Florida A&M University has announced the purchase of a 116-bed apartment complex to meet the demand of a growing student population and expand on-campus housing options.
The $12.7 million purchase comes after the university experienced an increase in class sizes over the past year.
Last summer, the University informed students in a letter that their six on-campus residence halls were filled. The University placed over 500 incoming freshmen students on a waitlist to secure some of the 2,450 on-campus beds.
Senior Arriell Drayton, was one of the students forced to move off-campus during the shortage.
“I was homeless for three months,” said Drayton. “I was looking for every apartment of all prices…basically, anywhere that had openings. Apartments were so scarce in Tallahassee. I believe this purchase that FAMU has made will help. However, I don’t feel like it’s the complete resolution because our campus is still growing, enrollment is growing, and we are still recruiting more students. With time, bachelor’s degrees are becoming like high school degrees. Everyone wants to go to college.”
The newly acquired Citivue at Railroad Square, sits near the 118-bed Light House at Brooklyn Yard apartment complex, purchased by the university in October 2022. The complexes will provide nearly 400 beds to first-time and returning students.
Vice President for Student Affairs William E. Hudson, Jr., Ph.D said in a release, that the acquisition is a part of a phase and that the university seeks to provide on-campus housing for about 45% of its students in the coming years.
“This gives us the opportunity to continue enhancing our housing portfolio,” said Hudson. “This is only a phase. We have other plans to continue to increase our on-campus housing. We began this process years ago. This is the fruit of our labor.”
Money to purchase the two apartment complexes comes from grant money approved by the U.S. Department of Education.