Gender Open Housing

Gender Open Housing aims to provide an option for students who would feel more comfortable living with someone outside of their designated sex and/or someone with similar gender identity. There is no cost associated with this option, and students are only assigned to Gender Open spaces if they request it on their housing application.

Our team is devoted to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive living experience for all University of Minnesota students. By offering this housing option, we are helping to create an environment that achieves these goals and acknowledges the diverse needs of our students.

Contact Housing & Residential Life at 612-624-2994 or housing.umn.edu/contact for more information and to connect with members of our team who developed Gender Open Housing plans. The Gender and Sexuality Center for Queer and Trans Life also helps students develop a Gender Open Housing plan that meets their needs.

Gender Open spaces are available in the following buldings. Other spaces will be made available based on the feedback of students and the renovation of our facilities. If you want to live in Gender Open Housing in a building that is not listed, contact Housing & Residential Life for assistance. 

• 17th Avenue: Doubles
• Centennial: Singles and Doubles
• Comstock: Singles and Doubles
• Keeler: 4-Person 4-Bedroom Apartments
• Middlebrook: Doubles
• Pioneer: Doubles
• Yudof: 2-Person 2-Bedroom Suites and 2-Person 2-Bedroom Apartments
• Radius: 4-Person 4-Bedroom Apartments and 2-person 2-Bedroom Apartments
• Sanford: Singles and Doubles
• Wilkins: 2-Person 1-Bedroom Apartments

All students within Gender Open Housing will have access to single-user bathrooms.

Students interested in a Gender Open Housing assignment can select to be assigned with someone whose gender identity is different from theirs on the housing application. Students who select this option will be assigned together based on the rest of the application preferences.

In the spring, all students with a housing application are invited to participate in our Roommate Search tool where they can connect with potential roommates. This tool allows students to share more details about their interests and hobbies and then provides a list of potential matches based on their answers. Students who find a successful match, can update their housing application with their new roommates information. All roommate requests must be mutual.  

If your roommate cancels their contract

Don't worry. Depending on the time of year, you will have the opportunity to choose a new roommate. If your roommate cancels after we have assigned you, housing will assign a roommate who also selected Gender Open Housing on their application. If you are no longer interested in Gender Open Housing, please contact Housing & Residential Life at 612-624-2994 or housing.umn.edu/contact to be moved to a non-Gender Open Housing space.

Roommate concerns

To help students establish an effective and successful partnership, we encourage all residents to participate in a Roommate Success Plan with their Community Advisor. Housing & Residential Life staff members are available to assist with mediating conflicts. Our initial strategy is to have roommates discuss issues that create conflict or discomfort.