Finances
Rent:
Paid to Columbia Residential directly through SSOL on a monthly basis.
Currently around $1400/month with a discount for the smallest rooms in the house. Increases 3%-5% each year.
Kuppah:
Paid once a semester by house members into our bank account, administered by our elected Financial Manger. Not discounted for time spent outside the house but usually within a sliding scale.
Fills our fridge with food that is communal, kosher, and yours to eat! Also covers the cost of buying ingredients to make dinner for the whole house five nights a week.
Covers the cost of consumable goods like laundry supplies, kitchen appliances, dishes, paper products, cleaning supplies, a Costco membership, Netflix account, and newspaper subscriptions.
Typically around $800-1000/semester, subject to a house vote.
If you anticipate you’ll have any financial difficulties and will need more flexibility, please get in touch (bayitrecruiter@gmail.com). The Financial Manager is discrete and approachable when it comes to these issues and can help work out installment plans.
Hosting Guests:
Guests are more than welcome at the Bayit!
Guests attending Bayit dinners must Venmo the house $5 if they attend non-Shabbat meals. During Shabbat, they must bring some item to contribute to the meal, like dessert, fruit, or wine. (As always, all items must either bear a valid Kashrut certificate or be cooked in the Bayit).
The enforcement of these rules very much relies on the goodwill of Bayit members. We believe it is far more important for the Bayit to be a warm, welcoming place than to collect a couple of dollars on guest fees, and as a result, the rules above aren’t generally strictly policed. Please be sensitive to that, and be extra conscientious in paying for your guests.
PLEASE NOTE: Although the Bayit's building is owned by Columbia, we are considered off-campus housing. For some students, living in the Bayit affects the amount of financial aid they recieve from Columbia or Barnard. Please be aware of this reality, and contact your relevant financial aid office for more information.