What types of apartments/rooms are available?
The Villas at Tropicana offers 2 bedroom/2 bath fully furnished apartments with full kitchens which house 4-8 persons, depending on the option that you choose.

How many people live there?
There are 48 apartments at the Villas at Tropicana, and roughly 150-180 residents.

What types of leases are available?
The lease contracts for By the Bed leases are for the period of August 25, 2012 – June 15, 2013. “By the Bed” leases or “Joint & Several” leases are available. If there is a mixed gender apartment OR an apartment that houses non-students, the lease must be “Joint & Several.” The lease contracts are for the period of August 25, 2012 to August 17, 2013 or June 23, 2012 to June 15, 2013 for our 12 month lease options.

What is a Joint & Several lease?
You and your roommate(s) are responsible for the lease together and separately. In other words, you are leasing as a group, as well as individually. For example, if you wake up to find that your roommate has packed and moved out while you slept, you will still be responsible for the entire contract. The amount will not be prorated for your “share.” If we don’t receive a full monthly payment, we have legal rights to go after ALL parties on the contract, including all guarantors. With a Joint & Several lease, you are responsible for getting your own roommates. You are taking responsibility to fill the entire apartment with the number of people on the lease. There is a slight discount for choosing this option.

What is a By the Bed lease?
You are responsible for you and only you on the lease contract. You are signing up for a bed space, not signing up for a specific apartment. If one of your roommates leaves, you are not responsible for them (they are responsible for their own contract).

How close to campus are you?
Villas at Tropicana is about 3 blocks to the UCSB campus and approximately 10 miles from Santa Barbara City College. The MTD’s 15x express bus goes directly from Isla Vista to SBCC every half hour. The bus stop is located right outside the Villas; the trip to SBCC takes approximately 20 minutes. For more information, visit www.sbmtd.gov.

When can I move in?
Move-in day for 10 month leases is August 25, 2012.
Move-in day for 12 month leases is either June 23, 2012 or August 25, 2012.
Earlier move-in may be possible for a daily fee, depending on the availability of your apartment. Please e-mail Tiffany Adams at tadams@tropicanahousing.com to make early move-in arrangements.

Do I have to be a college student to live here?
No, non-students may live at the Villas at Tropicana by utilizing the Joint & Several lease.

If I am over 21, do I need to have a guarantor?
All applicants require a guarantor, regardless of age.

What utilities are included with the utilities flat fee?
Gas, electricity, water, cable, high-speed wired/wireless internet, landscaping and trash.

Will you send me a bill each month for rent?
The Villas at Tropicana does not send out bills or invoices for monthly installments. You are responsible for paying your rent by the scheduled dates listed on your contract.

What is the rent?
Please click on the “Floorplans & Rates” tab for the various leasing rates for each option. There are several different Options for you to choose.

Can I request an apartment or roommates?
For the By the Bed Lease – You can request roommates (but they also MUST request you) and which floor or specific apartment you would prefer. We will do our best to accommodate your requests, but we cannot guarantee your request.
For the Joint & Several Lease – You pick all of your roommates, and we will do our best to honor the apartment of your choice, but we do not guarantee this request.

Is parking available?

Parking is not included in your contract, as many students choose to use alternative forms of transportation. The parking prices listed below are one time costs for the year, and are assigned spaces. All spots are assigned based on a first come, first served basis.

*Prices listed are for the 2011-2012 year.

Click Here to Download the 2011-2012 Parking Application

When do I put down a deposit?
There is a refundable security deposit due with lease submittal.

When is my first payment due?
The first payment is due with lease submittal.

Can I use my financial aid?
You can cash your Financial Aid check and use this however you choose. We do not have an option to pay rent that coincides with the Financial Aid office schedules from both UCSB and SBCC. You must still make the monthly payments on their scheduled due dates.

If I pay in full, do I get a discount?
Residents receive a 3% refund when they pay the entire lease contract in full by September 1st .

What if I need to cancel my lease?
Please view our Cancellation Policy.

What about meal plans?
The meal plan is not required the Villas at Tropicana. Residents may purchase a meal plan at an additional cost at Tropicana Gardens, located 1 block away, at a discounted rate because you are a resident at the Villas.

What do I need to hook up my computer to the internet?
An ethernet cord is all you need to hook your computer up to the internet. WiFi is also available throughout the premises.

How does the laundry facility work?
Our laundry machines are card-operated only. You will receive a laundry debit card upon move-in and can add money to it at any time at the WEB machine in the laundry room. To wash one load of laundry will cost $2.00 and to dry one load is $1.50. You may log onto the laundry website at www.laundryalert.com to see if a machine is available; you may also request a text message or e-mail to signal your load is complete.

What happens if a pipe breaks or my stove malfunctions?
You are responsible for the day-to-day care of your apartment (changing light bulbs, plunging your toilet, etc.). However, Villas at Tropicana staff will take care of any maintenance problems you may have, from a broken pipe to a malfunctioning refrigerator. Any repairs caused by negligence will be charged to you (if you break a window, for instance). Just put in a maintenance request at the Tropicana front desk.

What furnishings are included?
The living room, dining room and bedrooms come furnished with the leather sofa and chairs; wood furniture; and beds, desks and dressers. All our bedrooms feature twin extra long beds.

What are the Tropicana Front Desk Hours during the holidays?
Tropicana Gardens and Tropicana Del Norte residence halls close for residents during the Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks. Please refer to the Tropicana Gardens or Tropicana Del Norte Holiday Hours page for more information.

Are there requirements to live at the Villas at Tropicana?
Yes. Residents must either be 20 years of age as of August 15, 2012 (proof of age required), or have completed 12 college units (Advanced Placement units accepted, transcripts will be required).