LOGAN — Last month, hundreds of Utah State University students were left scrambling to find housing just two weeks before school started. They signed up with a new apartment complex called The Factory, but construction delays left them in a lurch. KSL Investigators found out that since then, not everyone found a suitable place to live.

Malone Hansen and Sydney Barton are typical college freshmen. They do their own chores, they do their own homework and they eat a lot of ramen noodles. But their living arrangements are anything but typical.

"Here's the freezer," demonstrated Barton. "We just stuff in whatever we can."

"We have to keep all our stuff in the oven," said Hansen.

"We both share a bed," Barton said. "The first few nights were a little different."

Hansen and Barton don't share a dorm room. They share an Airstream trailer.

"We met only one time before we moved in here," said Barton.

"No we're living in this 26 feet (of space) together!" Hansen said.

Both girls graduated from high school this year and immediately started looking forward to a new adventure at Utah State. They met each other for the first time at freshmen orientation, hit it off, and decided to room together at The Factory, a new off-campus student housing complex.

"That was going to be the hip place on campus to hang out," explained Hansen. "Bowling alley, movie theater, two-story hot tub. They make it really enticing."

Then two weeks before school started, close to 300 students were notified that The Factory would not be built in time. In an email, The Factory said it was working hard to find other accommodations for its future residents.

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Incomplete project leaves 300 USU students scrambling for housing

In less than two weeks, the fall semester will start at most schools in Utah. But the school year could be in question for roughly 300 students at Utah State University who just found out they don't have a place to live.

But KSL Investigators heard from student after student who had no place to go. So they went to get answers from The Factory.

"Our number one priority is to make sure the people that have leased with us are able to find housing accommodations for this fall," Maggie Owens, manager of The Factory, told KSL last month.

Owens said they would help students find places to live. KSL Investigators said they would check back to see if The Factory followed through.

"If I come back to you in two weeks and find out where things stand with the status of those who have signed leases here, you'll have answers for us?" asked Mike Headrick.

"It is our promise, or our hope, to make sure every single person finds a place to live, said Owens. "And we are working with them on an individual basis as they reach out to us."

"I understand it's your hope but that email says, we'll take care of you," said Headrick. "It said no need to worry, we'll take care of you."

"Absolutely, and I can definitely address that with our team," said Owens.

After the initial story aired, KSL Investigators heard back from many students who weren't too happy with The Factory.

"I never heard anything from The Factory at all," said Megan Dolan.

"They did nothing to help anyone," said Kassi Lyn.

"They basically told me 'you're on your own,'" said Steve Sparks.

"The Factory was awful and eventually stopped answering their phone," said Jen Blair.

As promised, KSL Investigators reached back out to The Factory. This time, they declined to be interviewed. When asked how many students were able to secure other housing, they said that number was unavailable.

As for Hansen and Barton, they're making the best of a bad situation.

"You've just got to look at it in perspective," said Hansen. "I mean there are some people who don't even get to come here. We're lucky we had this."

Their social life isn't quite what they expected, but that hasn't stopped the freshmen from making friends with their older and younger neighbors.

"The 5-year-olds, they're fun!" exclaimed Hansen.

What they're gaining instead is a one-of-a-kind perspective from off-campus. Way, way off campus.

"This is our college experience," said Barton. "We don't know anything different. When my dad dropped me off he said, well you never picture that you'll drop your daughter off in this way."

"So far so good," said Hansen. "It will be a good story."

The girls will be able to live in the Airstream for another month until it gets too cold. After that, they'll need a new place to live. The Factory says it will now be ready for students in January.

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