Our House

A rising vacancy rate for apartments in Davis has given students more choices and incentives. But the current 3.3 percent vacancy rate is still below the 5 percent considered ideal, and Davis rents can be prohibitive: A three-bedroom unfurnished apartment goes for around $1,600 nowadays. Surrounding communities provide cheaper alternatives, and indeed, a 2002 survey found that some 20 percent of students were living outside of Davis—approximately double the percentage of just two years earlier. Senior Joanna Robinson recently moved to Vacaville into a home with a friend’s grandmother. She gets her own room in exchange for helping around the house. Photos by Debbie Aldridge.

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