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Housing Applications Open March 1 (Fall 2023 - Spring 2024)

The Housing contract is for the full academic year. Students are committing to living in housing for both fall and spring semester. 

Two in a room

The Residence Hall and Park West affiliated apartments are at double occupancy, meaning 2 students to a bedroom, with 4 students sharing the apartment/suite. Students will have a direct roommate and two suitemates in the second bedroom. 

We understand that you may have many questions about housing and how to prepare for your arrival. Please use the following tabs to learn more about our policies and protocols, Move In, and what you can expect. More information will be sent to students over the coming months as their space in housing is confirmed.

Please view our important dates.

 

Move In

Students with confirmed housing will receive an email to sign up for a move in appointment. Students will be expected to arrive during their move in appointment. We ask that students have no more than two people assisting with move in. Below are the Move In days: 

  • New Student Move In Day 1 | Monday, August 21(appointments available 9am - 4pm) 
  • New Student Move In Day 2 | Tuesday, August 22 (morning appointments ONLY)
  • Continuing Student Move In Day 1 | Thursday, August 24 (appointments available 9am - 4pm) 
  • Continuing Student Move In Day 2 | Friday, August 25 (morning appointments ONLY)

Please be sure to plan flights and arrival times accordingly. Early or late arrivals cannot be accommodated. 

Packing Lists

To learn more about what is included in each housing option and what you should bring, please view our packing lists:

Housing Orientations (attendance required)

Housing orientations will take place on the days listed below. This is a required meeting for all residential students, as we will introduce the staff, review policies, and provide important details about living with us.

  • New Student Housing Orientation | Tuesday, August 22  (Time TBD, will be in the evening)
  • Continuing Student Housing Orientation | Friday, August 25 (Time TBD, will be in the evening)

Additional details will be sent to students with a confirmed place in housing.

COVID-19 Protocols

We will be providing students with an orientation to explain all requirements and expectations, post signage regarding safety protocols in every suite, and providing a cleaning kit for each apartment/suite.  Otis College follows the guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:

  • Vaccines. All students are required to have the COVID-19 vaccine and booster. The Student Health and Wellness Center will be supporting the efforts around informing students about the vaccine, as well as updates on when and where the vaccine will be available on campus. Students should upload their COVID-19 vaccine records to the Owl Care portal located on the dashboard or submit an exemption form. 
  • COVID-19 Testing. Any students experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 can be tested through the Student Health and Wellness Center for free.
  • Isolation Rooms. Rooms will be held offline in order to have a space to isolate students as needed. SHWC and Residence Life and Housing check in with the students needing to isolate, to make sure they are taken care of, as well as providing services such as food and support.

 

Policies 

Students should view The Hoot, Hallway Handbook for a full list of policies students are expected to follow while living in housing. COVID-19 policies are subject to change based on guidelines from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health:

  • Masks | Students are strongly recommended to wear a face covering when leaving their assigned room, including in the hallways of their building, lounges, elevators, stairwells, etc.

Renters Insurance

Students are strongly encouraged to purchase renters insurance. We recommend anywhere between $20,000 and $25,000. Start by checking with your parents’ or guardians' homeowners insurance, as most companies extend coverage to students while they are away at college. Another option is checking with an insurance carrier of your choice, some companies that have worked with us in the past include:

 

Damage Deposit 

For Park West Students Only. Students living at Park West are required to pay a $300 damage deposit, This payment is seperate from the student's account. We do require having this payment on file prior to a student moving.  The damage deposit is refundable, less damage and/or move-out charges apply, at the end of the academic year. Upon moving in, students will complete a Room Condition Report, noting any damages or problems with their space. When a student moves out, they will complete a similar form updating us on any damages or problems. Staff will walk the space once all students leave for one final assessment. Residence Life and Housing will compare the forms and then assess any charges to the students' accounts.  Once this is completed, damage deposits will be returned to the student’s preferred refund selection through BankMobile.

Local Hotels

Hotel June is walking distance from campus, making it the nearest hotel.  Learn more details about the Otis College discount here. 

Shopping 

Grocery Stores

  • Ralph's | 8701 Lincoln Blvd - across the street from campus
  • Bristol Farms | 8448 Lincoln Blvd - a quick walk from campus
  • Trader Joe's | 8645 S Sepulveda Blvd - a 5 minute drive from campus
  • Costco | 13463 Washington Blvd, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292 - a 15 minute drive from campus

Home Supplies

  • Target | 8900 S Sepulveda Blvd - a 5 minute drive from campus
  • Kohl's | 8739 S Sepulveda Blvd - a 5 minute drive from campus
  • IKEA | 20700 S Avalon Blvd Carson, CA 90746 - a 20 minute drive from campus
  • The Container Store | 710 S Sepulveda Blvd El Segundo, CA 90245 - a 15 minute drive from campus

Art and Design Supplies

  • Graphaids | on campus
  • Blick's Art Supply Store | 2602 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90405  - a 20 minute drive from campus
  • Michael's | 3340 W Century Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90303 - a 15 minute drive from campus
  • Home Depot | 12975 W Jefferson Blvd - a 6 minute drive from campus

Exploring Los Angeles

Learn about the museums, cultural events, and other aspects of LA here.

