Although enrollment at Eastern for the fall 2011 semester has declined, local apartment complexes are not feeling the effect of this decrease in the number of students.

Logan Graves, senior leasing consultant for Campus Pointe Apartments, said the fall 2011 semester has been the complex’s most profitable year to date.

“This year has been record-breaking in terms of number of tenants and space available,” she said. “It’s been the best year for the property since our company has owned it.”

Graves said Campus Pointe, which leases two and three bedroom apartments, only has a few three-bedroom apartments left.

Linda Ceeley, employee of Youngstown Apartments, said Youngstown only has a few vacancies open for prospective tenants.

“We’ve been really fortunate,” she said.

Sharon Turner, property manager for Lincolnwood Apartments, said the complex has not been negatively affected because students continue to show a need for apartments.

“It’s not devastating at this point,” she said. “We know enrollment is down, but there’s still a need for one bedrooms and studios.”

Jennifer Carver, property manager of Youngstown Apartments, said renters began signing leases for the complex’s 88 apartments early in the year.

“We usually start renting right before and after Christmas,” she said.

Carver said she believes the reason apartment complexes have thrived is because they cater to a variety of customers’ needs.

“We have a combination of family and student rentals,” she said. “We also usually have a lot of graduate kids, even couples, working people. They’re not all students.”

Nancy Stone-Johnson, apartment manager for University Court, said although U-Court apartments are still considered on-campus housing, they still experienced the same renter increase as off-campus housing.

“Our apartments were fully leased in March, which was the earliest I’ve had all my apartments leased since four years I’ve been here,” she said.

Although the demand for apartments has increased, managers for all apartments interviewed said rent prices have stayed consistent.

Ceeley said Youngstown Apartments has kept their prices the same for this school year to ease the burden on renters.

“We tried to hold it this year given the economy the way it was,” she said.

Eastern students said they avoid the renter rush for apartments by looking into apartments a year in advance.

Kathryn Sims, a senior elementary education major, lives in University Court this year and said her roommate and she began looking for apartments in October of last year.

“We were trying to get ahead of the game so we wouldn’t end up homeless,” she said.

Blake Andrews, a senior therapeutic recreation major, said he signed the lease for his apartment in Millennium Apartments in November of last year.

“The apartment complex fills up quickly, so I try to get (the apartment) as quickly as possibly,” he said. “It’s easier to find an apartment the earlier you go.”

Sara Hall can be reached at 581-2812 or smhall@eiu.edu