Co-operative housing for Cal students
UC Berkeley itself has much to offer to any and all looking for an energetic social and academic environment. But what about life surrounding campus? It can be daunting to figure out where and how exactly you’re going to live in those moments between classes. Luckily, there are tons of options for any student, new or recurring. Berkeley Life has plenty of material on the myriad choices students can make regarding housing, from campus living to unique alternatives surrounding the city. Today, I thought I’d give a little peek into my own experience with alternative co-operative housing. Maybe it will give you a better idea about what life specifically looks like in the Co-Ops around Cal, and hopefully get you better informed before making any housing decisions.
Co-Ops, a quick breakdown
If you’ve never heard of them, the Berkeley Student Co-Operative (BSC) is an organization orbiting UC Berkeley that provides housing to students in the area, including Berkeley City College students. It’s designed to be affordable, socially fulfilling, and, well, co-operative. Every member of the BSC is technically both a tenant and a landlord, and while the organization has a central office, each individual house (of which there are 17) is pretty much run internally. Probably one of the biggest pros of the BSC is simply the cost, but that comes at a different sort of price. By virtue of the internal structure, the upkeep of the house is the responsibility of the residents. Every resident, bar those elected to managerial positions such as House President or Workshift Manager, owes five hours of workshift a week. That means five hours of cooking, cleaning, etc., around the house. Application links are open year-round for registered full-time students to request housing for the academic year or for specific semesters, and the process begins with you submitting a BSC membership request and nonrefundable fee to get you on the waitlist for placement in a Co-Op.
Now some houses are larger than others. Casa Zimbabwe can hold over 120 residents at a time; compare that with my residence, Wolf House, which hosts 28 folks. Personally, previously coming from residence hall housing last semester, there is a degree of culture shock. Going from roommates to housemates, sharing a kitchen and general living spaces was a tad jarring at first, but I settled in fast. In fact, I think the residence hall experience was a good way to ease into the general shared living environment. Of course, the Co-Ops come with their own unique feel and lifestyle, one you don’t really get from the halls.
Wolf House Co-Oppers during a cook shift.
A change of place: experiences in Wolf House Co-Op
Every Co-Opper comes from a unique background. And, given the relative smallness of Wolf House, you get to know folks pretty well. Wolf boasts a good range of students, from freshmen to international transfers. I asked a few of my housemates how they came to find out about the house, and what they like about it.
Kamya, international junior transfer, majoring in integrated biology: “When I got in, I was really scared about moving from a very small community college to one of the largest public institutions on the West Coast. And so, not being able to find community really terrified me, that’s why I wanted to live with people, so at least I have a space where I’m constantly interacting with the same faces. In my opinion that would help with community and friends. The other thing was the cost of living in Berkeley and everywhere else would be double what I’m paying here at a Co-Op. And I hate grocery shopping, so the fact that groceries get delivered to our house and I don’t have to move a limb is another perk that I’m really grateful for.”
Adan, junior transfer, majoring in film & media: “I found out about the Co-Ops from the Berkeley conference that came to my hometown. I was asking the person ‘What are the housing options?’ and they were telling me all about one of the most recent innovations in Berkeley housing, and I told them, ‘Hey, what about something cheaper?’ and they wrote down bsc.coop. I was stuck between living on campus and off campus because I didn’t know what the city was like. I knew I wanted a bit of independence outside of living and being provided with what you need. So when it came to signing up for my housing, I looked at the price of on-campus housing and thought ‘what if something happens within my financial situation where I can’t pay that off?’ That very day, I created an account with the BSC. I really like that it’s very rugged; it’s like living by yourself, and you’re still maintaining your livelihood, it’s not really being molded. The life here is very lively. A lot of different personalities from around the world, it’s a very different way of living, but it’s very welcoming.”
The view from the roof.
Sadie, freshman, majoring in ecosystem forestry and management: “I think I just searched for housing options in Berkeley. I found the Co-Op website and thought ‘Oh, I can live there.’ Originally the cost was what was appealing. I knew that if I was going to go to UC Berkeley, I needed to be a little stingier, just based on what I was able to contribute financially. But living here has been really cool, I think the community is really nice. I feel like it’s unique to Co-Ops. I think frats, sororities, and residence halls have a different culture. I think Co-Ops are more homey. I feel like for me it was beneficial coming to a Co-Op as a freshman. It’s situational, but for me I got really lucky with the people I met in my first couple weeks at Berkeley, like I have a strong friend group. But I think if you’re a freshman and are struggling to make friends with other freshmen, maybe a residence hall would be better. For me, I kinda like the Co-Op because I have a balance between my freshmen friends and the people in the house, which is really nice.”
Mia, senior international student, majoring in economics & business: “I got an email from the International office about the Co-Ops, and I think what makes them cool is that you live with international students and American students, so that’s fun. My favorite thing is that our house is really small and we’re all, like, a really close-knit community.”
Find your fit
As a new semester dawns, I’d highly recommend taking a look at the Co-Ops and considering if it fits your budget and lifestyle for housing! You can sign contracts for both fall and spring semesters, or just one or the other if you’d rather. It’s ideal to apply for a contract before the school semester starts, but you may be able to get one just after the start date, too. The Co-Ops are such an idiosyncratic trait of the Cal ecosystem. So check them out, they might be the perfect balance of social and academic life for your college years.
Vincent Vidana, Class of 2026, is majoring in English and minoring in rhetoric. Cover photo by Adan Arguelles.
Want more?
- Looking for Housing? Start here.
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- What to expect when looking for off-campus housing.