The other half of college: a glimpse at student living conditions in Santa Barbara

The many unique housing plans

Juxtaposition contrasts the differences in the bedroom layout of someone living in a dimly lit attic as opposed to the typical college oriented apartment

Overflowing garbage and moist counters decorate college students’ Beach City apartment April 19 in Santa Barbara, Calif. This was the result of five roommates struggling to balance cleaning responsibilities. (Michael Lopez)

In the midst of a nationwide housing crisis, California has experienced some of its most dramatic effects in recent years. The cost of rent in Santa Barbara has seen an average increase of 66% in the last decade, with housing units containing four or more bedrooms experiencing an increase of around 87%, according to the City of Santa Barbara 2024 Rent Survey for the South Coast. For many local students, the rising costs of living have shaped not just where they live, but how they live, resulting in crowded living spaces, shared meals and for some, a sense of community.

Whether it’s group study sessions or waiting for a quiet moment when the apartment is vacant, students adapt to get their work done.

The housing next door: living at Beach City

Groceries sit on the counter and floor of Lucia Colaco’s one bedroom apartment April 19 at the Beach City complex in Santa Barbara, Calif. Unlike most units in the complex Colaco shares the space with just one other person. (Michael Lopez)

Footsteps away from City College’s campus is Beach City apartment complex, the closest option to on-campus housing there is. Students have made up the majority of Beach City’s community since it was purchased and converted into student housing by developer Ed St George in 2013. The close proximity to their classes and peers make it a popular first choice for students who want to fully immerse themselves in the college experience.

The unhinged door to the room shared by Nico Kemp and his two roommates sits against the wall April 19 at Beach City apartment complex in Santa Barbara, Calif. The door was previously kicked down during a party.

The many obstacles

With student housing that embodies the college experience comes the ramifications of a chaotic environment. The front door of Beach City resident Nick’s shared apartment remained broken for an extended period of time.

“I knew some people when I first moved here that were doing something they shouldn’t have been. This house got raided, this door got kicked in, and so that’s just been messed up ever since,” he said.

Students often cite excessive noise as an obstacle that prevents them from completing their schoolwork.

“There’s definitely times where it’s quiet, but I usually do schoolwork in the library, it’s easier to focus there,” film production student Joaquin Laborin said.

The unhinged door to the room shared by Nico Kemp and his two roommates sits against the wall April 19 at Beach City apartment complex in Santa Barbara, Calif. The door was previously kicked down during a party. (Michael Lopez)

A close look at economics student Anders Axelsson and his three roommates’ Beach City unit on April 20, 2025. “I love to cook so that is the only thing that annoys me about our apartment,” said Axelsson on the state of the kitchen.

Cooking up cleanliness: How students navigate their kitchens

Shared by 25 residents, the Arroyo House kitchen shows signs of use April 28 in Santa Barbara, Calif. With high occupancy, the area is a constant struggle to keep clean. (Michael Lopez)

As many students know, if there’s one space in the home where the coordination of roommates is put on display, it’s the kitchen. When communication falls through, the writing is on the walls: dishes pile up, unknown substances smear the counters, and trash cans remain filled for days. On the other side of the spectrum, housemates who work in unison are able to not only keep the space where they eat clean, but also personalize it as their own, decorating it with posters, magnets, and handwritten notes that reflect their characters.

The exterior of the fridge in Smith’s apartment is accessorized with photo strips, location memorabilia from various states and cities, and a white board. Meanwhile Stewart and her roommates keep the inside of their overstuffed fridge organized by assigning each person a row.

The crimson front door of the home shared by The Channels Editor-in-Chief Sylvia Stewart and her roommates swings open April 25 in Santa Barbara, Calif. Built in 1928, the house still contains an old fashioned mail slot. (Michael Lopez)

Posters and vinyls: Living by upper State Street

College students Nataliya Pvatkovska and Ella Walker share a makeshift attic room. The door at its center marks where the two halves of the room are separated.

Six feet up: An unlikely home in the attic

A steep ladder connects the kitchen to the attic bedroom on April 25 in Santa Barbara, Calif. According to residents, someone has fallen from it before, highlighting the potential dangers of makeshift student housing setups. (Michael Lopez)

Above Stewart’s ceiling in the attic live students Nataliya Pyatkovska and Ella Walker. Insufficient air ventilation in their loft means Pyatkovska and her roommate must take matters into their own hands with box fans and heaters to combat the weather. With air comes the scents of the kitchen below

“Every Saturday morning it’s like a bacon factory up in here,” Walker said.

Plants, animal pillows, and musical instruments furnish the apartment shared by Smith and her roommates April 19 in Santa Barbara, Calif. The unit’s elevated location allows natural light to pour into the space. (Michael Lopez)

Serenity: Living on The Mesa

For the past two years, Raquel Smith, a staff writer for The Channels, has shared her two-bedroom apartment with fellow students Ella and Momo. When searching for housing, Smith prioritized a calm, quiet space to avoid the more chaotic student living environments. Her housing search took around four months.

Smith’s piano sits in the corner of the shared living room April 19 in Santa Barbara, Calif. She first started playing the instrument at 16 and has since learned to play pieces by artists such as C418 and Phoebe Bridgers. (Michael Lopez)

Theater Arts Acting student Charlie Schurmer reaches for chalk to answer the kitchen’s weekly riddle. An extra room of fridges is required to fulfill the kitchen needs of the entire group.

High density: Living in a packed student house

Two Bunk beds fill international student Bryndis Bjarkadottir’s room April 28 2025 at The Arroyo House in Santa Barbara, Calif. This is one of eight rooms in a building that houses 25 people. “When you actually want to be alone, it can be a bit much to be around so many people if your social battery is dead, and you want to be on your own,” Bjarkadottir on the cons of living in a large student house. (Michael Lopez)

A short walk from City College’s campus sits the Arroyo House, a two-story, nine-bedroom student housing unit where 25 students reside. Rent is divided based on how many people share each room, rather than by the house as a whole. Common areas such as the kitchen, living room, and balconies are shared by everyone.

“You gain some good relationships. I can see myself still being in contact with a lot of the people I’ve met here for a very long time,” said theatre arts student Charlie Schurmer, reflecting on the benefits of living in a large house.

UCSB Sociology graduate Yael shares four bedrooms with eleven roommates in a home that’s referred to as the “Disco House”. Perched on the cliffside and filled with mirrorballs, the house echoes with the sound of ocean waves.

The streets of youth: Living in Isla Vista

Pre-law student JJ relaxes in an above ground swimming pool in his front yard. May 4 in Isla Vista, Calif. “I play on a sports team and the boys—the seniors offered to give us their house, passing down the lease,” he said. “We didn’t have to search at all.” (Michael Lopez)

Another popular housing option for students going to school in Santa Barbara county is the unincorporated beachside community, Isla Vista. The student dominated population of 15,500 (per the 2020 census) is known for its parties and vibrant nightlife. Established in 2016, the Isla Vista Community Services District serves as the area’s local government.

Rent in Isla Vista maintains the highest average cost in the county according to a housing (per survey conducted by the City of Santa Barbara (Rental Housing Survey | City of Santa Barbara).