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Sonoma State University
Housing Services
1801 East Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Tele: (707) 664-2541
Fax: (707) 664-4158
Living in the Local Area
There are many options to living in the local area. We suggest that you start your housing search early, it should be much easier to find a place to live. However, make sure that you check out the information about income minimum requirements and co-signors on this website before seeking any housing in Sonoma County.
Housing In Sonoma County
There are many different types of housing in Sonoma County. Students live in houses, apartments, mobile homes, condos, townhouses, and trailers. The cities of Rohnert Park and Cotati are home to students who want to live close to campus, typically within three miles from the campus. The cities maintain many bike trails leading to the campus and there is a very good local transit system covering all of Sonoma County. The city of Santa Rosa is located 7 miles north of the University with a population of more than 150,000. Many SSU students choose to live in Santa Rosa because there is more housing available as well as more part time jobs. Other towns such as Petaluma and Sebastopol are located 5 and 10 miles from the campus respectively. Because they are smaller, housing is harder to find in these somewhat rural communities.
Most apartment buildings in the county have an income minimum requirement of 3 times the amount of rent in order for an applicant to qualify. With the average 2 bedroom apartment running $1,200 per month, an applicant would have to make $3,600 per month to qualify. (Financial aid, including loans or scholarships, is considered income.) Most times, students will need their parents to co-sign for them.
Average Rental Costs
Rent will vary noticeably from one accommodation to another depending upon factors such as location, size, condition, and special features. Average monthly rents for the Rohnert Park/Cotati and Santa Rosa areas are:
- Vacant 1 bedroom apartment: $720-1370
- Vacant 2 bedroom apartment: $925-1500
- Vacant 2 bedroom, 1 bath house: $1000-$1700
- Vacant 3 bedroom, 2 bath house: $1500-$1800
- Shared accommodation (rm in home/apt): $300-$1000
There are other factors to keep in mind. More and more apartments in the county are charging residents for water and garbage. Most of them have laundry facilities. Very few apartments in the county accept pets. You must start looking far in advance and expect to pay a pet deposit or even higher rent. When renting a house, all utilities tend to be the responsibility of the tenants and usually only include washer and dryer hook ups. Rental houses also require yard upkeep and because there is no property manager on site, repairs can take longer. Be sure to get information from the owner of the house on what to do in case repairs are needed quickly.
