Frequently Asked Questions
Who should I make my checks payable to?
All check to us should be made payable to TBM Equities, LLC.
How many apartments are there at the Sahara?
There are 169 studio apartments of which 37 are available for single occupancy with the rest reserved for double occupancy. There are also two 1 bedroom 1 bath and two 2 bedroom 1 bath apartments. These apartments are available for double occupancy only.
How big are the apartments and how do they compare to the size of the UofA dorm rooms (Resident Hall rooms)?
Our studio apartments are available in two sizes:
· 336 square-foot studios (single or double occupancy): 162 total
· 286 square-foot studios (single occupancy only): 7 total
· TOTAL NUMBER OF ROOMS: 169
Dorm rooms at the UofA are typically 12’ by 12’, or 144 square feet. Sahara’s studio apartments are two to 2.5 times the size of the typical UofA dorm room. Also, at the UofA often times two or more rooms share one bath, and if there are any kitchen facilities, they are shared kitchens and not in the dorm room, or even nearby. Sahara Apartments provides a full bath and a kitchen in every apartment.
In addition to the above studio apartments, there are 2 one-bedroom, one bath and two 2 bedroom 1 bath apartments available. These are more spacious with their own laundry facilities (washer and dryer) a dishwasher, disposal, high-speed Internet connections, and 27” high-definition TV that works with our 30-channel satellite system. Three of these one-bedroom units have large balconies and all four are spacious, luxurious. These apartments are designed to accommodate two students.
Is parking available at the Sahara Apartments?
There are plenty of open air parking spaces available to rent at the Sahara. At only $25 a month, our open air parking spaces are behind locked gates in an area where your car is protected by our surveillance cameras.
While most of our residents live at the Sahara partly because of its close proximity to the UA campus located Less than one mile east of the Sahara, and the Downtown Campus of Pima Community College, located just 2 blocks north of the Sahara, we do provide alternatives to driving that are more economical. These include our shuttle service to and from the UA Campus every half hour, as well as our "FREE Bicycle" program, where we will give you a bicycle you can use while you live at the Sahara at no cost. You just pay a fully refundable Security Deposit of $100 ($85 for the bicycle and $15 for the lock), which will be refunded to you when you return the bike.
Are there ADA compliant apartments students in wheelchairs?
Yes, there are 9 studio apartments that are ADA compliant. These units accommodate wheelchairs; have more accessible kitchen spaces, and special showers. These apartments, however, are available to all applicants, regardless of whether they are in wheelchairs or not, on a first come first served basis. So, if you need an ADA compliant apartment you should apply early as only 9 such units are available.
Is the Sahara owned or operated by the University of Arizona or in any way affiliated with the University?
Sahara Apartments is privately owned and operated. There is no formal affiliation with the University of Arizona other than the fact that we are a sponsor of the Off Campus Housing Office of the University of Arizona, and that the "SafeRide" program which is administered by the Associated Students of the University of Arizona does serve the Sahara Apartments. Please see the tab labeled "Parking & Transportation" for more information on the "SafeRide" program.
How are the studio apartments furnished?
All single occupancy apartments come with one twin sized bed, one desk, one chair and one three drawer dresser. Double occupancy apartments are furnished with two of each of those pieces of furniture. The beds are extra long twin beds which 80” long. In the single occupancy apartments residents can choose to have loft arrangement with the bed raised up and the desk, chair and dresser placed under the bed. This arrangement creates more of an open space in the apartment so that if you have some furniture of your own, you can fit them better in the available space. Double occupancy apartments can be arranged in bunk, loft, or single bed configurations. All floor plans except Floor plans “D” and “C” which have mini refrigerators and two burner cook tops, come with their own kitchen area with a full-size refrigerators, full-size ranges, microwave ovens, and double-sided sinks. There is a full bath in every apartment with a tub and a shower plus a clothes closet, storage cupboards, and a large built-in bookshelf.
All Sahara studios are equipped with a thermostat that controls the individual unit’s window type A/C units. All utilities are free with no limits so you can set the thermostat to whatever temperature is most comfortable for you. All units include adjustable window blinds, electronic deadbolt entry doors with programmable keys, and carpeted bedroom floors with coated concrete floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and entryway.
What should I bring to Sahara Apartments? Click Here
What are building amenities at the Sahara Apartments?
For a list of all our amenities, click on the tab labeled "Amenities" at the top of this page. Below are more specifics about some of our modern amenities.
