U of A student launches app to help students find accommodations

University of Alberta student creates app to help students find living accommodations.

EDMONTON -

Finding a comfortable place to rent can be a daunting task for many university students, but one University of Alberta student created an app to help make the process easier.

Kevin Mpunga, president of Elev, said he struggled with finding a place to live near campus. The U of A student had to balance the task of adjusting to a new city and finding a safe place to rent within budget. Describing the process as challenging, Mpunga said he wanted to create a tool so other students did not have to go through the same experience.

“We want to make the process so easy and so simple that students don’t have to worry about where they are going to live and they can focus on their education,” he said.

The app, which is officially set to launch of June. 18, is designed to match students with an accommodation suitable to their personal preferences of location and budget.

“The next biggest expense students have is their housing, so if we can help them manage their cost by finding something within their budget or alternatives that are cheaper than what they are currently doing, we're satisfied with the job that we are doing,” said Mpunga.

Elev is only accessible to students who sign up with their university e-mail. Students will also need to confirm their school identification. Once accepted, they are required to fill out a profile that selected landlords and property managers can view. Elev users can book showings, send in rental applications, sign a lease and pay rent directly from the app.

“What Elev does is sort through all the listings we have on file and it matches them with the most ideal home taking into consideration not only budget but commute time. It takes into consideration personal preferences like if pets are allowed,” he said.

The home-hunting tool is currently partnered with student union groups from MacEwan University, University of Alberta and NAIT. Applications can be submitted individually or collectively with preferred roommates.

The app is supported by Startup Edmonton, The Accelerator, University of Alberta Student’s Union and League of Innovators.

Elev is free for students but hosts are required to pay a fee. More on the app can be found online.