Photo Courtesy of Gabriela Castro
By Gabriela Castro
TAMPA Fla. – The University of Tampa (UTampa) plans to add 833 rooms to its on-campus housing options by fall 2028, citing strong demand for student housing and a competitive Tampa housing market.
The 11-story residence hall, located one block south of campus at South Boulevard and Cleveland Street, will be the university’s largest residence hall to date.
The dorm is designed primarily for first- and second-year students and will include suite-style units, study lounges, common rooms, dining facilities, bicycle storage, and surface parking, according to ut.edu.
The university promotes on-campus housing as part of the student experience. Its Housing and Residence Life website describes living on campus as providing “comfort, convenience, and a strong sense of community.”
UTampa states that research shows students who live on campus typically have higher grade-point averages, higher graduation rates, and greater overall satisfaction with their college experience.
Despite these claims, more than 11,500 students are enrolled, and the university does not guarantee this on-campus housing experience to any student. About 5,200 students live on campus.
According to Housing and Residence Life, they prioritize students based on their semester of enrollment, student status, and the date they applied for housing, UTampa Housing and Residence Life claims.
“I feel like people go to school and don’t get housing,” Dylan Gueli, a junior, said.
UTampa Housing for continuing students is limited, with priority given to undergraduate students in their first year of college who are transitioning into their second year, and special accommodations.
New undergraduate students entering in the fall receive the highest priority, followed by new undergraduate students entering in the spring.
Transfer students receive housing only on a space-available basis, according to the university, advising transfer students to make alternative off-campus housing plans.
“I have had a bad experience as a junior needing to stay on campus. They gave me the Barrymore, and it makes me feel like the time I’ve been at UTampa just didn’t matter. They are inconsiderate,” junior David Valle said.
Students who do not receive a housing assignment may be placed on a standby list, but the university explains that being on the list does not guarantee an assignment. UTampa also does not publicly disclose how many students are currently on its housing standby list.
UTampa President Teresa Abi-Nader Dahlberg said the new residence hall will help meet both immediate and long-term housing needs while advancing the University’s continued campus evolution.
The students who do not receive campus housing are forced to turn to the private rental market, potentially increasing their commute and transportation costs.
Neighborhoods such as Hyde Park, North Hyde Park, and downtown Tampa offer housing options near the university, although prices vary by location, size, and other factors.
In downtown Tampa, the average rent is $2,353, with rent ranging from $2,094 to $3,107, according to rental market data. The cost can vary depending on the number of bedrooms and the property’s distance from the university.
In Hyde Park, the average overall rent stands at $3,000 per month. Renters looking just slightly north in North Hyde Park will find a discount, where the overall average rent drops to $2,454 per month
“Expensive. They should make it more available,” sophomore Jared Ritter said.
Until then, students seeking university housing must compete for the limited assignments available or make other housing arrangements.