Hundreds of students at the University of Michigan could be couch surfing when the new school year begins next Monday.
A developer admits that The One, a new apartment complex in Ann Arbor, is behind schedule and won’t be ready until September, MLive.com reported.
Students have been offered a hotel room or cash stipend until their apartments are completed, said Damian VanMatre, vice president of development at Trinitas Ventures, based in Lafayette, Indiana.
Students also can break their lease, he said.
“Unfortunately, construction was shut down for months in 2020 due to the pandemic, and when construction restarted the general contractor struggled to recover from the delays due to material and product availability along with labor shortages — the same challenges faced by other contractors throughout the United States,” VanMatre said.
Some students are complaining that they’ve been offered hotel rooms miles away in Livonia and Canton Township.
“The timing overall has created immense mental anguish and stress for students during a notoriously difficult time in every student’s life,” said a letter by students.