Apartments are things in which most non-freshman students live. Some apartments can be found just a block away from campus, but those closest to campus are usually older. While we try to list as many apartment complexes as we've seen around town, many of the smaller and older complexes only advertise through a property management firm, or by word of mouth. Rent in Eugene can be as low as $250 or so if you share an apartment; take a look at our Rental Housing Guide for tips on housing within Eugene and things to consider for first-time renters. Eugene provides affordable housing to low income individuals through the Section 8 Voucher program (but the waiting list has been closed for several years), and some low income rental communities are offered through MAHC. Many leases in Eugene are nine months or annual agreements; some complexes offer month-to-month agreements for a slightly higher rate. Before the end of your lease, you will be asked to sign a lease renewal. Again, please take a look at our Rental Housing Guide for a more rounded picture of the rental housing situation in Eugene.
When comparing rents, be sure to ask what utilities and city services are included. A place that offers free Internet and cable may not be quite the deal it seems when you have to pay for your water too. It's also worth considering what kinds of neighbors you would like to have. Some complexes (especially those closest to campus) have reputations as "sophomore dorms" or have a mix of students while others have higher populations of non-students.
Some complexes have pretty nice managers and maintenance staff, but some owners can be a bit shady — if you end up living at these places you may need to know your tenant rights. One of the best things you can do is make friends with the maintenance crew. Usually just acknowledging their existence when you see them is sufficient for this purpose. Once they get to know you, they will often be much better about making timely repairs.
Many apartments in Eugene take advantage of students' inexperience in identifying quality housing, low incomes, high demand, and a lack of good alternatives within the Eugene housing market. Examples of this (as noted throughout this wiki) include poor maintenance response time, poorly maintained apartments, low construction quality, low quality furnishings, failure to return security deposits in the time required by law, and generally poor treatment of residents. (Note that there is substantial variation in these issues among different apartments.) If you are looking for housing, or if you are currently renting at a complex, be sure that your apartment meets suitable housing standards.
In addition to the reviews you can find within each apartment listing here on the wiki, check apartmentratings.com for reviews or check for Oregon Apartment Rentals near UO. A map of apartment listings, rooms, and sublets that have been listed on Craigslist can be found on housingmaps.com (Type in Eugene as a filter to see only the Eugene listings.) On individual apartment complex pages, please post your opinion of complexes you've lived in as well as your experiences with any property management companies. For a listing of dog-friendly apartment complexes, see the Dogs page.
