Cheap student housing near Wayne State?

**JenniferL** · April-01-19, 09:00 PM

I have a niece who is currently a junior in college and plans to go to law school. Wayne State and U of D Mercy are two of the schools she is considering. When I was her age in the early 1990s, cheap student housing in those areas was a given. Now it seems that all of those apartments that used to rent for three hundred bucks a month are now luxury lofts that my niece won't be able to afford until AFTER she gets her law degree [[and, even then, only if she doesn't have a ton of student loans to pay off).

So where do the students live now? I know WSU has more on-campus housing than they did back in the day, but can anyone suggest other alternatives?

**Neilr** · April-02-19, 09:34 AM

If she decides on UofD/Mercy Law School, the Palms apartment on the corner of East Jefferson & Rivard is just a couple of blocks to the east. The very large apartments have been broken into much, much smaller units.

http://www.atdetroit.net/forum/messa...tml?1219560834

**Former_Detroiter** · April-02-19, 09:54 AM

JenniferL did your niece consider my alma mater Univ. of Mich. Law School...

**Meddle** · April-02-19, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by JenniferL

I have a niece who is currently a junior in college and plans to go to law school.

Where is she living now?

**Zacha341** · April-02-19, 10:49 AM

Most apartments NORTH of West Grand Blvd. will be cheaper than anything south [[WSU area directly). There are several apartments on Seward and Pallister for example.

Always review any property very carefully before choosing/ drive by at various times to see how the area looks as well.

**JenniferL** · April-02-19, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Where is she living now?

She is living on campus at her current college. But it's a small liberal arts college and it doesn't have a law school or any graduate-level programs. If it did, she would probably stay there. She has a little more than a year before she gets her undergraduate degree, but it helps to check out options early. Also, she will be home for summer break soon and we can pound the pavement and look for apartments.

**Meddle** · April-02-19, 09:31 PM

I guess I don't really understand the circumstances. People that go to WSU or UofD usually live in town or one of the 'Burbs and commute. Some stay with family I guess if their 'home' is too far away.

If she isn't from the city or surrounding area and doesn't have family there, she might consider buying a house and possibly renting a room to another student.

**mwilbert** · April-03-19, 10:40 AM

It's true that the area immediately around WSU has gotten considerably more expensive, as has East Jefferson, but you don't have to go very far in any direction for the prices to fall a good bit.

Two options my relatives have used for WSU are an apartment in Hamtramck and a shared house in Woodbridge.

I also had a relative who rented down in the West Village, which should be reasonably convenient to UDM Law, but he wasn't going there.

**JenniferL** · April-04-19, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

I guess I don't really understand the circumstances. People that go to WSU or UofD usually live in town or one of the 'Burbs and commute. Some stay with family I guess if their 'home' is too far away.

If she isn't from the city or surrounding area and doesn't have family there, she might consider buying a house and possibly renting a room to another student.

She has plenty of family in the 'burbs but she wants to be closer to campus. Also, after having been away at college for three years, she is not keen on moving back home with her parents. Also, by being on/near campus, she might be able to get by without a car.

**JonWylie** · April-04-19, 07:53 PM

I go to UDM Law currently and a lot of people live in Lafayette Park. It's close and can be pretty cheap. A few people live downtown but you have to find a good situation. I lived in Midtown for a year but it can be hard to find places. If she is looking to go there in the fall, she should start looking and getting her name on places now.

**EastsideAl** · April-05-19, 01:02 PM

The days of those cheap apartments near WSU are gone. I wonder what my old $260/month hovel on Prentis goes for these days? Not to mention the $60/month place on Willis my parents were living in back when I was born. Even over in Woodbridge all of the apartments seem to be well over $1,000/month. My sister rented a whole 4 bedroom house in that neighborhood for quite a bit less than that back in the good ol' bad ol' days.

Hamtramck does seem like a good bet, although she'd have to drive from there. But anything that wouldn't entail a drive or a bus ride seems a bit pricey these days.

**Danny** · April-05-19, 05:06 PM

There are no cheap student housing on or near Wayne State anymore. Either you rent a very expensive apt. or dorm or stay with your folks at home.

**Zacha341** · April-05-19, 05:09 PM

I wonder what the old Valson apartment on Fouth street rents for now?

I recall a friend living there back in the early 80's when it was about $180 for their studio units!

**poobert** · April-05-19, 08:11 PM

When I lived near campus as a WSU student people thought we were insane. Imagine, living in Detroit, with all those blacks! In the ghetto!

Fast forward not really all those those many years and it is oh so tres posh. Most people really are such stupid shit.

I always thought it was a pretty fine place. Sorry it isn't affordable for normal folks anymore now that the la de da folks have decided they aren't afraid anymore and it is the new posh thing.

**Lowell** · April-05-19, 08:15 PM

Ah the good old Cass Corridor days of hillbillies, ho's and cheap apartments. Buh bye, eh? On the other hand WSU has just built a s*** ton of dorm rooms on the west side of 3rd. With their plummeting student applications, I wonder how that is working out. Maybe some apartment conversions are in order.

**Honky Tonk** · April-05-19, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Ah the good old Cass Corridor days of hillbillies, ho's and cheap apartments. Buh bye, eh? On the other hand WSU has just built a s*** ton of dorm rooms on the west side of 3rd. With their plummeting student applications, I wonder how that is working out. Maybe some apartment conversions are in order.

You forgot meth heads.

**mwilbert** · April-05-19, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Ah the good old Cass Corridor days of hillbillies, ho's and cheap apartments. Buh bye, eh? On the other hand WSU has just built a s*** ton of dorm rooms on the west side of 3rd. With their plummeting student applications, I wonder how that is working out. Maybe some apartment conversions are in order.

I don't know for sure how it's working out, but Wayne admitted the largest full-time freshman class in its history in Fall 2018, so the population that is most prone to wanting to live in the dorms seems likely to be substantial.

**archfan** · April-07-19, 02:02 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

The days of those cheap apartments near WSU are gone. I wonder what my old $260/month hovel on Prentis goes for these days? Not to mention the $60/month place on Willis my parents were living in back when I was born. Even over in Woodbridge all of the apartments seem to be well over $1,000/month. My sister rented a whole 4 bedroom house in that neighborhood for quite a bit less than that back in the good ol' bad ol' days.

Hamtramck does seem like a good bet, although she'd have to drive from there. But anything that wouldn't entail a drive or a bus ride seems a bit pricey these days.

I don't know your age, but if you were paying $260 in 1978, that would be $1000 today. In 1990 - $500. So, either rent may not have gone up as much as it seems, or you were paying too much.

**Danny** · April-07-19, 07:26 AM

When I lived in Midtown from 2003 to 2006, I stayed in the Forest Apts. in 460 W. Forest St. between Second and Cass St. I stayed in the one bedroom apt. on the 5th floor for one year and one bedroom apt. on the 6th floor for one year before they closed it up and demolished it. The rent was $537 a month with all utilities included. That was how cheap student housing was in my days!