Organization creates housing search site

A new Web site developed by the Commuter and Off-Campus Student Organization aims to make students’ search for local housing much easier.

The new site comes from a partnership C.O.S.O. formed during the summer with the company Living Off Campus 101.

Michael Bumgarner, the president and CEO of Living Off Campus 101, a company that has worked with other colleges, including the University of Toledo, said he approached C.O.S.O. about preparing a Web site where local landlords can post property listings, pictures and other information.

He said his company has been working since summer to get all properties listed by the middle of fall semester.

Zane Powell, executive director of C.O.S.O., said the new site was integrated because there wasn’t anyone keeping up the organization’s previous Web site.

He said C.O.S.O. gave the company a list of local housing and venues and the company has been approaching them for property listings and organizing everything for a comprehensive site.

“Housing is a huge issue, particularly for commuters,” Powell said. “This kind of takes the hassle out of it.”

In addition to the property listings, Bumgarner said the site also has a message board feature that can act as a “mini-Craigslist” and a directory of resources at Kent State.

Bumgarner said, overall, they are headed in the right direction for a successful site.

“Hopefully it will help out students a lot,” he said.

Powell said a print version of the properties listed would be available by the annual fair on Feb. 24.

Also, C.O.S.O. is in discussion about putting up a roommate finder on the site.

Powell said now people mostly use paper fliers, and he believes this will be able to match up roommates closer than before.

In addition to the Living Off Campus site, Powell said the organization is working to put up a kent.edu Web site, as they have once had.

He said this would make it easier to find resources and information about C.O.S.O.

The site was not often updated in the past, but Powell said the new board has brought in a Web designer to revamp it, and he wants to have more interactive features, calendars, lists of places to go and things to do.

Powell said it is the organization’s hope that the roommate finder and the new C.O.S.O. site will be completed in the spring semester.

Bumgarner said all of the properties would be listed by today.

For more information, visit http://www.loc101.com/coso or contact C.O.S.O. at 330-672-3768, [email protected] or go to Room 120G of the Student Center.

Contact student affairs reporter Meghan Bogardus at [email protected].