App helps YSU students find housing

YOUNGSTOWN - Starting a new year at college combined with moving onto campus or near the campus can be a daunting experience.
Now, Youngstown State University has linked up with an app to improve the experience of finding and moving into both on, and off-campus housing.
Thru software available on YSU’s website, College Pads provides students with a tool to help them prepare to review leases, compare campus housing options, rent from high-rated landlords, find roommates, and sublet their existing units.
“This partnership provides a central place for students to find housing amenities to meet their unique needs as well as assist property managers with promotion of their housing options,” said YSU Associate Vice President of Student Experience Joy Polkabla Byers. “In addition, the added value resources such as renter education, housing fairs and a sublease finder make this a win-win resource for all.”
The new site includes renter education video/quiz modules to help students successfully navigate the transition to on- or off-campus living. Custom tailored to the needs of student renters, the College Pads platform also features a roommate and sublease finder.
“The College Pads platform helps students make safe, informed renting decisions because all of the verified housing options are in one place,” said College Pads CEO Dominic Anzalone. “Looking for housing used to be such a chore with driving around writing down phone numbers. Now all the listings are in one spot that students can trust.”
Listings on the site are purchased by landlords, and are created by College Pads staff, improving overall listing quality. Landlords noncompliant with university policy are removed from the site, creating a one-stop-shop for student housing.
College Pads’ is used at other institutions across the country.