By Emma Bloomfield

High housing prices combined with a growing demand for living spaces are common on college campuses. Northeastern is no exception.

A new study by Boston University highlighted Boston as a classic example. The study noted that housing prices across Boston have increased, prompting many universities in the city to raise prices as well.

Northeastern recently increased its housing costs from $1,830 to $4,730 per semester last year to $2,155 to $5,575 per semester for the 2007-2008 school year.

Some students are concerned about the high prices for living in residence halls where there are less than perfect living conditions.

Although Dave Cardella, a middler business major, said he thought housing prices have been consistent. Still, he said, “I think they are very, very high.”

Katherine Sprague, a middler psychology major currently living in a quadruple at Willis Hall, said there is an uneven cost distribution.

“We don’t even have an air conditioner in the room and we’re paying [almost] the same amount [it would cost] to live in West Village. It doesn’t make sense at all,” Sprague said.

Due to a lack of housing, Northeastern has had to lease space from the YMCA to house students.

Marina Iannalfo, dean of campus life, said students have been living in the YMCA for the past 10 years. The population has changed based on demand. In the past only freshmen were housed there, but this year there are 56 transfer students living there. Last year 113 students lived in the YMCA.

Instead of continuing its lease on some buildings. Northeastern is building more residence halls on campus.

A new residence hall being built on Parcel 18, which is located at the corner of Tremont and Ruggles streets, will help to combat the lack of housing on campus. Northeastern is currently constructing the housing facility that is scheduled to house 1,200 students, and is set to open in 2009.

“This still will not meet the full demand for on campus housing,” Iannalfo said.

Iannalfo said Parcel 18 will house a blend of freshmen, sophomores and transfer students.

Iannalfo estimates that approximately 50 percent of the student population lives on campus. Northeastern is looking to increase this percentage through Parcel 18.

“Northeastern’s goal is to meet housing demand. [The goal is] to be able to house all students who want to be housed,” Iannalfo said.

Since there are more freshmen residence halls than upperclassmen halls, therefore upperclassman students have to enter a lottery system to create an order for selecting a residence hall, even though students are only guaranteed housing through their middler year.

Unlike other colleges including BU, which assigns housing taking academic standings into account, Northeastern’s lottery system is random.

Iannalfo said the lottery system is only affected by seniority.

The combination of uncertainty in the lottery system and high residence hall prices has caused some upperclassmen to live off campus.

Mike Fargnoli, a senior marketing major, said his on-campus housing would have cost almost $3,000 a semester, and he easily found cheaper off-campus rates.

Currently, he pays $500 a month for an apartment in Brighton. He said he liked the accommodations and living area better off campus because he had a larger space and more amenities.

After living on campus for two years, he said he decided to move in order to save some money and have “a bit more freedom.”

For those who do stay on campus, the residence halls are priced not by hall, but by room category: enhanced, standard or economy.

“Because we have 7,500 plus beds that come in many different shapes and sizes, we do not create room rates that reflect specific square footages or specific amenities,” Iannalfo said. “The size of our housing inventory would make that approach impossible. Therefore, we follow our three-category rate.”

Iannalfo said unseen events could increase housing costs as well. If repairs are needed, if vandalism occurs or if more renovations are needed on current residence halls, housing prices could go up to cover these costs.

“The Residential Life team works hard to help our students understand that they need to treat our residence halls with care in order to curb costs and keep rates reasonable,” said Iannalfo.