The Corp, in conjunction with the Georgetown University Student Association and Georgetown Student Tenant Association, launched Roomr, the first Georgetown student-run, centralized platform for evaluating landlords and off-campus properties, on Monday. The website allows those with Georgetown email addresses to access and contribute to a database for landlord and property reviews as well as subletting opportunities.
“From GSTA’s perspective, we’ve constantly seen people have horrible experiences with their landlords. Every time, you fall into the same trap, because there’s no warning,” said Alyssa Peterson (COL ‘14), founder and former co-director of GSTA, a nonprofit founded in 2013 that reviews leases and gives advice on students’ tenant rights.
According to current GUSA Secretary of Neighborhood Relations Christopher Kraft (SFS ‘15), the University does not currently provide information on housing or offer tenants a forum to post reviews on their landlords. According to Peterson, Roomr will provide this forum and will be more trustworthy from students’ perspectives.
“When things come from the University, students don’t necessarily subscribe to the concept,” said Peterson. She added that GSTA will moderate and approve each comment to prevent slander.
While The Corp is the primary sponsor and will both design and financially support the website, GUSA worked with GSTA on the initial idea and proposed the idea to The Corp last fall. The University was invited to provide feedback on Roomr’s user-friendliness and supports but will not be financially or legally involved with Roomr, according to Peterson. According to The Corp CEO Sam Rodman (MSB ’15), Roomr will continue to undergo revisions and actively seek feedback from its users.
Director of the Office of Neighborhood Life Corey Peterson agreed that a student-run site for landlord and property reviews would be most effective. “Having the website created and moderated by students allows everyone to discuss the good and bad of living in privately owned housing and how properties are managed,” he said.
According to Max Harris (COL ’15), GUSA director of communications, GUSA will help advertise Roomr through the Georgetown Community Partnership and ensure that students know about the website and the benefits of using it. “A major part of GUSA’s responsibilities over the next couple of weeks will be to encourage seniors to sign up,” he said.
Corp employees were the first students to upload information and provide feedback on landlords and houses. Landlords are given user reviews and ratings on a scale of one to 10 in three categories: overall, efficiency, and response to email. While landlords may contact GSTA regarding reviews they believe are unfair or unjustified, only Georgetown students can post on Roomr.
According to GUSA Vice President Omika Jikaria (SFS’ 15), Roomr will also help the University comply with the Campus Plan, which requires Georgetown to maintain a curated list of rental properties that maintain a Basic Business License, coordinate with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to address problematic landlords, and encourage good behavior from landlords.
The organizers of Roomr hope the website will encourage better practices. “It is our hope that as Roomr is used more, it will change landlord behavior as they seek better ratings,” said GSTA Co-Director Mary Hanley (COL ‘16), who also suggested that Roomr may expand from database to a communicative tool between landlords and students.
