Housing Resources

This guide is intended for the use of participants who will be in residence at IPAM for a long program. Your offer letter from IPAM includes the amount of your housing allowance. If you will be in-residence for at least one month, we recommend you look for a furnished apartment to rent, since renting a hotel room for a long period may be cost-prohibitive. For those who will be in town for less than a month at a time, you may have to rent a room at a hotel or via a vacation rental service (such as Airbnb, see below), as most landlords will not sign a lease for less than a month.

Because rent is high in Los Angeles, IPAM encourages long program participants to share an apartment when possible. If you know someone attending the same program with you and are interested in sharing an apartment with him/her, please make arrangements privately. If you do not know anyone and would like to find a roommate, please email our housing coordinator.

Please find the section below that addresses your needs.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Scams

IPAM does not hire any outside company to make lodging reservations for our program participants, or share the names and email addresses of our participants with an outside party.  If you are contacted by a business that claims to represent IPAM and offers to book lodging  for you, it is likely a scam. Please notify your program coordinator and do not accept their services.

Please read the link offered by the FTC regarding potential housing scams and make sure to send all lease agreements to the housing coordinator for review before signing any contracts or sending money to a potential landlord.

Map

Please access the following link for the map of Westwood (the location of UCLA) and nearby areas. This will give you a better idea of the neighborhoods near campus and assist you in choosing a preferred location for your stay.

When to start looking for housing

Please consider contacting rental companies at least 1-2 months before the date you intend to move in. While some rentals will be able to settle your lease contract a long time before your actual arrival, others will ask you to contact them at a later date.

Apartment search tips

Questions that you should consider to ask while inquiring about housing:

  • Is the apartment furnished?
  • Does it provide housewares, such as linens, dishes, and utensils?
  • Does the rent include utilities?
  • Does it include internet and cable?
  • How far is it from UCLA campus?
  • Are there nearby bus stops?
  • Is it a quiet neighborhood, and/or are there student tenants around?
  • Is parking provided?

Furniture Rental

Most short-term rental properties come furnished; if you rent an apartment that is not furnished, you may rent furniture and housewares from any of the following companies (Please note that IPAM cannot reimburse for furniture rental expenses.)

APARTMENT & HOUSE RENTAL

Many of IPAM visitors have used the facilities listed below and found them very convenient. IPAM lists these property management companies here as a courtesy but cannot recommend any one in particular. Long program participants are advised to check for availability and pricing, and to determine to their own satisfaction the suitability of the rental unit.

Moss and Company – Westwood Village Apartments
1033 Hilgard Ave (15 minute walk to UCLA)
Contact: (310) 208-4454
Send an Email
Month to month lease; minimum 30-day stay required. They offer executive suites (studios), one and two bedroom furnished apartments. A $100 monthly discount is offered to IPAM/UCLA visitors. Rent includes utilities (up to $150/month) and furniture. Moss and Company also offers a VIP Housewares Package for an additional $350/month.

El Greco Lofts
1030 Tiverton Avenue (15 minute walk to UCLA)
Contact: Tom Ma at (310) 824-0463
Send an Email
Prices include furniture and utilities; no housewares available.
15 minute walk to the UCLA campus, minimum 3 month lease.

Breeze Suites Moderne
609 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone: (310) 656-0311
Send an Email
Breeze Suites offers furnished studios in Santa Monica blocks away from shopping areas, restaurants, and the beach. Located near bus lines that serve UCLA. Units include built-in entertainment centers and full kitchens. 30-day minimum stay.

More websites to help you search for housing

  • Airbnb – is a popular online service that matches people seeking short-term accommodations with private parties with rooms to rent. Listings include private rooms, entire apartments and other properties rented from a per-night basis up to multiple months.
  • Sabbatical Homes® – this resource is dedicated to academics worldwide to search for available sabbatical rentals, house-sitting, home-sharing and home-exchange opportunities. You may also post your own ‘home-wanted’ listing.
  • Craigslist – this website has a vast database of available housing in LA area and is updated daily.
  • WestsideRentals.Com – there is a $60 membership fee which will allow you to use this search site for 60 days.

HOTEL ROOMS & SUITES

There are a number of hotels located near UCLA and Westwood Village that offer suites and/or weekly or monthly leases. These are most suitable for visitors in residence for less than a month. For additional details please visit IPAM’s Hotel Page.