Housing

Pi Kapp 142 · #1 07-15-2002, 01:30 AM

I tried searching for this but I guess no one else has talked about it much. I am putting this thread in alumni because it really takes alumni for this kind of thing to happen. Right now at SFSU no one has a house to call their own. That means that there is no established system of Fraternity housing around my campus at all, i.e. no way of just renting a house when it becomes available. In fact, there is not even that much student housing period. I am really interested in seeing how other chapters have come to gain housing for their chapter and what advice they may have for someone else looking to help out their chapter. I also really want to know about chapters at schools that were in the same situation I am in, where there is not an easy, esatblished way for a chapter to gain housing. What helped you in fundraising, zoning laws, and anything else I am not thinking of right now.

PenguinTrax · #2 07-15-2002, 08:33 AM

I guess the first step would be to find out if Greek housing is allowed by the university. At my old home campus, there was no housing and they didn't allow 'official' Greek houses. Partially due to the school, and partially because any free land near the university was either privately held or part of the school.

If housing is allowed, then I would contact your national office to find out if there is a national housing corporation that can help you acheive your dream. They can assist with funding, planning and all the permitting issues required.

If you don't have a housing corporation nationally, you should proabably set one up on a local level and begin fundraising. Determine how much money you will need to either purchase an existing house and remodel to suit your needs or to build from scratch. It would be helpful if you have an alumnus active in the local real estate market on the corp's board. As far as zoning, etc., you just need to contact your city planning board to find out the approval process to get a zoning change approved. The first step, of course, would be attaining enough funds and then looking for suitable property.

Kevin · #3 07-15-2002, 09:05 AM

Also make sure that local ordinances don't make it impossible. That's often the case.

When we build our house it has to have crazy things like a sprinkler system (with its own water pressurizer since the city's system couldn't handle it), fire escapes from EVERY room... the list goes on.

Tom Earp · #4 07-15-2002, 05:08 PM

I am sure that your location dictates to what you may be able to afford!!!!!

But in Passy dinna, it has to be higher than two cats with their butts turpentined!

Bro if you can get a house, it will probalbly suck your chapter dry unless you have a large Chapter and a VERY STRONG ALUM BASE with deep pockets!

I was lucky living in Kansasd TOTO that we got a house our second Sem! Now we are trying to build a house and hell it is going to cost us about 3 quarter Million $!

All I can say is the very best of luck to you and do not keep wishing on a star, stranger things do happen!

Pi Kapp 142 · #5 07-15-2002, 05:45 PM

The thing is, the school is in San Fran, I just live around Pasadena. One thing I did not mention is that there are nicer, larger homes about 4 blocks away from the school in area known as Ingleside Terrrace, which is next door to the very rich area, so there are larger homes there. But none of them are designed to be fraternity houes and none have ever been, so people will not like it too much if we move in there.

prophet · #6 07-16-2002, 05:28 PM

Sorry Pi Kapp 142, but Phi Taus are getting our house Aug.1st. at SFSU. Hard work by activies and mad donations from alumni are making it happen.
-Heath.