Off-campus move-in: What to know, what to expect and what to do
Northeastern students who are moving into off-campus housing this year will have plenty of support on Sept. 1…and beyond.
Tuesday, September 1 is rapidly approaching and with it, many thousands of leases will be turning over in the city of Boston. Add in a state primary election, a Red Sox evening game, and the mercurial New England weather, and the ingredients are in place for a stressful day.
Thankfully, Northeastern students who are moving into off-campus housing, primarily located in the Fenway and Mission Hill neighborhoods, will have plenty of support.
“While the off-campus move-in operation can be affected by the weather and other events that may be happening around the city, what is a constant is the year-round planning and execution by so many members and departments from around the Northeastern community, including our own students who act throughout the day as ambassadors,” said John Tobin, vice president of City and Community Engagement at Northeastern.
The university is ready. But planning ahead, awareness and advice can also benefit the approximately 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students who are expected to be making the move to an off-campus apartment.
Here are some tricks, tips, and helpful links to make the off-campus move-in as smooth as possible.
Before you move:
Before leaving home, Mallory Pernaa, director of Off Campus Engagement and Support recommended visiting the OCES website to get tips for move-in, subscribe to email updates, find important information on living off-campus, download a parking pass and map for Sept. 1, and connect for social media updates.
Facebook: Off Campus Engagement and Support
Instagram: @NUoffcampus The hashtag #NUmoveinSept1 will be used to highlight messages on Sept. 1.
She also recommends that students make a plan for their move. Questions to consider for this plan include:
- Do I need movers?
- Do I need a truck?
- Do I need overnight storage?
- Does each roommate need to pick up the truck and the keys?
- What does my lease say about move-in/move-out procedures?
The more you plan ahead, the better – on everything from reserving a moving truck that is the appropriate size (availability is limited!) to understanding what you should expect upon arrival in your new home.
Move-in on Sept. 1
With hundreds of thousands of college students coming to Boston this fall, well over 70% of leases in the city turn over on Sept. 1, said Pernaa.
Northeastern will have an army of people on hand to help.
In addition to working closely with neighbors and property owners, the university coordinates comings and goings with numerous external partners, such as the Boston Police Department. Boston Police will be directing traffic in the Mission Hill and Fenway neighborhoods on Sept. 1, and some streets may be temporarily one–way to facilitate moving.
Staff and student volunteers will also be present in those neighborhoods.
The volunteers will be wearing red shirts and will be walking around the neighborhoods as well as manning tents on St. Alphonsus Street outside Fitzgerald Park in Mission Hill and outside the Asian American Center at 109 Hemenway Street in Fenway.
The volunteers will have parking permits, maps, and information.
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Also, hampers for hauling belongings are available to use for free in the Fenway neighborhood in North Lot on Sept. 1, and outside Squashbuster on Columbus Avenue. They may be borrowed for the day only, and will be available from 8:30 – 5:00pm ET. Ensure you have a government ID – not just a Northeastern ID – with you to sign out a hamper.
Parking
Parking is a premium in Boston, whether for moving trucks or the family and friends recruited to help lug your mattress up the stairs.
Students moving into the Mission Hill and Fenway neighborhoods on Sept. 1 will need a parking pass issued by the university. The pass grants an hour to load or unload belongings.
The passes are available to download, and university staff and students will also be out in those two neighborhoods distributing them.
After the hour is up, students will be directed into free overflow parking in one of two lots.
- North Lot: Located at St. Stephens Street, you may park here for one hour, after which you may proceed to Columbus Garage. North Lot closes at 6 p.m. on Sept. 1.
- Columbus Garage: Located at 795 Columbus Ave. No hourly limit. The garage closes at 11 p.m. on Sept. 1, does not allow moving trucks and has a strict clearance of 6 feet, 8 inches.
Move-in before or after September 1
With Sept. 1 falling both before Labor Day Weekend and a week before classes begin on Sept. 9, students in off-campus housing have the opportunity to trickle in to their new leases rather than be part of the mad rush on the first of the month.
Students not moving on Sept. 1 should be aware that parking passes will not be issued for other move-in days. They will need to follow all local street signage and visit the city of Boston’s moving page for more information. Students moving into neighborhoods other than Mission Hill and Fenway should use the Boston city website for guidance.
Once you’ve arrived at your new apartment
Whether you arrive on Sept. 1 or over the Labor Day Weekend, Pernaa said that apartments would likely have had only “limited” cleaning done, as previous tenants move out and new tenants move in.
“So you’re probably going to want to have Clorox wipes and window and floor cleaner just to feel comfortable putting all your stuff in a room and unpacking,” Pernaa said.
Pernaa also advised students to fill out the apartment condition statement and take photos of the condition in which they found the apartment sooner rather than later. (The condition statement is technically due within fifteen days of occupancy.)
“Just being able to video and take photos of what they walk into is helpful,” she said.
And if there’s a problem?
Pernaa said if a student walks into an apartment and it’s not up to code or there is trash, the student should contact the property manager or landlord immediately. Students can also call 311, the city’s non-emergency line to connect with the city’s Inspectional Services Department.
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Trash, recycling and mattresses
If you’re vacating another apartment or coming with lots of packed items, one thing is crucial to plan out: How am I going to get rid of all this trash?
Students should read the city of Boston rules for trash and recycling and what constitutes each, when pickup days are and more.
A big item to consider is mattresses. Boston requires old mattresses to be recycled, and mattress pickups can be scheduled on the city website.
You’ll also likely generate some trash when you unpack, and when you clean the apartment, taking us to our next section.
Be a good neighbor
Remember that you are not only moving into a new apartment, you are moving into a new neighborhood. Pernaa advises saying hello to new neighbors and exchanging contact information, among other good neighbor tips.
“We plan all year so our students and families can have as smooth a move in as possible, but more importantly to be good neighbors to our many non-student residents of Mission Hill, The Fenway, Roxbury and the South End,” Tobin said. “From coordination with myriad city departments, to trash removal and public safety to water and directions to just being a calming presence on a day that can fray nerves, Northeastern is always there for our neighbors and neighborhoods.”
