Orlando Sentinel

UCF to use CARE funding to pay rent

- By Annie Martin

UCF plans to use federal coronaviru­s relief funds to pay off student bills this summer at two university-managed private apartment buildings, ultimately benefiting the owners.

A tower known as UnionWest, which serves the downtown campus, and another called Northview, across the street from the University of Central Florida’s football stadium, have “reopened,” the school said, and will charge their typical rates this summer.

About 900 UCF students remain tied into leases at those buildings even though onlineonly classes will continue through the summer and the campus is a virtual ghost town in the wake of the global coronaviru­s pandemic. But UCF has promised to use money from the CARES Act to credit students’ accounts for the value of the charges.

At other student housing complexes that are university­managed, but owned by UCF rather than private groups, the school refunded or opted not to collect summer housing fees from students, who were ordered off campus in mid-March when in-person classes were canceled.

The owners of the buildings have pushed forward with reopening and told students their

 ?? RICARDO RAMIREZ BUXEDA/ORLANDO SENTINEL ?? The building known as UnionWest in downtown Orlando where UCF has a satellite campus will charge students rent this summer.
RICARDO RAMIREZ BUXEDA/ORLANDO SENTINEL The building known as UnionWest in downtown Orlando where UCF has a satellite campus will charge students rent this summer.

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