I am proposing a project called RateMyHousing which will provide solutions to the housing crisis in West Chester for students. The university doesn’t provide enough housing, and students are stuck choosing between different expensive, underwhelming, and often bad quality housing with sketchy landlords and far overpriced costs off-campus and unregulated by the school. This project will be similar to RateMyProfessor, a service that allows students to practically review their professors and share their experiences from taking classes. With RateMyHousing, students will be able to rate and explain the quality of living conditions, landlords, prices, and practically anything about the West Chester off-campus housing they live or formerly lived in.

Who: West Chester University students who are unable to find affordable, quality, realistic housing around campus, or students who want to share/view opinions on different housing options.

Where: The West Chester area, specifically anywhere that students live in off-campus housing, whether that is around campus, in town, throughout West Chester, or in the near surrounding areas.

When: In recent years, there has been a lack of adequate and affordable housing in the West Chester area, and finding a good-quality, well-owned, relatively cheap option has become an impossible task.

What: A fix to the lack of transparency in West Chester University off-campus housing and a place where students can go to view, rate, and review housing options.

Significance/Why: The West Chester University housing crisis is an issue that affects or will affect every student, causing unnecessary stress and worry. A fix is necessary, and everyone would benefit from a better experience with and understanding of the housing options in off-campus life here at WCU.