This year, Eastern Michigan University’s Student Government Association is hosting a housing fair to allow to students a chance to browse off-campus and on-campus living quarters while asking questions about the safety and other regulations provided by the residences.
The event takes place on Feb. 6 from noon to 4 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom. The event is free of charge to all. Any member of the community is welcome to attend.
Communications director for the SG, Adam Reid, said that many of the housing complexes that house EMU students and others don’t have security checklists.
The housing complexes without security checklists include Peninsular Place, Riverrain Apartments and University Green, just to name a few.
Reid said that if more students become aware of this, they might start asking these apartments for a checklist and if more people do, the apartments might eventually make it mandatory to have one and make arrangements to put safety first. After the apartments register for the fair, they must provide a safety checklist.
“In taking further steps for safety off-campus, student government is the only one having the housing fair,” Reid said. “This is the only outside housing fair [that] will be for students.”
The checklist would have to provide information like whether or not the doors have extra locks and the perimeter of the buildings have security cameras as well as the possibility of a gated complex, foot patrol or a guard station.
“The purpose of the event is to allow students the opportunity to meet with realtors and representatives from housing units like Penn Place, University Green and etcetera and ask them about living in their homes or apartments,” SG president Desmond Miller said. “Students are also allowed to ask them about rent and other details.”
Miller encourages students planning to live off campus to attend the event because it gives them a chance to make sure the place they choose to live is not just affordable, but safe too.
For more information, visit emich.edu/offcampushousing, or contact Dinah Nasari of the student government at dnasari@emich.edu.
Property owners must register at emich.edu/offcampushousing/property-owners.