SECURITY SYSTEM: PERIMETER WALLS AND GATES: Our property has 80 security cameras located throughout the public areas of our buildings including all entrances and parking lots. These cameras are recording 24/7 and in if needed the recordings can be rewound and played back. The property is surrounded by a perimeter block wall and that wall is topped by wrought-iron railings. The perimeter walls are equipped with an infrared beam system and motion detectors which sound an alarm and notify the staff via cell phone if anyone scales any portion of the fencing. A designated staff member always carries a handheld computer which is capable of remotely connecting to the security camera recorders to rewind and review the cause of any alarm event and to take appropriate action as necessary.
ENTRY GATES AND KEYS: The main entry gate, the two side gates, all common areas and apartment door locks are controlled by an electronic key called an iButton, which are electronic, programmable, and cannot be duplicated. Entry to the parking areas is controlled by a remote control. All residents using our gated parking lot will have to get a remote control (a $30 refundable deposit is required for these remote openers) to enter the parking areas.
When a resident has a visitor, the visitor has to come to the main gate of the building on Stone Avenue and look up the name of the resident to be visited, and press the call button. This will cause the the resident’s telephone, whether a landline or a cell phone, to ring. The resident can then remotely open the gate for his/her visitor by pressing the 9 button on his/her phone keypad.
ON-SITE ACTIVITIES: Sahara Apartments main building includes a student lounge, exercise room, game room, and our state-of-the-art mini theatre equipped with a 103” (diagonal) movie screen and the latest in surround sound and HDTV technology. You can reserve a time to watch your own DVD or VHS tape, or if the theater if free, stop in and watch your favorite show or a big game on our 250 channel satellite TV, including all HBO, Cinemax, Starz, & Showtime movie channels, as well as special sports packages, including our current offering of "NFL Sunday Ticket".
Are there strict rules and regulations at Sahara?
It depends on what you mean by strict. We do have rules and regulations. No, they are not as strict as the dorms and yes, breaking the rules could mean eviction. Click on the link below to read Sahara Apartments Rules and Regulations. In short, we ask you not to break the law, to respect others property and space, and to help us to continue to maintain Sahara Apartments as the “oasis for quiet student living.
View the Rules and Regulations that are in effect at the Sahara Apartments.
How do I reserve a space at Sahara Apartments?
For making a reservation in our student apartments section, click on the tab labeled "Apply Online". For reserving apartments in our hotel section, click on the tab labeled “Reserve a hotel Apartment”.
What does it take to financially qualify for a space at the Sahara?
To qualify for renting at Sahara, you must demonstrate that you have the financial ability to pay the rent, and have enough left over for other necessary living expenses. Of course you must also show that you have enough loans, grants, employment income, savings, or financial support from your family to be able to pay your school tuition and other related expenses.
If you cannot qualify based on your own resources and income, you may have your parents or guardian sign for you as a Guarantor. If these people wish to assist in qualifying you, then they will have to fill out an application and show that they have enough disposable income in addition to their own expenses to pay for your rent. Both in your case and in your parents’ or other guarantor’s case we request a credit report as a part of qualifying process.
Does Sahara Apartments offer optional payment plans for rent?
There are three categories of payment required when you lease at the Sahara.
Application fee: Required before your application can be given final approval.
Move-in costs: Consisting of refundable and non refundable portions, are due at the time of signing a lease.
Total contracted rent amount: Is due upon signing a lease.
However, we offer an optional payment plan for those student and their guarantors who are unable to make the full payment for contracted amounts required under their lease agreements. The installment payment plan is described below. For more details, please click on the tab labeled “Dormitory Price List” and read the notes on the second page following the table of prices.
For 11.5 and 9 month leases: Three partial payments throughout the year will be paid as follows:
20% of total contracted rent amount is due June 1. If lease is signed after June 1, then 20% of the total contracted rent amount is due at the time the lease is signed.
40% of total contracted rent amount is due August 15. Tenant will not be allowed to move in until this amount has been paid.
40% of rent is due January 15.
For fall semester leases: Two partial payments may be made as follows:
20% of the total contracted rent amount is due on June 1.
80% of the total contracted rent amount is due August 15.
For spring semester leases:
20% of the total contracted rent amount is due at the time of signing the lease if the lease is signed after November 15th.
80% of the total contracted rent amount is due on January 1.
All above payments are non-refundable.