Are You Ready To Move Off Campus?

Smoke alarms are mandated to be on all levels of your house and in every bedroom. In order to qualify a room as a bedroom, it must have at minimum one window you can fit through safely. Fire extinguishers are used by pulling out the pin under the button, and depressing the button while sweeping the fluid back and forth at the base of the fire. Not all fires are dealt with in the same way, particularly not with water. It’s suggested that you smother a grease fire, as adding water will cause it to grow larger.

As found in the FAQ on the Off Campus Living site, there’s no specific rule for when to look for housing. Though each person is different, 3 to 4 months is the sweet spot for most people. A month is a little too soon, and you definitely don’t want to be pressured into living somewhere that isn’t the best fit. If you can find somewhere a year in advance, that’s great! Most landlords will not list their housing that far in advance.

The Stony Brook train station (Long Island Rail Road) is right here alongside the perimeter of campus, and the second to last stop on the Port Jefferson Line. Ronkonkoma is also used by some students, as it’s about a 20 minute drive away from campus, but a direct line from the city. The LIRR goes into Penn Station, while Grand Central is considered the hub for the Metro North. Lake Grove does not have a train station. More information can be found on the Long Island Railroad website.

The commuter meal plan is flexible, and if you run out of funds you can always add more at the FSA site. It is also important to know that getting a commuter meal plan is voluntary! That said, you can save on campus food by having one, as sales tax is not charged when using a meal plan on campus. For the record, you can definitely use it at Jasmine's (and Starbucks and Red Mango, too!) The full size commuter plan is for $500, and the smaller size is $250. The budget plan starts as low as $20.

We are not a city, although our population is considerable. We’re not spread out enough to be rural, even though we have small towns. However, there are more rural towns in Eastern Suffolk. That leaves suburban, a mix of small towns and commercial businesses near a city.

Rent is fixed, and cannot be changed or budgeted out if you still want to live off campus. You signed a lease, meaning you’ll pay on time, but also meaning your landlord generally can’t change your monthly rent for the duration of your lease/contract. In some instances money for rent can be provided, either by family or the financial aid office, and you can take out loans and pay them back later. However, it can’t be negotiated and has to get paid in full when it is due.

Although all of the towns are real places in Suffolk County and are driving distance from Stony Brook, Ronkonkoma is 14 miles away. Nesconset is 6 miles from campus, Port Jefferson Station is 5 miles, and Setauket is spitting distance at less than 1 mile.

8 am and 5 pm are considered rush hour, or times when most workers move to or from their jobs. Because this area is suburban, there is an influx of cars and buses at around 3 pm, when schools generally let out. Therefore, 10 am is a pretty good bet for low traffic flow; most people are at work or school, and many lunch breaks are a little later in the day. With this in mind, you should budget your commute time accordingly based on your school schedule, mode of transportation and distance from campus.

A landlord can ultimately select a tenant that they feel is the best fit, but they can’t discriminate when looking for tenants. There should not be cameras in any room within the home, as it is a serious invasion of privacy. Town codes permit a certain number of tenants who are not related, and this can be checked by the town or on the rental listing. We suggest you see a home before committing to moving in, as it’s very important that the rental is safe, and it’s impossible to know for sure without seeing it.

If you have any concerns about the legality of a rental, you can call Commuter Student Services and Off-Campus Living at 631-632-7353 or your specific township.

All this information, and more, is available on the Off-Campus Living site! Telling a neighbor you trust that you won’t be home increases the likelihood of them calling the police if they see suspicious activity. Turning off the heat in the winter can cause pipes to freeze and burst. Instead, your thermostat should be set to about 55 degrees Fahrenheit. While some would suggest you keep a radio on, most experts suggest you unplug electronics such as the TV in order to avoid fires. You should totally throw out food that will rot in your fridge. That’s something you don’t want to deal with when you get home.

Gas stoves are legal and can be used safely, with caution, just like electric stoves. Sinks do have to be checked for rust, as it’s indicative of neglect. Hallways and common areas do need light. Bedrooms can not have locks, especially on the outside, as per town codes.

Unlike internet or phone, which is now considered a necessity and therefore a flexible expense, cable is not considered vital to off campus life. Although cheaper plans can help you save and sometimes landlords will provide cable, usually it’s considered a splurge. Many students are now opting to get services from the internet, such as Netflix, in order to watch TV. Remember, the Commuter Commons in the SAC has TV with cable (on the basement level), as does the Campus Recreation Center (if there’s something you really want to watch).

Anyone at any age is allowed to move off campus. Most of the time you’ll get your aid or loans in the form of a refund check and you are expected to spend them on your living at school, including off campus housing. However, it’s important to check with financial aid to see how your situation changes. Also, you should ask your Financial Aid Advisor when your refund check will be dispersed as you may need to plan accordingly.

The code of conduct applies on and off campus. For example, it is breaking the law (Social Host Law) to knowingly let minors consume alcohol in your home- including a rental- if you are over eighteen. While there can be legal sanctions from the police, the university can also get involved.

The express bus line runs at all times of day on weekdays from 6:30 am to 10:48 pm according to the schedule. Commuters can always pay for metered parking, and can park in green lots with the Commuter Parking Pass (FYI- Red parking zones are for faculty/staff, but are typically unrestricted before 7am and after 4pm.) These are South P, North P, and Gym Road. Stadium parking is available to students who pay $150 annually to use it, though you may need to initially sign up for the wait list. You can obtain a pass online or in person.

The off campus housing rental listings only promote properties that are verified to be legal by the town. Landlords must provide valid Accessory Apartment Permits or House Rental Permits in order to be eligible.

Stony Brook is considered a hamlet in the Town of Brookhaven. Three Village is the public school district. Suffolk is the county in New York State. When deciding to live off campus, it is important to know the specifics about town codes and infrastructure to ensure that your renting legally, aware of local government and the services provided to you by your township (garbage, etc.) For more details on different local townships, click here.

Bins must have the garbage in them, as it won’t be picked up off the ground. Garbage is picked up twice a week. Recycling is once a week, and does not need to be separated, but does need an official sticker. Pizza boxes are too greasy to be recycled.