University Students Coorporative Association

Watch out!!! The conditions are horrible!!! The houses are filthy, maintenance is poor and they will not return one cent. They say they have to fill your spot even if you pull out 3 weeks ahead. No responsibility for the conditions and they try to force you into staying to get your money. Do not pay 1 cent until you have seen with your own eyes these coops and do not sign the contract. We came across the country and were assured by the people that answer the phones that the they maintained them clean and in good condition and they are far from it. They tell you there are waiting lists to get in when in fact they cannot fill them, speaks for itself.

Most of these houses are dumps or seismically unsound. Rooms are mostly tiny, or shared with little say as to who with. If you have any desire to study, I would advise going to rock concerts every day for twelve years and standing as close to the amps as possible. That’s the only way you’re going to be able to sleep through a party at a place like Cloyne or Casa Zimbabwe.
Have fun when teenagers sneak in and steal laptops from peoples’ rooms while they’re sleeping.
Enjoy being forced to foot the bill when your manager charges you for parking you didn’t purchase, or your house forces you to pay for the debt your house accrues because of its managers’ incompetence. Did I mention the underage drinking? Great if you’re underage. Just have fun trying to deal with the cops. FYI if your house gets enough noise complaints, all residents are legally liable, regardless of whether you were present at an event or contributed to the noise or not.
Did I mention the drug overdoses and the constant threat of eminent domain seizure of property by the university?
Oh yes, and if you’re female, don’t expect anything to come out of any complaint you lodge that you’ve been raped, possibly by a manger or even someone higher up in the hierarchy! It’s been known to happen, and it’s a coin toss as to whether they’ll deal with it competently.
Let’s see, what else? Code violations in spades in the kitchens. I wouldn’t let my dog eat food out of some of those refrigerators.
It’s cheap, but you get what you pay for, and that’s crap.

Life-​Changing. DIY. Indispensably fun.
USCA the former name for Berkeley Student Cooperative — you can find a whole lot more information on
The non-​profit was founded by a group of students in 1933 now the organization is co-​operatively run by students, Board of directors. It has 17 houses and 3 apartments.
I personally lived in Sherman Hall, Caza Zimbabawe, Hillegass Parker House. My time in the BSC could not be emphasized enough as a key part of my college career. The Do-​It-​Yourself attitude is encouraging. I’m always learning from my peers. The party always ends up in the kitchen, I love making healthy and delicious food for all my friends.
The organization provides affordable housing for those who likes to belong in a community. Specialization in workshifts allows people to choose a role to play. I maintained the Internet, cooked meals, gardened, washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms, made art, maintained furniture. etc.
There are ups and downs of the co-​ops. I understand how some students who needs more personal space could find the co-​op environment to be overwhelming. Often the kitchen, common space could be a mess after a party. The rooms are not all created equal, the more active points one has increases the chance during «room-​bids».
Overall, I could not be the person I am today without having lived in the BSC.
Here are some co-​op terms:
— fish — somebody who lives in the house as a friend without a contract
— nutty-​yeast — nutritional yeast that goes well with avocado
— dumpster-​dive: find toss-​out food around markets in Berkeley
— CK central kitchen
— Elves — people who live in Lothlorien co-​op
— etc etc etc…

I entered into the Berkeley Student Cooperatives my very first semester at Cal. I turned down two years of guaranteed housing in the dorms for the possibility of getting into the co-​ops. Why? Because the coops are cheap! Well, cheaper.
For about $ 760/​month you get room, food, internet, tv, etc. Better than all that though is the community. It sounds corny, but when you are a bright eyed freshman with no friends at Cal, it makes all the difference. In most co-​ops, your housemates aren’t just people who live next to you. Often times they end up being your teammates in broomball tournaments, walking buddies to the library, or someone to talk to when the stresses of being a student get to you.
Each house has its own personality and before you apply, I strongly advise that you at least take a tour of the houses you are applying to.