Editor’s note: This article has been revised from its original version to include additional information that became available after it was first published.
Kirkwood Community College lists six near-campus housing options on its website for students who want to live near campus. These complexes are each privately owned, and while they lease out the Kirkwood name, they are not maintained by Kirkwood. And, many of these complexes lease to non-students, including lower-income families. The Communique conducted a campus housing survey in which 47 respondents who are Kirkwood students and live or have lived previously in near campus housing rated their experiences. Additionally, the Communique also personally interviewed students who live in the complexes.
One student who lives in Kirkwood Court reported several problems with general property maintenance and security. “They have just now hired weekend security for the nights. Before that, my car got hit and ran into the parking lot when it was parked, and I asked the security for assistance and they said ‘Well, there’s nothing we can do because we don’t have cameras’. And that was it,” said the student.
Jessica Mortvedt, chief marketing officer for Haverkamp Group, stated Campus View, Kirkwood Court, and Reserve at Kirkwood do have policies on maintenance, security, weather, pests and cleaning. “We take safety seriously and understand it’s a top concern for our residents. We recently changed security companies to find one that would better serve our student community and enhance their presence. While we do have on-site security, we also encourage residents to take basic precautions, such as locking car doors, as many incidents involve unlocked vehicles,” she said. “In situations like hit-and-runs, we recommend residents contact local police for proper investigation. While cameras can be helpful, many incidents occur in low-light conditions, which often limits their effectiveness in identifying those responsible.”
The Communique reached out to multiple complexes for responses on security measures and from the complexes that responded, only Campus View, Eagle’s Nest and the Villas at Kirkwood reported to have cameras on-site.
The same student also expressed issues with weather-related events, including untimely plowing. “With the snow and ice they don’t get plows out until the storm has officially ended. It could be snowing all day long and they won’t get snow plows out until 8 p.m. And, they only get the driveways and not the parking spots. The building next to me is supposed to be handicapped accessible, but they don’t shovel that, either.” The anonymous student also expressed problems with improper icing. “This year they started using salt. Last year they did not use any salt at all in the parking lot.” The student also had issues with disrespectful maintenance and front staff, frequent outages of power, water and internet, mold and general uncleanliness.
“We understand the challenges that come with winter weather and appreciate the frustration delays can cause. Snow removal and salting are handled by third-party vendors who service multiple properties, which can affect timing—especially during ongoing storms. We prioritize clearing main drive lanes first to maintain access, with parking spots and sidewalks addressed as soon as possible afterward. We also continue working with our vendors to improve response times and ensure accessibility across all areas,” said Mortvedt.
Another survey participant reported issues with maintenance while staying at Kirkwood Heights, an apartment complex that is not listed on the college’s website, but carries the Kirkwood name. “There was chipped paint and scratches everywhere. The internet would randomly drop to the point I couldn’t use it half of the time.”
The student also reported calling maintenance for this issue. “Even after two visits from ImOn, they didn’t know what was causing it.” To alleviate the issue, the student moved to a different apartment in Kirkwood Heights, where the student experienced issues with flooding and issues with rent payment after moving into their new apartment. “My apartment flooded three times within the same year. The first time the laundry room drain flooded the entire ground floor. The second time was from my toilet backing up. And the third time from my air conditioner leaking so much it flooded my bedroom.”
Regarding rent payment issues, the student said, “Heritage Property Management messed up my rent payment and put my rent payment toward my old apartment, even though I’ve been living in my new apartment and paying the same way for months. They served me an eviction notice. It would’ve been a lot worse but I was able to clear it up by emailing them.”
A few survey respondents who live at Kirkwood Court all separately reported roach problems. “We rely on licensed vendors to regularly treat our properties to prevent pest issues. When a problem is reported, our team quickly contacts our vendor to address and resolve the situation,” Mortvedt said.
