The apartment vacancy rate in the city of Davis increased slightly since last fall to 3.4 percent, while rents crept down by an average of 0.55 percent, according to a survey by the University of California, Davis.

The UC Davis Office of Student Housing conducts the annual vacancy- and rental-rate survey, now in its 35th year, to provide the campus and the Davis community with information for planning.

Last year, the apartment vacancy rate was 3.2 percent, and the average rent increase was 1.05 percent.

Economists and urban planners consider a vacancy rate of 5 percent to be the ideal balance between the interests of landlord and tenant. During the last 10 years, the apartment vacancy rate in Davis has varied from as low as 0.2 percent in 2002 to as high as 4.2 percent in 2005.

"Based on the responses received, the survey indicates that the market has remained flat since last year, both in terms of the vacancy and rental rates," said Ramona Hernandez, associate director for business services in Student Housing.

According to the UC Davis survey, the average monthly rent this year for unfurnished two-bedroom apartments — which account for 44 percent of units in the survey — rose by 0.9 percent or $11, from $1,226 to $1,237.

The student housing office surveyed 163 apartment complexes with five or more rental units in October and November; 134 complexes responded. Out of a total of 8,724 units reported, 299.5 were vacant. The 29 complexes that did not respond to the survey have a total of approximately 320 units.

Rental rates

Among 12 types of rental units included in the survey, the highest average monthly rent increase was 18.77 percent for 17 furnished one-bedroom apartments (from $746 to $886).

Rents decreased for two types of units. The average rent for 2,761 unfurnished one-bedroom units fell from $947 to $914, or 3.48 percent; average rent for 1,212 unfurnished three-bedrooms decreased by $1 to $1,817.

The overall change in the average rent is calculated by considering the percentage change for each type of rental unit and the proportion of each type of rental unit among the entire rental inventory.

The survey excludes those apartments that require an income-eligibility test to qualify low-income residents for reduced rent, because students typically are not eligible for these units.

Campus enrollment and housing

Total enrollment for fall 2010 is a record-setting 32,290, up about 0.4 percent from last fall's 32,153. Not all students attend classes on the Davis campus itself, and enrollment averaged over the three academic quarters is typically lower than fall enrollment.

UC Davis offers housing to all freshman and transfer students who request it. The university has about 4,711 students living in residence halls. An additional 476 families and single graduate students live in Orchard and Solano parks, and 1,436 students live in privately managed housing complexes on campus, such as Russell Park and The Colleges at La Rue.

Changes in housing stock

In fall 2010, UC Davis made available about 600 additional beds in the new Wall, Campbell and Potter residence halls at Dairy and La Rue roads.

At the end of the current academic year, the university will discontinue use of Pierce and Thille halls, which comprise 12 buildings with 800 beds, and Castilian Hall, comprising two buildings with 495 beds. For the Pierce and Thille sites, plans are under way to construct a 1,200-bed housing project to open in the fall of 2014. The Castilian buildings will be demolished and the site reserved for future development.

Four residence halls, closed this academic year for planned renovations, will be back in use for fall 2011. Bixby, Gilmore, Ryerson and Malcolm buildings have 800 beds.

Also in fall 2011, the privately developed West Village community is scheduled to open its first 315 student apartments accommodating about 850 beds. In the new year, a temporary leasing office at 409 Third Street in downtown Davis will help show off floor plans and interior amenities to prospective residents.

West Village plans to build an additional 345 student apartment units accommodating 1,130 beds; half are planned to open in 2012 and the rest in 2013.

Help for the housing search

To help students in their search for housing for the next academic year, Student Housing offers annual workshops in the residence. The sessions, held in the fall and winter quarters, offer information on the local rental scene, provide search tips and address topics from budgeting to leases.

The Associated Students of UC Davis will host its annual Housing Day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10, in Freeborn Hall. Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from local apartment complexes and to gather other information and tips for renting apartments.

A PDF of the full survey report is available at http://www.housing.ucdavis.edu/announcements/.