'The Real Burden Is On Us': UMD Students Rally In Annapolis To Be Let Out Of Campus-Affiliated Apartment Leases
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) -- University of Maryland students took to the streets of Annapolis Wednesday in a car caravan calling for elected officials to take notice of their safety and financial concerns ahead of the fall semester.
While students who live in university dorms have been able to opt out of their housing, those who signed leases to live in the campus-affiliated apartments are not being released.
Many of those who gathered in Annapolis said they signed up for housing earlier this year before knowing how widespread the coronavirus would be.
"We're trying to advocate for the students who can't risk their lives or their pockets to be there," Hannah Aalemansour, the leader of the UMD Tenants organization, said.
Aalemansour signed her lease at one of the two campus-affiliated but privately-managed apartment complexes in February. Even though 80 percent of undergraduate classes will be online, she's not able to cancel her lease.
"The real burden is on us, not on the university or the private companies," she said.
The two buildings at the center of the controversy are the South Campus Commons and The Courtyards.
WJZ reached out to the property management company that runs both buildings, Capstone On-Campus Management, but did not receive a response. In an earlier statement, the company said that, "While the owner (the Maryland Economic Development Corporation) understands and appreciates the context of these requests, they are being consistent in practice and with the terms of the current leases by allowing students out of their lease if they find another eligible student to replace them."
The company said the owner, though, is unable to cancel all leases due to other obligations to bondholders, vendors and other entities.
"There's really no need for us to be there and no need for us to be putting ourself in such a dangerous situation," rising senior Emma Denlinger said.
Denlinger was able to find someone to take over her lease buy said it was an arduous process in the name of protecting herself from possible exposure to COVID-19.
"It's much more dangerous for young people than we think, and living in such a congested apartment building is just not safe," Denlinger said.
Both apartment complexes will remain open and fully operational in the fall.