If you choose to live off campus, remember that wherever you rent, you are moving into someone's neighborhood. There are simple common-sense courtesies that will make your home life more pleasant for you and for everyone around you.

• Before you rent!
1. Be aware of the character of the neighborhood. Do you want to move into an area of young families with small children? Are you looking in a neighborhood with a high percentage of elderly residents? Consider your life-style. Will it be compatible with that of those already living there?
2. Before you rent, check the zoning to make sure that your landlord is conforming with legal occupancy limits. For instance, in R-2 zones (which constitute much of the city's residential area), single-family homes can be occupied by no more than three unrelated people. If your dwelling is in violation, the city can require the landlord to reduce the number of occupants (i.e., evict you or one of your roommates).
3. Consider your parking needs before you rent. If the apartment does not come with a parking space (or sufficient parking for the number of vehicles), see if the landlord can rent additional space(s).
4. Both the City and Town of Ithaca have adopted stringent ordinances limiting the level of noise permitted to carry within the Residential Zone and beyond the property line. In general, "unreasonable noise" is any excessive or unusually loud sound which either annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of the public, which causes injury to animal life, or causes damage to property or business.
• When you Move In!
• It's the Law!
• Community Expectations