Off-Campus Housing Agreement
Living off-campus, students will have the opportunity to live intentionally and faithfully in community: establishing and maintaining good relationships with neighbors, serving the needs of others, and experiencing the joy of being part of a neighborhood. But seeking the welfare of the city also involves sensitivity to others’ needs and concerns, which translates into practical matters such as heeding noise levels and parking in the correct locations, honoring agreements with landowners, and observing city ordinances that address community welfare. The latter include occupancy limits: in Wheaton, no more than four unrelated people may reside at a given residence. As “salt and light” to our world, all members of the Wheaton College community are called to be good neighbors by observing these obligations.
We only allow students to apply for off-campus housing in groups of one to four to help uphold local ordinances. Students are expected to know and follow the relevant ordinances in the place that they reside. In addition, students applying for off-campus permission must comply with all College policies regarding housing, including limiting non-related roommates to those of the same sex and observing College rules regarding visitation and overnight stays by members of the opposite sex. Students found to be living of-campus without permission will be charged the apartment and house semester room rate for each semester lived off- campus.
The College will take the following steps in support of our surrounding cities and neighbors:
- Students must live in compliance with applicable zoning ordinances for occupancy as an expectation for all Wheaton students living off-campus.
- The College requests an accurate and current local address for all students living off campus. The residence life office will request all off-campus residents to provide their local address.
- Students found to be living in violation of applicable zoning ordinances will be subject to any or all of the following:
- A letter of non-compliance will be filed in the student’s College record.
- The College will affirm addresses if requested by city authorities who are formally investigating specific violations of occupancy ordinances.
- Apart from any current or future College response, students face consequences from city authorities as defined in zoning ordinances, including evictions and other civil penalties for non-compliance.
- Students who provide false information during the local address and registration process will be subject to further disciplinary action by the College.
Students who accept off-campus permission are expected to understand and agree to the Off-Campus Housing Agreement.