Residential Engagement

Students are assigned Resident Assistants (RAs) in each housing location. The RAs serve as a resource for students as they transition to their new home and navigate Otis College. In addition, the RAs foster and develop community among residential students through dialogue, engagement, and programming! Some programs that have been coordinated in the past include:

  • Game/Movie Nights
  • Bob Ross Painting Sessions
  • Disco Night
  • Caricature Drawing
  • Adventure Time Roundtable Readings

These programs are ways to connect with other residential students. We encourage students to attend these events to connect with others and to build new friendships. If students are excited about a potential program idea, we encourage them to reach out to their RA to discuss planning! Follow our Instagram @otis.housing to keep connected with updates and programming.

Culture of Inclusion

Residence Life and Housing strives to create an inclusive living environment that honors the intersections of all identities. The professional staff and RAs are trained on various topics of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to be prepared to support our students. Additionally, our staff engages in conversations on Otis’ DEI Statement and 10 points to promote a more equitable campus that welcomes and celebrates every Otis student. To read more about Oti’s DEI Statement and 10 points, click here.

Campus Involvement

Clubs and Organizations

Another way for students to be involved on campus is to join a campus club/organization. These clubs and organizations are student-led and create fun programs and activities for students. Learn more about the different opportunities to join here. Students can also check out Otis Owl Events to see the upcoming events and programs taking place around campus.

Campus Activities Board (CAB)

CAB is composed of student leaders that work to enhance and unify the Otis college community by coordinating, overseeing, and executing all student led campus activities. All members of CAB provide leadership and support to fellow CAB members and student led campus activities. These programs and activities are open to all students and is an additional way for students to connect with other Otis peers. Learn more about CAB here. Stay connected with CAB on Instagram @Otiscab.

Safety and Security

Campus Safety is present on campus 24/7. Students can contact the office at 310.665.6965. While we are in a safe neighborhood within Los Angeles, we still recommend the following to keep our community safe:

  • Sign up for Live Safe. Live Safe is an app that allows students to share information with Campus Safety, provides notifications of emergency situations, and allows for SafeWalk (someone can view your walk to another location). 
  • Always close and lock your door when leaving your apartment/suite.
  • Do not let any unrecognized individuals into the building. If a person lives there, they should be able to access it.
  • Use the buddy system when exploring Los Angeles beyond the campus.

Residence Life FAQs

  • Will I be able to select my roommates?

    Students still have the ability to select their own roommates. In the application, there is a place for students to list the last name and Otis College email of their requests. The request must be mutual in order for us to place students together. 

  • Can I live with three residents per suite, instead of four?

    Currently our spaces are all set up to house four residents. Students have the ability to only select one or two students that they are interested in living with. We will use the other roommate preferences to fill the open spaces.

  • When will I know if my space is confirmed for the Fall?

    Residence Life and Housing will start confirming housing spaces in the middle of May. Students will receive their housing assignment and roommate information in late July/early August.

    The application opens March 1, 2023 and additional details on the process can be found here.

    The continuing student housing priority deadline is March 20, 2023.

    New students will receive housing priority as long as their housing application fee is submitted by May 1, 2023 AND the online housing application is submitted by May 4, 2023.

  • What should I do if I have a friend/roommate with flu-like symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath)?

    The first thing to do is to recommend that person to reach out to the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) for evaluation of their symptoms at 310-846-5738. The second thing is to care for your own health while being supportive. This is not the time to discriminate against and/or isolate those who may be sick (and who may be anxious about it).

  • Will Residence Life and Housing quarantine or isolate students?

    The Office of Student Affairs is prepared to support students in campus housing and is actively monitoring COVID-19. Residence Life and Housing will assist residential students who are deemed by the L.A. County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) and the Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) as being in need of isolation and/or quarantine. Any residential student who is directed to isolate or quarantine will order food through the GET app that will be delivered twice a day. Students who do not have a meal plan will be required to purchase food through the GET app. Students may also request trash pick ups and mail deliveries. The SHWC will continue to monitor students in isolation and/or quarantine frequently. At the time a student is directed to be in isolation and/or quarantined, Residence Life and Housing staff will provide the student with additional details and information. All questions regarding isolation and/or quarantine processes within housing should be directed to studenthousing@otis.edu or 310-846-2647.