How to Search OCHA's Housing Registry

OCHA's Housing Registry lists non-Columbia-owned, furnished and unfurnished rooms and apartments for rent. Most of the listings are located in the New York metropolitan area. Listings are posted for three weeks or until the lister removes or directs OCHA to remove the listing, or OCHA determines, in its sole discretion, that the listing should be removed.

SEARCH

If you have your UNI and password, click above to go to Housing Registry.

Need help logging in?

For maximum security, if you are using a shared workstation, we strongly recommend that you exit or restart the browser before leaving the workstation.

Tips on Searching for Rooms/Apartments in the Housing Registry

In the Housing Registry, click on HOUSING SEARCH and complete the form. Then click on "Start Search" to get your results.

If you receive a message saying "Sorry, no listings matching your search criteria were found," try broadening your search criteria. For example, enter "general" under location preference and enter your dollar maximum and "0" for your minimum under monthly rent range. In addition, leave the following questions unanswered: move-in and out dates and apartment requirements. If you are still not getting any results, try again later when more listings may match your search criteria.

The Registry allows you to create one or more search profiles and receive e-mail notification whenever new listings match your profile. To receive e-mail notifications of new listings, check the box at the bottom of the search page. Each search profile will be saved for two weeks.

OCHA accepts listings from brokers who charge commissions ranging between one month's rent to 15% of the first year's rent. Many of the brokers who list in the OCHA Registry offer discounted fees to Columbia affiliates. Other OCHA listers, such as landlords and management companies, often charge application fees ranging from $50-200. Any listing that entails payment of a fee should be clearly stated. You have the option of searching for units that have no fees.

Please report to OCHA any listing where the fee was not disclosed on our Web site by clicking below. If a listing interests you, contact the lister by phone or e-mail by clicking on the INQUIRE button. Fill in the form and it will be submitted via e-mail to the lister who will respond to you. The lister's e-mail address is kept confidential.

FAQ's for Searchers

I'm an incoming student/professor/visiting scholar. How can I get access to the OCHA Housing Registry database?

Fax your acceptance/offer letter to the OCHA office at 212-854-5333. Please include an e-mail address in the fax. Allow 24 to 48 hours for our response. We will send you a user name and password by e-mail so that you can access the database from any computer.

I've been accepted to Columbia but I haven't received my formal acceptance letter yet. Can I get access to search the Housing Registry database before I get the letter?

We cannot issue a user name and password to you until you provide proof of your affiliation. As soon as you receive your acceptance letter, fax it to the OCHA office at 212-854-5333. Please include an e-mail address in the fax. Allow 24 to 48 hours for our response. We will send you a user name and password by e-mail so that you can access the database from any computer.

I'm a Columbia student and my roommate is not. Can I look for an apartment for both of us through the OCHA Housing Registry?

As long as one of you is affiliated with Columbia and has a University Network Identification (UNI) and password to search, you can access OCHA's Housing Registry database.

I'm an alum of Columbia. Can I search the Housing Registry for an apartment? What do I need to do to gain access? Can I use my old CUID?

Alumni are eligible to use OCHA's database provided they have proof of affiliation. The three types of proof OCHA accepts are:

• § alumni card
• § reading card for the library system
• § your diploma

Your old CUID will not be accepted. Fax your proof of affiliation to 212-854-5333. Please include an e-mail address in the fax. Allow 24 to 48 hours for our response. We will send you a user name and password by e-mail so that you can access the database from any computer.

I found a listing that interests me. How do I send the lister an e-mail?

To send an e-mail to a lister, click on the "Inquire" button on the bottom of the page describing the individual listing. The lister's e-mail address will not be revealed, but you will be able to send him/her a message.

Is there a fee to search the OCHA Housing Registry database?

No, there is no fee to search the OCHA database.

Are there bulletin boards or notebooks in the OCHA office that have listings in addition to what's online? What are reasons to visit the OCHA office?

No, all of the available rooms and apartments are listed in OCHA's Housing Registry database. There are no additional listings in the OCHA office. You can search the database from any computer anywhere. Reasons to visit the OCHA office are to get in-person advice, maps, and hand-out materials on a variety of real estate-related subjects as well as to use OCHA's computer workstations.

What should I do if a lister refuses to provide a written agreement (lease, sublease, or roommate agreement)?

Do not pay the rent or deposit and do not move into the space. Contact the OCHA office to make us aware of your complaint.

What should I do if I have a problem with an apartment that I've found through OCHA?

Contact the OCHA office to make us aware of the problem. OCHA has some information available regarding tenant/landlord issues. In addition, if the problem is between two members of the Columbia community, Columbia's Ombuds Office at 212-854-1234 may be able to help you.

Web Site and Database Questions

I am unable to enter the OCHA Web site. Is your Web site up and running?

If you are unable to access the OCHA Web site, try accessing the Columbia University Facilities main Web site at http://www.columbia.edu/cuf. If you also have trouble accessing this Web site, it means that our Web site is down for technical reasons and that you should try again later. Also, if you are using a firewall make sure it is not blocking the Web site.

I am unable to enter the Housing Registry to search or list an apartment. What should I do?

If you are unable to enter the Housing Registry to search or list an apartment, there are a few possible explanations:

Make sure that you are using the correct user name and password. Remember user names and passwords are case sensitive.

1. Even though this application does not write cookies to your hard disk, your browser MUST have cookies enabled. For more information about cookies and how to enable them, consult your browser's documentation.

2. You MUST access this site from the OCHA Web site, and not from a bookmarked page. The reason for this is that the data in the Housing Registry is campus-specific. Close your Web browser, reload it and try again. You may have browsed through other Web sites with active content which may affect the way your Web browser behaves.

3. The Housing Registry is designed to work with Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher.

4. If you are using a firewall, make sure that it is not blocking the Web site.

If you have tried all of the above and are still unable to enter the Housing Registry, please send an e-mail to the OCHA Webmaster.