Housing Information

Houston is a huge and bustling metropolis with innumerable opportunities and an overwhelming array of choices of places to live. Houston is diverse in culture offering many neighborhoods and boroughs to live in. Included on this page are numerous resources to help you locate the place that is right for you. 

Housing Options

Housing options include residence halls and the new Calhoun Lofts on the University of Houston campus, student apartments adjacent to the campus, and apartments located throughout the city.  Some considerations:

1. Students who will not have their own transportation should consider campus housing or student apartments located next to the campus.  Houston is a very large, metropolitan city and public transportation is limited.  Bus service, for example, may not be available to the UH campus from an off-campus apartment, or, if available, may entail a ride of an hour or more.
2. Campus and student housing near the campus fills up VERY quickly.
3. Deposits are generally refunded if a student decides not to attend the University of Houston Law Center.

Official City of Houston web site
Houston and surrounding cities map
Interactive map (Mapquest)

HIGHWAY 610,“THE LOOP”

Houston is traversed by numerous highways - the ‘Eastex’ the ‘Gulf’, the ‘Southwest’ the ‘Beltway’. Eventually you will learn them all. As you search for an apartment, you will want to know whether you are inside or outside the “LOOP.” 

Loop 610 is a major highway encircling the inner part of the city, including Downtown, the Medical Center, the Heights, Greenway, West University, Allen Parkway, and Midtown. Additionally, the Loop runs adjacent to Uptown and Bellaire among many other attractive neighborhoods. Living inside or outside the Loop will impact the amount of time you spend traveling to school everyday. 

Downtown/ Allen Parkway/ Memorial

Downtown Houston is in the midst of a remarkable revitalization with the opening of Houston's new baseball stadium, Minute Maid Park, and the attendant shops and restaurants. The theatre district and omnipotent business activity downtown draw people from all over the world. The last three years has seen the renovation of the historic Rice Hotel and the opening of Bayou Place, an entertainment complex which includes the Verizon Wireless Theatre (a concert venue), Angelika Theatres and several upscale restaurants. Downtown Houston has become the new hot spot to live and hang out. All this excitement comes at a price. There are new lofts and apartments opening regularly downtown. If you want to truly experience the big city, downtown may be the place for you. 

Adjacent to downtown and South of Interstate 10 one will find the major thoroughfares of Allen Parkway and Memorial Boulevard. The city's most popular parks can be found here.

The Inner Loop/ West University/ Greenway

The Inner Loop has many fine communities with the highest concentration of professionals in Houston. Additionally, it is centrally located only minutes away from the University of Houston Law Center and many other attractions in the Houston area. Greenway has numerous apartments in a variety of price ranges. Close to everything, this part of town may be the best for you.  

Uptown/Galleria

The Houston Galleria is well known for its world class shopping and Uptown is, for many, the place to be. With the greatest concentration of apartments and endless dining and shopping options, Uptown draws many UH Law Center students. Located just outside Loop 610 on the Southwest side of Houston, Uptown is also convenient to Highway 59, the Southwest Freeway, which brings many students to school everyday. There are a variety of price ranges and apartment communities within minutes of the University of Houston. 

Reliant Stadium/Astrodome/Medical Center

These areas are perhaps the most convenient to the UH Law Center. Within minutes of the campus there are a substantial number of housing options in every price range.  The Medical Center is home to some of the world's most renowned hospitals and medical schools. Adjacent to Rice University, the Museum District and Montrose, this area provides a number of cultural and intellectual activities, as well as outdoor fun at Hermann Park and the Houston Zoo. The Reliant Stadium/ Astrodome area has numerous apartments. This area, home to the NFL's Houston Texans, hosts the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and many other exciting events throughout the year. On Holly Hall, one can find a number of reasonable and affordable apartment options. Convenient to school, downtown, and the Galleria, this area may be the one for many students. 

On Campus Housing

The Calhoun Lofts are located adjacent to the Law Center and provide housing for graduate, professional and upper-level students.  Utilities (electricity, gas, water, cable, Wi-Fi, local phone service) are included. Efficiencies, one, and two bedrooms units are available.  Click  http://www.housing.uh.edu/housing for other campus housing options including Cambridge Oaks, Cullen Oaks, and Cougar Place.

Internet

If you’re a do-it-yourselfer, the internet is a great resource for locating accommodations. Below is a list of popular sites to help in locating your new home: 

• Houston Association of Realtors: www.har.com
• Houston Chronicle: http://www.chron.com/class/index.html
• Houston Press: http://www.houstonpress.com/
• http://www.apartmentguide.com/
• http://www.aptsforrent.com/

Apartment Locators

If you want some help, commercial apartment locators can be a very useful and convenient mode of finding an apartment or other housing accommodations. There are many locators in Houston; a few are listed below. Renters should choose a locator that has experience serving UH graduate students and is especially familiar with  properties “inside the loop” west of Interstate 45.  

Apartment Directions
Amanda Boos
Phone: (800) 798-3778 
www.apartmentdirectionsinc.com
Email: information@houston-apartments.com

Apartment Locators
Suzanne Nemon
Phone: (713)838-0229
www.houaptloca.com/
Email: dazed1951@msn.com

 

Deposits

Most apartment complexes charge a security deposit depending on the size and rent of the unit. If you are renting a house, you can expect a deposit of at least one month's rent. In addition, most landlords will require additional deposits (refundable and non-refundable) for pets of all sizes and breeds.  Foreign students may be required to submit a copy of their Letter of Financial Backing, passport and social security number when signing a lease agreement.