Housing

Before You Come to Caltech

Housing

One of the most important things to consider before you arrive at Caltech is your housing arrangement. Caltech has a housing office which provides apartments. Housing will be granted based on availability and your position on the waiting list. You should get on the waiting list as soon as possible (available on the housing web site). Registering for the waiting list does not require you to take Caltech Housing but is necessary to be eligible. For more details, see Caltech Housing. You can send an email the Housing Office or call directly 626-395-6176.

You have two options:

Caltech housing (the lease cannot exceed one year)

Off-campus housing

Caltech Housing

Transitional Units

There are four furnished transitional units (three are one-bedroom and one is two-bedrooms). These units are available for a transitional short-term basis only (between 1 and 4 months) and are awarded to newly arriving postdoctoral scholars These units must be reserved by the Housing Office at housing@caltech.edu. We advise you to contact the Housing Office as soon as you know your arrival date because there is a limited number available. These unites include all furnishings (including clean linens, coffee maker, dishes, etc). Rents are $1,550/month for the one bedroom units and $1,850/month for the two bedroom unit.

Caltech Apartment

When your name comes to the top of the waiting list, you will be contacted by the Caltech Housing Office and you will have three days to accept the apartment. If you choose to take a Caltech apartment, be prepared to pay for the first month’s rent. The Caltech Housing offers a number of one- and two- bedrooms unfurnished apartments. The monthly rent for these apartments range from $1,150-$1,200 for one bedroom units to $1,400-1,600 for two bedroom units with prices varying by location These apartments can be leased for a maximum of one year but the contract can be broken early to move to off-campus housing. Extensions to the one year lease are not permitted.

The Caltech Housing units do not require a security deposit. If you start the term in the middle of the month, then the first payment is prorated.

Off-Campus Housing

We recommend visiting the following web sites:

http://Places4Students.com Look for listings under Caltech. Often these landlords have a strong relationship with Caltech and can negotiate the rent. The web site is free to you.

http://losangeles.craigslist.org (type Housing / apartments housing / Pasadena). The web site is free to you.

https://www.westsiderentals.com this web site is very comprehensive and usually costs $60 for two months but Caltech gets a 25% discount which equals $45 to.

These web sites include a variety of options ranging from furnished rooms to full houses for rent. Be aware that these places often require more money up front: you have to pay a security deposit (normally between one month and one-and-a-half month’s rent) and the rent for the current month (means you will have to pay at least two months to get started). So speak with the landlords to get the details. Also, most landlords require that your monthly salary be two to two-and-a-half times the monthly rent. For example: if your monthly salary is $3,125, then you would qualify for an apartment that rents for $1,250 to $ 1,560 per month. Others may require the tenant to have a Social Security Number (SSN). Housing off-campus tends to be a little more expensive than on campus (+ 10% on average), but you will generally be able to stay for longer than one year. If you are willing to commute, you might be able to find cheaper housing in communities farther away.

Even if nothing you see online seems like a good fit, the Housing Office might still be able to make special arrangements for your needs. Never hesitate to contact them.

To see a sample of a lease application.

Motels in Pasadena

Finally, if you prefer to take your time once arrived, you can stay in a motel around Caltech; some of them offer discount to Caltech fellows.

Furniture and Supplies

Disclaimer: The information provided in this web site is for general information only. Caltech does not endorse or recommend any of the organizations mentioned on the web site. The information provided is also non-exhaustive. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Please feel free to contact us.

When looking at apartments, make sure to budget in the costs of furniture and supplies, for example linens, cooking supplies and furniture. Several stores near campus provide relatively cheap furniture and online vendors often have good prices.

