203-432-2700.

What if I don’t like the place I am living, which I found on the Off-Campus Website?
Potential tenants should always visit and thoroughly inspect residential premises that they are interested in renting. Yale University is not responsible or liable by the content of advertisements or by conditions existing on the premises of advertisers.

I’m having landlord problems. Where can I go for legal help?
Please refer to the State Connecticut of Connecticut Judicial Branch questions dealing with landlord, tenant and housing issues.

How do I sublease my housing?
You can list a room, apartment or house on our website. On the listing be sure to include that those interested have to assume the lease, if that is the case. We suggest you check with your landlord to confirm that it is ok to sublease your place.

How soon will my listing appear in the database after I complete the on–line form and make payment?
Approval of listings and edits to those listings will be completed within two business days.

How do I renew a listing? Will I have to pay extra?
The new system allows a landlord/agent to go in and reactivate the listing as soon as its forty–five days term is completed. Each 45-day period requires complete payment.

Can I add or change information on my listing after it goes online?
Yes, changes or additions are possible. With the new system, you are able to log in and look at your listing and make changes. These changes are communicated with the Administrators of the website and once they are approved, the changes go into effect.

Why hasn’t anyone responded to my listing?
There are many reasons why a listing may not receive any hits. Please remember that the rental market is most active during the spring and summer months, and slows down considerably during the fall and winter months. Again, the Off-Campus Housing office does not guarantee that your unit/property will be rented or sold.

Will I need to pay the listing fee if I am an employee of Yale University?
Yale employees are not exempt from paying the listing fee.

Will I need to pay the listing fee if I am a Yale student renting out my apartment during the school year?
Yale students are required to pay a listing fee when listing a summer sublet or room share. If you are bound to a lease and need to find a replacement for the apartment you are renting, you will need to pay $45 to advertise your apartment for rent. If you have an apartment that you will not be occupying during the summer months and that you will return to in the fall, the fee is $10.00.

What can I include in the Comments section of the form? Is it optional?
You are not required to fill out the Comments box. However, if you do so, please remember these general guidelines:

• You cannot include phrases such as “Male tenants only” or “Graduate students only.” If you have a preference for a type of tenant or roommate, you may, for example, say “Non-smoker preferred,” or “Mature roommate preferred.”
• If you have photos that are available online, you can include the URL in the Comments section.
• Please limit your comments to 20 words or less.

My unit/property has been rented/sold. What should I do?
Please go into the system through your profile, look for your property and de–activate the listing. This will tell the system that this property is no longer available. It allows you to retain the information for future use and re–activation when needed.

My listing expired three months ago, but is up for rent again. Will you have my old listing on file?
The new system allows the easy access to stored property listings. It allows you to re–activate the listing, make edits to the original file and activate for new viewing.

Have more questions? Feel free to contact us at offcampusliving@yale.edu or 203-432-9756.