One student reported, “They take almost your whole deposit and don’t even clean properly for the next tenants,” a student shared in their survey response. “Management kept over half of our deposit including a miscellaneous maintenance fee that wasn’t explained after requesting justification through email. Images sent of ‘proof’ were blurry and did not include timestamps. Requested PDFs instead, did not hear back. Followed up, did not hear back,” another survey response read.
Regardless of many respondents reporting their deposits being taken for cleaning when moving out, students also reported their rooms were not being properly cleaned before moving in. “The toilet lid was so gross when we moved in, we had to fully replace it. The showers were dirty. The walls weren’t wiped down,” said one student.
“They didn’t clean the oven which they took my sister’s deposit for when she moved out,” said another participant.
Another student’s account of the situation stated, “My whole family and his roommate had to deep clean his room. It had mold, dust and was just nasty.” Yet another dissatisfied student shared, “When we moved in, we had a roach problem that took two months to fix and we had to do it ourselves. The floors are warped, there is water damage and several holes in the wall. There was cooked food on the walls and cabinets. The bathroom vent was broken and the kitchen didn’t have a fire alarm. They tried to fine us for ‘breaking’ them.”
In response, Mortvedt said, “For move-out deposits and cleaning, we work with vendors to ensure quick turnover between residents. We conduct both move-out and move-in inspections to document the apartment’s condition. If any issues arise, our cleaners are available on move-in day to address them promptly. We encourage residents with any concerns—whether related to cleaning, charges, or maintenance—to contact our office.”
Although most survey respondents reported that the price was average or better, especially apartment complexes that had utilities included in rent, those who lived in complexes that did not include utilities in rent on average rated their experience with pricing and utilities lower.
The Communique was able to connect with staff at the Villas at Kirkwood, who reported having around 51 cameras on-site, contracted snow removal and lawn care, and emergency maintenance, as well as on-site maintenance provided two days a week. Staff were also able to reach the Kirkwood Village East complex, that reported security guards are on site every night. Kirkwood Village East also responded about the accusations of untimely plowing. “They do their best, but sometimes if it’s a bad snow they can’t get out there. It’s okay, because if school is cancelled then they don’t have anywhere to go and their jobs are cancelled or delayed, too.”
When asked about any shelter provided to residents in the event of severe weather, the representative stated that the buildings are made of brick and that they advised students to make friends with their lower-level neighbors. They also mistakenly claimed that not even the college provided shelter to its’ students and staff on campus in the event of severe weather.
But not all of the survey respondents reported bad experiences. One student reported issues with security and front office staff, but their experience remained mostly positive.
Another student said “The housing is very nice at a good price for students, but the front office and security can be a lot to deal with at times. Overall, not too bad.”
Although the investigation found safety measures were inconsistent between properties, one student said, “I feel pretty safe, I never hear there are any issues going on.”
In regard to amenities, another student said, “Everything worked well, except for a few washer and dryer-related issues. Maintenance was on top of calls related to the issue.”
“I’ve only had one maintenance request and they were very quick to fix it. The crew and staff are very nice and understanding, very apologetic if they think they are in the way and they are very quick with their work,” said another student when rating their experience with maintenance.
“Service is one of our core values, and we strive to provide respectful interactions and well-maintained communities. While utilities like power, water, and internet are all included in their monthly rent, they’re provided by third-party companies. Our team is always available to help residents contact those providers during outages,” said Mortvedt.
Upon completing their investigation, the staff at the Communique recommend going into apartment hunting for the 2025-2026 school year with realistic expectations and a clear understanding of the benefits and shortcomings of each complex.
The policies and procedures of the apartment complexes and their management companies seem to vary, causing some difficulty in determining the best property for students seeking housing.
The main draw of the apartments affiliated with the college include affordable prices, flexible leases and close proximity to campus. For assistance with selecting and securing housing in the complexes near the main campus, students can call 319-398-7647 or reach out to the Dean of Students office on the third floor of Iowa Hall.
Categories: Feature, Investigative
