TAMPA, Fla. — The housing crunch that incoming freshmen at the University of Tampa felt last fall has spilled over to those enrolled for the spring semester of 2022. 

John White’s daughter, Haley, is set to begin at University of Tampa in the spring. On October 4, she received an email stating she was placed on the wait list for on-campus housing and told it was not likely she would get off the wait list. 

White says they were given until November 1 to make a decision on whether Haley should be removed from the housing waitlist in order to have the enrollment deposit refunded. The family began to search for off-campus housing to find options within walking distance either full or unrealistic for a college student’s budget. 

They checked the Altis Grand Central, where White says he was informed that this 18-year-old daughter would need a 24-month rental history and proof of income totaling three times the monthly rent. The apartment would not let White’s income count towards the total, which took the option off the table. 

White sent an email to Residential Life in an attempt discuss options and received this automated reply: 

"If you are an incoming Spring 2022 student who has been placed on the campus housing waiting list, your email has been received and will be reviewed. However, we are unable to respond to all phone calls and emails due to the high volume of communication we are receiving." 

White says he’s committed to making his daughter’s goal of attending University of Tampa a reality but is frustrated by the lack of communication. 

“That’s irresponsible, how could you not get back to a student who you have enrolled and who you have previously said housing would be available to?” He said. 

White’s daughter has been in contact with three incoming freshmen in the same situation and the girls are working together to try and come up with a housing solution. 

“No child wants to delay their first year of college because a university promises you housing and doesn’t deliver,” White said. 

An inquiry to University of Tampa spokesperson regarding the housing situation was met with a reply directing Spectrum Bay News 9 to visit the school’s Off Campus Housing FAQ page. 

Now, White is trying to figure out what to do while the deadline to secure an apartment is closing in.

“It is a good school its just a shame that they’ve made promises that they can’t keep,” he said. 

In July, a number of students faced a similar situation. The University of Tampa offered a Deferral Grant of $3,500 a year for freshman who chose to push off starting their undergraduate students to the Fall 2022 semester. White says he inquired about the grant and was told the school would no longer be offering it.