SALT LAKE CITY — Finding affordable housing in Utah is a challenge, especially for college students. That's why a new website is striving to highlight housing options for students.
Rebecca Cazanave is a recent college grad and cofounder of the website "The Lowdown."
She explained she started the site after seeing an overwhelming need while she was a college student.
"There are students coming in from out of town at a state or signing contracts for places they've never seen because they need a place to live," she told FOX 13 News.
In the online platform, students can share their experiences living in certain areas and create a space of accountability for landlords.
"If you have a terrible roommate, terrible landlord or mold situation, that affects your ability to succeed in school," Cazanave said. "I've heard stories where somebody's toilet is partially falling thru the ceiling above them and taking three to four weeks."
There are other popular housing reviews websites like Zillow and Apartments.com, but Cazanave says she wanted something that catered specifically to college students.
The resource goes beyond a simple rating system, even breaking things down into categories such as price and cleanliness to give students a holistic view.
"Maybe they're fantastic on cleanliness but the management is very not friendly," Cazanave said. "Depending on what students are looking for and what they value they can find the information they need."
The website took about a year and a half to develop and it officially launched two weeks ago. Right now, it's focused on major Utah universities but Cazanave says they one day plan to expand outside of the Beehive State.
