One of the benefits of attending law school at Case Western Reserve University is the affordability and availability of reasonably priced housing in
Cleveland. Also, unlike most major cities, you need not use a real estate agent to locate apartments; our residential communities offer, as a neighborhood service, housing information.
A recent survey of current law students revealed these average monthly rental rates:
| Type of Accommodation | Average Per Student
Monthly Cost |
| Single | $700 |
| Shared apartment | $450 |
| Family accommodations | $900 |
Because of low housing expenses, your housing budget at Case will be much less than at a law school in other, more expensive cities. Be aware, however, that the "student budget" allotted to you by the University reflects this low cost of living and, as a result, your budget will include a smaller allowance for living expenses than elsewhere. No matter whether you live alone or with five other roommates, you will be entitled to the same living expense allowance, so we would urge you to get a roommate instead of living alone. You will find that this makes your loan dollars stretch a lot further and enables you to take out less in loans than you are eligible for.
The Case campus, located in
University Circle, is situated on the edge of beautiful residential neighborhoods, which are described below. Students live in apartments, two-family houses, rooms in private homes, and single-family houses that several students rent together. Housing in these neighborhoods is close to the law school and many students live within walking or biking distance. In addition,
RTA buses run from University Circle to these areas via Mayfield and Cedar Roads.
Areas Near The Law School
The
City of Cleveland Heights, where most students live, has three neighborhoods that are attractive to students (because of the proximity of a grocery store and other shops), known as Coventry, North Coventry, and Cedar-Fairmount. These areas are a 15-25 minute walk to school. The
Cleveland Heights Relocation Services, 40 Severance Circle, Cleveland Heights, OH 44118, (216) 291-5813, is open Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The rental coordinator maintains rental listings and is extremely helpful. The
RTA Rapid Transit Red Line runs directly from the University stop (at the edge of Cleveland Heights) through downtown, out into the airport. Also nearby is the
City of University Heights, home to John Carroll University.
Another nearby neighborhood, historic
Shaker Square, is about a 10-minute drive to the law school. The apartments are in very good condition and prices are comparable to those in Cleveland Heights.
The Shaker Square Area Development Corp., 11811 Shaker Blvd. Suite 206, Cleveland OH 44120, (216) 421-2100, open 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, maintains a current register of available rentals in the Shaker Square neighborhood. There is a city bus that runs from Shaker Square to
University Circle. The
RTA Rapid Transit Blue Line and Green Line run between Shaker Square and downtown.
The
City of Shaker Heights, 3400 Lee Road, Shaker Heights, OH 44120, (216) 491-1370, web site provides resources and assistance for those seeking apartments and homes for rent. Click
here if you wish to send email to the Shaker Heights Housing Office.
Students also find apartments right in the
University Circle area. The
Hessler Court/East 115th Street area borders the law schools and offers very reasonably-priced apartments.
The Triangle, (216) 791-5959, located in the heart of University Circle, is a 5-minute walk from the law school. Also nearby are the
Waldorf Tower Apartments (about a 15-minute walk), (216) 791-8547, and
Kensington Place (about a 10-minute drive), (216) 691-1944.
There are many beautiful neighborhoods just west of the City of Cleveland as well. The city of
Lakewood, which is about a 25 minute drive from the law school, is an area full of unique shops, restaurants and entertainment. Many properties allow for excellent views of Lake Erie or provide easy access to the lake. Comparable to Cleveland Heights in feel and types of properties available, Lakewood's housing prices are a little less expensive. Nearby neighborhoods include
Rocky River and
Westlake, which are abundant with condominiums as well as apartments.
How To Get Information About Available Housing
May through June is a good time to start looking for housing for occupancy in August. The annual
Entering Student Day in June (for admitted applicants) provides a good opportunity for entering students to get to know other incoming 1Ls who may also be looking for a roommate and to take a look at the notices posted on the bulletin boards around the law school by folks looking for someone to share an apartment or house. Representatives from area housing agencies and apartment buildings are on hand to offer current listings of available apartments. Also, the University's most recent Off-Campus Housing List is available at this program. Rental listings are also provided in the daily and suburban newspapers.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer is the major daily.
The Sun Press is a suburban weekly which comes out each Thursday; the suburbs of University Heights, Cleveland Heights, and
Shaker Heights jointly have their own issue of the Sun Press which can be purchased at stores in any of these communities.
The
University's Off-Campus Housing Office provides students with information about rental housing. Weekly bulletins may be picked up in the office. Hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you have been accepted to the University, you can send a copy of your acceptance letter with a self-addressed stamped envelope and they will mail a copy of the current bulletin to you. If you send multiple SASEs, they will mail an updated list every week. Write to:
Off-Campus Housing Office
Yost Hall Room 115
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106
In addition to the listings at the Off-Campus Housing Office, you will find that the bulletin boards in the law school, CASE's other professional schools, and the student union (Thwing Center) carry notices of available apartments and houses.
Roommate Referral Service
The law school’s new interactive on-line roommate search service allows students to create a custom profile which enables them to conduct real-time searches for roommates based on different compatibility factors. Admitted students looking for a roommate can use this free service by visiting the ‘Admitted students’ page.