Shops

Target Stores
777 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena
3121 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena
Target delivers for free if you buy (on line or in the shop) for $50 and more

Ikea
600 North San Fernando Blvd, Burbank
Ikea web site has an automatic calculator for deliveries

Wal-Mart
1600 South Mountain Ave, Duarte
1950 Auto Center Drive, Glendora
Wal-Mart delivers for free selected items if you buy on line or in the shop (since the selected items change very often, we suggest you to look at their web site before)

WorldCostplus
3655 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena
WorldCostplus delivers for free if you buy on line or in the shop from $50 and above

Pottery Barn
Old Town Pasadena, 1 East Colorado Blvd, Pasadena 91105
Call 626 577 1474 to know about conditions of delivery / shipping

Crate and Barrel
75 west Colorado Blvd, Pasadena 91105
Call 626 683 8000 to know about conditions of delivery / shipping

Tips: You can save a lot of money if you visit these shops online and choose the menu “Sales” or “Bargains” or “Clearance” or “Promotions”

Wholesales and Outlets (there are factory shops and sell with a 50 to 70% rebate)

CostCo 2207 West Commonwealth avenue, Alhambra 91803

Macy’s Furniture Outlet: 3880 North Mission Road, Los Angeles

Pottery Barn Outlet

Crate and Barrel Outlet

Tips: Also, go to Goggle and type “outlet furniture”; you will be given many others web sites

Thrift Shops
Consider also buying in thrift shops; there are second-hand material shops; some of them propose very good deal on decent furniture and household

Salvation Army
56 West Del Mar Blvd, Pasadena 91105 – Tel: 626 577 4649
It’s especially good for furniture and baby / kids’ toys. The good days are Thursdays and Fridays when they get new items in the shop.

Huntington Collection: 766 South Fair Oaks, Pasadena. Tel: 626-535-2468
It’s a very good place to find furniture and households. A good day is Thursday as they get new items that day.

Good Will
183 Altadena Drive, 91107 Pasadena
112 East Colorado Blvd, 91105 Pasadena

Craigslist is a useful website for finding everything; choose Furniture and Household and you’ll get a lot of choices.

Bargains Los Angeles is the premiere bargain hunting, bargain shopping and samples sales guide to the Los Angeles area

Yellow Pages Many thrift shops are on Colorado Blvd, between Lake av. and Rosemead Blvd

Caltech Baby Furniture and Household Equipment Loan
Caltech and JPL employees and their significant others can borrow maternity clothes, cribs, stroller, high chairs, baby swings, baby bathtubs and toys as well as pots and pans, plates glasses and other useful household items. A nominal donation is requested for some items (cribs $20, lamp $4…). Other items are free (including children toys and clothes). Donations of new and gently items are welcome.
It’s located in Pasadena, 234 South Catalina Avenue (behind 230 South Catalina, just North of Del Mar avenue). It’s operated only once a week, on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Just show up and pick what you need.

Caltech Today/Classified
Household, furniture and cars are posted every week by Caltech fellows on this website; it’s worth to have a look regularly.

Tips: Yard and Garage Sales: check local newspapers like Penny Saver and Pasadena StarNews for yard and garage sales. They occur when individuals sell their used clothes, furniture, toys and household items in their own yard/garage. You can find great deals through this funny and friendly way.

Short Term Storage

The companies in and around Pasadena are:

U-Haul

AAmerican Self Storage

SoCal Self Storage

StoreBox Self Storage

Moving Companies

If you are looking for a moving company, you may check the Caltech procurement web site which lists moving companies that have established contract agreements with Caltech.

Utility Services

The companies providing telephone, electricity, water and gas in Pasadena are:

AT&T is the general telephone service provider for the San Gabriel and also offers DSL service.

Skype You may consider to use it for your phone calls; it’s a free connection any where in the world as long as you speak from computer to computer; you can also see your correspondent with a webcam.

Pasadena Water and Power or call 626 744 4459, PWP provides water and electricity in Pasadena.

Southern California Edison provides electricity to other cities in Southern California

The Gas Company provides gas service to the majority of Southern California

Charter Cable provides internet TV and telephone service

If you need more information, please contact Barbara Avouac