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Secure housing before you start service

We require our AmeriCorps members to secure housing and move prior to the first day of service to allow you to focus on building relationships with your teammates, immersing yourself in training and adjusting to your new neighborhood before the school year begins.

When to start looking

It is important to start looking for housing beginning as early as April. Often times, ��ɫ��Ƶ Cleveland’s start date is late July, so it is important to try to get a lease that starts prior to the start date.

Deciding where to live

All of the schools that ��ɫ��Ƶ partners with are within a similar radius, so not knowing school placements should not impact your ability to secure housing.

Popular areas are:

• Cleveland Heights
• Ohio City
• Lakewood
• University Heights
• Shaker Heights
• Tremont
• Euclid

Finding roommates

Please join the housing and roommates thread in our Slack channel in order to connect with fellow AmeriCorps members who also may be in need of housing or roommates.

Budgeting for housing

Members find housing through online posting sites, word of mouth and sometimes on the ��ɫ��Ƶ Slack group (current members advertising their apartments). Postings should outline who to contact to learn more about the property, costs and lease terms.

When renting an apartment, ask about the following fees as they frequently apply.

• Broker’s fee – typically one month’s rent or a percentage or the annual lease
• Security deposit – typically one month’s rent, returned at the end of the lease if the property’s condition is maintained
• First month’s rent – typically due upon signing of the lease agreement
• Last month’s rent – may be requested upon signing of the lease agreement

Some utilities are included in the price of rent, so be sure to ask your landlord. When viewing apartments, most landlords or current tenants will gladly tell you the average price of utilities, so don’t be afraid to ask. It is also helpful to ask what utilities the house uses, such as gas or electric heat. Some units and buildings include laundry, for free or a cost, while others are located near laundromats.