Kaylie Wang is an English sophomore and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
Housing in SLO is notorious for filling up quickly, so whether you are a first-year in the dorms or a continuing student at Poly Canyon Village, you may need to find off-campus housing fast. Fret not, my friends – this column, “The Housing Hunt,” will be your guide for navigating the housing search so we can sign those leases and ease those worries together.
As you complete my five step checklist for the housing search, you will probably stumble upon Mustang Village as one of your housing options after doing some Google searching or asking literally anyone where they live. Indeed, Mustang Village is a popular choice for Cal Poly students’ off-campus housing.
As a satisfied Mustang Village resident, I can attest that this is a consistent, solid option for any student looking for housing.
First of all, you cannot beat the location. My apartment is less than a 10-minute walk to the Spanos Stadium and Orfaela College of Business (OCOB) because it sits on the other side of the train tracks that run parallel to California Blvd. The Railroad Safety Trail is a convenient path that also runs alongside the train tracks, which I walk down every day to get to school.
Compared to my friends who live in Poly Canyon Village or Cerro Vista, I am closer to Kennedy Library, which is convenient for my late-night study sessions. I also enjoy being able to walk home to eat between classes, rather than fighting for an empty seat on campus (plus, my home-cooked meals are tastier than dining food).
I love our 2-by-2 townhome layout (two bedrooms, two bathrooms). My three roommates and I have many spaces for communal storage, and the built-in divider between the desks allows for privacy within the shared rooms. Having our own kitchen has allowed me to experiment with cooking and have control over what I eat.
Tri-An Pham, a psychology junior, also lives in a 2-by-2 townhome. She finds Mustang Village convenient because of the location and utilities.
“It comes with furniture and electricity and water, so utilities are included in the rent,” Pham said. “So we can host bigger parties and cooking stuff and not have to worry about it.”
Pham said the price of rent is a downside, although it makes sense because of the distance to school.
“It’s kind of expensive for shared rooms,” Pham said.
My family and I found that Mustang Village was our best option considering the rent and location from school. Each resident’s monthly base rent is $1,045, but if we did not have the upgraded unit, each person would pay $934 a month. As you read those numbers, keep in mind that rent will likely increase next year and monthly payments include additional fees, such as parking.
Morgan Mcisaac, an English sophomore, enjoys being able to live with her friends and being a walking distance from school because she doesn’t have a car. She also appreciates the utilities.
“With everything that’s included, with the location, it’s worth the little bit of extra rent that you have to pay, in my opinion,” Mcisaac said. “It’s cheaper than some places.”
Another downside is that Mustang Village is an older and larger apartment complex. Recently, some units have experienced leaking, which has unfortunately affected everyone, as there have been multiple property-wide water shut-offs to resolve the issue. This is frustrating and inconvenient, and it would not happen when living in a house.
However, we also didn’t have to spend months glued to Zillow searching for a house. All we had to do was sign our lease to secure housing, although we could not choose which unit.
What I love most about living in Mustang Village is something most people don’t know: our townhome is one of the upgraded units, which includes in-unit laundry machines and a renovated kitchen.
This is very valuable to my roommates and me because the Mustang Village laundry machines charge almost $6 per load, which is another disadvantage to the property. The cost for regularly doing laundry will easily stack up, so some students end up going to PCV or Cerro Vista to do their laundry.
I also appreciate that Mustang Village has its own parking lot, which allows me to bring my car. I have a general parking pass, which means I park in any open spot around the lot. Sometimes, it can be difficult to find a spot (like at night on weekdays), but I would prefer this to having to gamble for parking on the street.
Overall, I am pleased with living in Mustang Village – the price, layout, amenities and proximity to school are all advantages to living here. Consider Mustang Village as you research places to stay next year.