Students

The Office of Student Affairs at the Law School serves as a clearinghouse for students looking for apartments. Area residents and landlords often list their apartments with the Student Affairs Office. The Office also compiles a roommate list and distributes New York City bus and subway maps. Students will find the Transit Authority's Queens Bus Map to be especially helpful as a general-use local map. Contact Student Affairs Housing by email or call (718) 340-4207.

Dormitory and Hostel Services

Educational Housing Service (EHS) is a nonprofit dormitory service open to local, out-of-state and international students. EHS operates several safe and affordable dormitories in the historic landmark district of Brooklyn Heights and in Manhattan. Single units and shares are available on a semester-by-semester basis. For rates and more information, contact EHS Student Housing Hotline at 1-800-297-4694 or visit them on the web.

Another transitional option is Manhattan's Hostelling International-NY (formerly American Youth Hostel), located in a landmark Victorian Gothic-style building at 891 Amsterdam Avenue, close to Central Park and Columbia University. The Hostel provides temporary housing for as low as $35 per night (4 bed shared room). Photo identification and proof of out-of-state residency are required. Prospective residents cannot live in New York City or within fifty miles of New York City and must be willing to share a room with several others. Length of stay is generally no more than 27 days. For more information, call (212) 932-2300, email or go to their website.

Visitors to the New York City area can log onto FODORS for airport, hotel and dining information.

Newspapers

New York City's daily and weekly newspapers regularly list apartment rentals in their classified or real estate sections. (Wednesday and Sunday issues contain the most listings.) Students seeking apartments in Queens will find Newsday, The Queens Tribune and The Flushing Times to be particularly useful. In addition, The New York Times, Daily News and Village Voice list apartments in all five boroughs and the outlying suburbs.

Real Estate Brokers

Students are advised to avoid using real estate brokers since they usually charge a finder's fee. Instead, try to deal directly with landlords or apartment owners. However, if you are using a broker, be sure to specify that you are interested in seeing only "no-fee" or "fee-paid" apartments. If you must pay a fee, pay no more than the equivalent of one month's rent. Real estate brokers can be found in the classified or real estate sections of New York newspapers.

Public Transportation

The Metropolitan Transit Authority, which operates New York City buses and subways, and railroad service to New York's Long Island and Westchester suburbs and Connecticut, has transit maps, schedules and other information on-line.

Legal Resources

For questions about your legal rights as a tenant, or if you think you may have been discriminated against you can visit www.lawhelp.org/ny/ or call the New York City Commission on Human Rights Hotline
at (212) 306-7500.