<p>I posted this on the internship forum but didn’t get many responses. Hopefully someone might be able to help us out. My daughter will be doing an internship at the Smithsonian November through April. She is graduating college this June. Does anyone have suggestions for housing in the DC area?</p>
<p>DS has internship housing at Georgetown Law dormitory. Very convenient, has AC and best price for location. No hassle with utilities, lease, furnishings, etc.</p>
<p>Do you know if they take someone that will not be on a semester schedule? How can she get info on the Georgetown Law dormitory?</p>
<p>Try WISH…Washington Intern Student Housing
[url=<a href=“http://www.internsdc.com/]WISH[/url”>http://www.internsdc.com/]WISH[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Sorry, misread your post. Georgetown Law internship housing is just for the summer. Good luck!</p>
<p>JudyL, you may want to check out the DC metro system. It goes way beyond the city of DC limits, and includes areas that are a really quick metro commute, from VA and MD. Your D might be able to get a sublet.</p>
<p>Housing in DC can be very expensive. If she knows anyone who will be in DC around the same time, consider sharing a place with them; also look for rooms for rent, etc. Since she is graduating, she should contact her school’s alumni organization - especially if they have a DC-area chapter. One of them may be able to help her. </p>
<p>Location - DC has an excellent mass transit system (Metro) and the Smithsonian offices are near major stops. She should look at places in DC, also Virginia and Maryland that are on or near the Metro system. In VA, this includes portions of Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church that are on the Blue Line or Orange Line corridors (straight shot to Smithsonian) or Yellow Line (not quite as convenient). If she looks in DC, places start getting skethcy in NE and SE DC, although a lot of new development is starting around the new baseball stadium (but it’s going to be pricey). If she’s willing to do a longer commute (I wouldn’t suggest it for other reasons), she can take advantage of cheaper housing further out (may require a bus ride to the metro system). </p>
<p>Most Federal agencies and departments have employee housing information and staffers who have places to rent or share. Your D should contact her internship sponsor and ask if they can help her find someone, or put the word out on whatever internal system they have. Good luck.</p>
<p>There are several universities in DC - first try their housing offices, if your D won’t mind living in a dorm. Back in the 1980s, I knew someone from Cornell who was doing an internship in DC, and he lived in a GW dorm. I found my apartment there through the Washington Post classifieds, and it was perfect for me (also back in the 1980s).</p>
<p>You can spend some serious time on Craigslist. You can post an ad on Craigslist and start wading through that. I recommend you do that a couple weeks and you will start to see the scams and recognize legit offers more clearly. Our son used WISH. You may PM me for comments. He had a great fantastic location but his apt was burgled on day five, wiped out…and members of the maintenance staff had been in his place that day and the day before…the deadbolt was relocked after the burglary…the condition of the apt was deplorable when we arrived…took me about 12 hours of labor to make it habitable and nothing worked really in the kitchen besides the frig. however it was in a superb location for his needs. and a rather pleasant even attractive apt when not filthy. His neighborhood was both safe/charming and potentially dangerous…which is true in DC more than in many other urban areas. During winter months, I believe your daughter will have more choices re locations then during the summer as DC has hundreds of interns in these properties on monthly rental schedules changing hands over and over. She will be given random roommates. There is another option, can’t quite recall in another business…google till you see all the choices. The college dorms do not open to interns for full summers. Time is limited, and our son had a long lasting job. Also frat houses rent out rooms to males for cash. It is not impossible to use the metro and live in the burbs say near Tysons if she prefers. DC is a very walkable city and so much is free on the Mall for the young and the underemployed, so I recommend she overcome the obstacles and live on Capitol Hill if at all possible. Package her on craigslist, do background checks and get references. Or use WISH. I am sure our experience was an inside job which is worrisome, and yet the rest of the summer went like butter.</p>
<p>In DC is crucial to be VERY careful about location in city for safety. For example AU is in a completely safe area, main campus at Georgetown is in a very nice area with limited saftey issues, Georgetown Law School is in a more marginal area, Catholic U. and Trinity College are in an even more marginal area, and some areas of city are ridiculous dangerous.</p>
<p>Gtown housing is also ridiculously more expensive. Stay away from areas around Catholic U, College Park and the upper east side of the city, certain areas around capitol hill are alright…but it’s hit or miss. I like the Adams Morgan area, lots of young people, cheap(er) housing, decently safe. She just has to check it out beforehand. </p>
<p>She can also live outside of the city and get a decent townhouse or cheaper housing with the MARC train and subway system. I live in Baltimore and MARC can get you to DC in roughly 20 mins.</p>
<p>DC is a magnet for young professionals and housing is expensive in areas considered safe (areas in NW DC are considered safe and desirable )My suggestion is using craigslist to see if she can share housing. Places that are within walking distance to the metro can be a great convenience.</p>