Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Housing Cooperative?
A Cooperative is an organization where people come together with a common cause or idea and share their resources towards achieving them. Housing cooperatives apply this idea to housing, with the goal of creating affordability and fostering community. UCHA is a housing cooperative—more specifically a student housing cooperative. Our mission is to make education more accessible by lowering the substantial costs outside of tuition that come with being a student. We achieve this by being student run and having our property owned by a nonprofit (UCHA). All of our needs including meals, maintenance, and organization are orchestrated by students alongside a small full-time staff
What is the quarter system?
UCHA follows the UCLA quarter system. Each quarter lasts approximately three months. Our application cycles, room & board payments and breaks follow this schedule.
Non-UCLA students (e.g. SMC, UCLA Extension, CalState schools etc.), or students attending UCLA professional schools on the semester system may check-in at any time in between quarters in accordance with their school schedule. However, all members regardless of their school's schedule are contracted according to the quarter system. That is, if your school schedule should end mid-quarter, you will still be responsible for room and board payments until the end of the quarter, except in extenuating circumstances.
Checking In (for application FAQs click here)
When and where do I check-in?
You will check-in at our office which is just inside the front door of Hardman Hansen Hall at 500 Landfair Avenue. Our hours are 10am-5pm for check-ins. Usually, you would check-in on the official check-in day of each quarter, but earlier or later can be accommodated. To make these arrangements, you can send an email to admissions@ucha.coop once your application is processed.
What if I cannot make it during the check-in hours?
Unfortunately, if you are unable to make it during our operating hours, you will need to find alternative accommodations until the next business day.
Can I change my arrival date?
Yes! Once confirmed to move-in you can change your arrival date. Just let our admissions team know at admissions@ucha.coop.
How do I get to the Co-op from LAX airport?
Most people will take a bus, a ride-share service, or a taxi. If this is your first time at LAX, we recommend taking a ride-share, which takes about 30 minutes and costs approximately $40. At the airport, look for signs that say LAX-it which will direct you to the pick-up and drop-off spot. Taxis tend to be more expensive but will accept cash. The bus is your cheapest option, costing just $1, but a bit tricky to navigate. You will need to walk (~20 mins) or take the free airport shuttle bus to the LAX City Bus Center, then board the northbound Culver City 6 bus (it's a bright green bus!). You will get off at UCLA Gateway Plaza, the last stop. From the stop, it takes about 10-15 minutes to get to the Co-op.
Can I send my packages to UCHA before my arrival?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept packages until students are officially checked-into the Co-op. Once a student has checked in, they can recieve mail and packages. Please address all mail in the following format:
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[First Name, Last Name]
500 Landfair Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
USA
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Letters, postcards and small packages will be delivered to assigned cubbies. For larger packages, the mailroom will first need to process the parcel, after which an email notification will be sent.
Payments
When do I make my room and board payments?
The quarterly room and board is billed in 3 installments, due on the first business day of each month. The room & board varies based on the building and room type. Click here to see the rates.
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Room & board payments can be made by credit/debit card, e-check, personal check and cash. Credit/debit card payments are charged a 1.9% processing fee while e-checks are charged a 0.75% processing fee. Cash and personal checks have no associated fees.
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Payments may be made online or in person at our front office. Personal checks are accepted for the room and board—but not for any of the payments required before checking-in, as discussed below.
What payments will I need to make before checking-in?
There are 4 distinct payments you will need to make prior to moving into the Co-op.
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1) Application fee ($35)
2) Reservation fee ($650)
3) Membership fee ($200)
4) Security deposit ($1200)
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The application fee is paid when submitting your UCHA application. The reservation fee is a non-refundable payment which will go towards your first room & board payment. This second fee is paid after you have accepted a housing offer from our admissions team.
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On the day of your check-in, you will pay a membership fee and a security deposit at our front office. Please take note that we do not accept personal checks for these two payments. The membership fee is a one-time fee to join the Association and supports special events such as concerts, town halls, snacks for finals, cultural events and more. The security deposit functions as an insurance in case a room is left in rough shape beyond the expected wear and tear or if you owe money to the Co-op when you check-out. The deposit is fully refundable after you leave the Co-op, and the vast majority of students are returned their deposit in full.​
Living at the Co-op
Are there separate wings for men and women?
While individual rooms are single-gender, the wings are mixed-gender. All bathrooms are single-stall and occupied by one person at a time—but they are shared by everyone on the wing (around 10 members for every two bathrooms).
Are meals included with the room & board?
Yep!
And utilities too?
Yep!
Do you have laundry facilities?
Yes! We have washers and dryers in every building and on every floor. They costs $1.25 per cycle. Laundry detergent will need to be supplied by the user.
What sort of disability accommodations do you provide?
We do our best to accommodate all of our students with both temporary ailments and disabilities. This includes the ability to keep service and support animals in rooms, assignment to specific rooms that are more accessible, as well as choreshift accomodations. While all members are expected to complete their weekly 4-hour choreshift, we have a number of choreshifts which are less strenuous, requires little to no standing or support flexible hours.
How far away is the Co-op from UCLA?
We are a 5 minute walk from the UCLA campus. The campus is big, and the time will vary based on where your destination is. Typically, it takes around 15 minutes to get to south campus (STEM buildings) and 20 minutes to get to north campus (Humanities buildings).
How far away is the Co-op from Santa Monica College?
We are about a 45 minute bus ride and a 20 minutes car ride from the SMC campus.
Where can I park my car?
We have a limited number of assigned parking spaces for students. Parking may only be obtained after you check-in. Members select their spots through a process that favors those who have lived at the Co-op the longest, and thus new members may need to obtain parking on the UCLA campus or on the streets surrounding UCHA for the first few quarters that they live at the Co-op.
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Assigned parking costs $180/quarter.
What is the policy on break periods and do I have to reapply each year?
Students continuing on to the next quarter may remain in their rooms during break periods for no extra fee. They are still required to perform their weekly 4-hour choreshifts. Members who return home or go on holiday may request a leave of absence to be exempted from their choreshift for the duration of the break. Food continues to be served during this period on a modified schedule.
Room & board is contracted on a quarterly basis and is automatically renewed for the proceeding quarter unless the student has indicated that they will be moving out. For the summer quarter, students who return home will need to move out and reapply for the fall quarter. However, the readmission process is quick and requires no application form or fee.
