College Houses Cooperatives - Austin, Texas

Tommy Le

College Houses has been more than just a place to live, but a life changing couple years for me as a student in Austin. It's the community I imagined a dorm would have, with the privacy of an apartment, but with incredible amenities like a basketball courtyard, giant kitchen to study, hangout, or do puzzles in, multiple movie/gamerooms, and the best view of downtown Austin that West Campus has to offer. Your friends are right next door too, which makes logistics for going out together and come home together very easy. The home-cooked meals are absolutely incredible, and dinners are tasty, and the whole house has the chance to get together to eat and chat. There usually a late night snack to satisfy any cravings as well. Plus, if you're into lifting there's a gym downstairs with two power racks. All in all, highly encourage anyone to take a look into College Houses (especially Halstead) if you're looking for housing.

Shayla Hill

If I could give College Houses a 10 out of 5 I would. I have lived here (Halstead) for almost three years and it has been a truly wonderful time for me. This organization is much different than normal apartments or homes (and for the better!). It fosters a sense of community that is unparalleled to any other place you could live and if you're willing to put in a little effort you can become a part of that community too. College houses has been more than just a place to live for me--it has been a home and has given me some of the best memories in my life.

If you are looking for an affordable place to live that includes utilities and food, a place where you'll make life-long friendships, or a place where you'll make memories to last a lifetime, then College Houses is for you.

All of the photos I have attached were taken at CH within the last semester (Spring 2019)

Roisin O'Neill

I lived in Pearl Street coop during my study abroad and had a great experience. The house was ran extremely well considering the large amount of people living in one space. The systems in place are very efficient and all students take responsibility to live cooperatively. I made friends for life in this coop and could not recommend living in a college houses coop any more!

S. E.

I'm an exchange student from Germany and I currently live at the 21st street Co-Op. I've been living there for half a year and I will stay for one more semester, before I have to go back to Germany. I can definitely recommend living at one of the College Houses Co-Ops! Especially for us students, the Co-Ops are great - they're in walking distance to campus, they provide you with food (!), and they're full of other students who share your experience - so you'll find people who can give you advice on class projects, but you'll also always have someone who will go out to party with you, or take you to some creative student performance on campus! You'll probably find wonderful friends during your time at the Co-Op!
Every single Co-Op has its own culture, its own way of doing things - from a more apartment-style life at Opsis, to a very community-oriented/ family-style life at Pearl or 21st Street. So, to find the one that's a good match for your personality, you might want to look into that before applying. The membership coordinators will always be there to answer questions, or give you a tour around.
Just like with every other living situation, there might be things at the Co-Ops that you might have to come to terms with - especially if you choose/ are chosen by one of the bigger Co-Ops. For instance, it would probably be good if you enjoyed social contact, and living in a community. Labor (doing work that keeps everything going, like cooking, cleaning, building, maintaining) is an integral part of the Co-Ops, so be prepared to join in. Some places are noisier than others, some place more emphasis on community than cleaning, some Co-Ops might be better if you want to study at home a lot, at others, you will experience unusual, exciting events and parties. Some Co-Ops are a great place to be creative and every Co-Op will give you the opportunity to shape their culture.
I would certainly move into my Co-Op again!

Aaron Germanio

This organization has a debt collection agency constantly calling me. College Houses is trying to extort and fear-monger me into paying them $650 that I DO NOT owe them. And they have even gone as far as to threaten to sue me, and demanded I pay their lawyer fees ($550/hr). Yeah right, you guys are bluffing. Stop trying to bully and intimidate me. For shame. Typical of social justice warrior organizations who constantly preach equity, I reckon?

Update - The response from the owner is so disrespectful and dishonest. Stop treating your tenants this way. I paid my dues. I work and am a productive member of society. You guys are scammers, liars, and thieves. I do not owe you anything at all. Stop trying to save face, get rid of the false charge, and get out of my life. We can agree to disagree but the continued lies about me owing you guys money, and the threats to my livelihood via email and phone calls need to stop.

Update 2 - At some point in time after I left my first update (see above), College Houses removed their response. Why would College Houses delete something like that? I suppose the better question to ask would be, why would College Houses say something so ugly in the first place? For some wacko leftists who are so worried about offending people, you guys sure say a lot of offensive and downright vulgar stuff. What's going on with that? I wish I could remember exactly what these clowns said, but obviously they touched on me "not being a productive member of society". Please, give me a break. You guys harmed yourselves with the wrong comment then deleted it. Wouldn't be the first or the last time.

Sasha Henry

A wonderful cooperative organization and time well spent as a member where I made some of the best memories of my life and my best friends too. I hope they never tear down Pearl or 21st Street since west campus has seen so many drastic changes over the years. I will always be a proud alumni of College Houses.

Ben Gewehr

Went there once on a Friday night with a friend. I'd have to say that a fair number of people there seemed to be stoned. I probably got offered hash brownies about a dozen times.

For legal purposes, I can't be absolutely certain that they were smoking pot. It just looked and smelled that way to me. Maybe the phrase "hash brownies" has a different meaning to communists and hipsters as well.

But I'm pretty sure of what I saw, smelled, and heard.

There were obviously a lot of hipster people in organic clothing and whatnot. It's a coop in Austin, what do you expect. As far as I'm concerned, if you're fine with weed, you don't mind liberal people, and don't mind helping your fellow communists with cooking and cleaning, it's probably a good fit for you.

Mark Hansen

I was ridiculed continually by the members of 21st Street co-op while I lived here.

Multiple friends of mine have been ridiculed by the residents of these co-ops & the staff seems to stand behind the abusive behavior.