UH dorm-scramble extends to Waikiki

By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer

It's not your typical student dorm: time-share condos for sale in the lobby, puka shells and cold beer available nearby and the sands of Waikiki Beach within 500 yards.

Some University of Hawai'i students will stay in rooms similar to this one at the 'Ohana Reef Towers in Waikiki. UH has leased rooms on seven floors of the hotel. Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Welcome to the University of Hawai'i's newest "dormitory."

With enrollment swelling on virtually every college campus in town, the scramble for dorm rooms has sent UH-Manoa housing personnel to Waikiki looking for space to help with the expected increase of about 350 students over last year's enrollment of 18,700, although final numbers are not yet available.

At the same time, Hawai'i Pacific University has a property management company scouring town for neighborhood rentals to accommodate an additional 300 students while Chaminade University of Honolulu has leased yet another off-campus apartment building to add 32 beds to last year's 386.

It's all part of the back-to-college rush on O'ahu, a tradition that's complicated this year by the tight housing market and skyrocketing rental rates.

"We have a large waiting list that far exceeds the available space," said UH housing director Darryl Zehner, whose dorms accommodate more than 3,000 students but still fall short. "We sent a request for proposals to about 30 hotels."

For the first time, Zehner said, the university has actually leased rooms on seven floors of a hotel, the 'Ohana Reef Towers in Waikiki's concrete jungle, a block from Don Ho Street and in the midst of steak houses and smorgasbords.

In the past, UH has referred students to hotels willing to offer special rates, but then last fall piloted a fairly successful referral program with three dozen students and dorm staff at another Waikiki hotel. This year marks a major expansion of the concept.

"We've leased 140 beds — 70 rooms," said Zehner. "It's open to any UH students, including community colleges."

The new hotel housing program has been so popular, said housing program manager Louise Yamamoto, there's a 50-person waiting list and parents have been e-mailing to beg for spots for their children.

Erik Aviles, 19, from Kailua, Kona on the Big Island, counts himself one of the lucky ones, but his father is worried about having his son in the middle of Waikiki nightlife.

"He has to be on the cautious side," warned Robert Aviles. But Erik said he's not worried. "Distracting?" he said. "Not really. I know a lot about it already, so school work will definitely come first."

University of Hawai'i dormitories on campus, such as those at the Hale Aloha complex and Hale Noelani, are full, forcing the university to find space in Waikiki hotels.

The 'Ohana Reef Towers on Lewers Street offers dorm students amenities such as a pool and maid service. Photos by Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

Student Justin Asbill from Pinehurst, N.C., said what he likes best is the air-conditioning, something dorms on the Manoa campus don't have. Though he won't move in until Friday for the start of UH classes Aug. 25, the 23-year-old junior checked into the hotel for a pre-school vacation last week.

Meanwhile, at HPU, with about 4,000 students in the market for housing (the campus has about 9,000 students) the downtown college will continue working with the Cadmus property management company to hunt for space and try to match potential roommates.

"Housing is tight statewide right now, so it's certainly a concern," said Scott Stensrud, HPU's associate vice president for enrollment management. "We've been sharing that with students to make sure they make arrangements before they arrive."

Two days ago Stensrud had a concerned Colorado father e-mail him that his daughter was arriving early to search for housing. "They were worried," said Stensrud. "It didn't look like a lot was available."

The 200-student dorm on HPU's Windward campus has long been booked and there have been no cancellations.

"But a lot of students find housing on their own," said HPU housing director Patrick Mayock. "We have a downtown housing office and post vacancies that local landlords send in and the names of other local property managers."

Mayock said a high percentage of HPU students find their way into Waikiki studios or hotels that are part of the inventory of property management companies. "I would hope it helps bring their occupancy up," he said. "With those students buying goods and services, it contributes to the local economy."

At Chaminade University of Honolulu in Kaimuki, with a 28 percent increase in applications over last year and a 39 percent increase in deposits, the school is expanding even farther off-campus to find more housing.

Last year the 1,000-plus student campus bought a small 62-space apartment block on Kapi'olani Boulevard and leased another. This year the university has had to lease yet another facility, to add 44 more spaces, and enlist the help of the 'Ohana West Hotel on Kuhio Avenue in Waikiki for an additional 20 spaces.

"We have that as backup," said Grissel Benitez-Hodge, dean of students, of the hotel beds. "But we would put upper-class students there. We believe first-year students need to be living on campus. It's important for their transition into college."

The University of Hawai'i's informal agreement with a Waikiki hotel last year led to some complaints from students at the end of the year regarding high hotel parking and telephone costs of which they said they had been unaware.

But this year, students will know that such amenities are extra — and something they're personally responsible for. "It operates much like a residence hall with live-in staff," said Zehner. "There is parking, but you have to pay and it's not inexpensive. They're strictly on their own (for that)."

As further evidence that this year's arrangement is more substantial, the 'Ohana Reef Towers will waive all telephone connection fees and plans to set up a computer lab room with four to six connections, as well as make information available if students want to pay for a wireless system for their room.

Problems arose last year because students didn't realize they were being charged 80 cents each time they connected to the Internet, said Zehner, though the other hotel eventually dropped those charges.

Zehner said the shared hotel rooms, with tiny built-in kitchenettes, private baths and weekly linen exchange and maid service will be $2,460 per semester — roughly the same cost as a one-bedroom, two-person apartment on the UH campus. Room service is also available, but not at UH expense.

What they lack in proximity to classes — the No. 4 city bus comes along Kuhio Avenue every 25 minutes for the 20-minute trip to campus, barring a strike — they make up by being smack in the epicenter of one of the world's exciting destinations.

"Since we have live-in staff as well as hotel security, we feel confident students are not going to be at-risk living there, or in the Waikiki area," Zehner said.

In matching up students, program manager Yamamoto said she had concerns about students going wild in Waikiki, but she's trusting her instincts in placing them. She divvied up the space between Kapi'olani Community College students, foreign and Mainland students and Hawai'i students.

"I talked to them or their parents and they seemed very sincere about getting into housing rather than focusing on wild life," she said. "And we have mature and experienced residential advisers, and I'm going to count on that."

Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.