TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Students say finding a place to live near Florida A&M University isn’t easy. But a group of former Rattler football players is stepping in to help. They’re developing new affordable housing just steps from campus, offering students more options and less stress.
- FAMU students say affordable housing near campus would help them focus on academics instead of long commutes.
- Former Rattlers Isaiah Land and Christopher Daniels are behind the new development.
- Construction began in October, with plans to open by summer 2026, and units priced around $850 per room.
- Watch the video below to hear why students and developers say this project is so important.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
More affordable off-campus student housing is coming to Florida A&M University.
Former Rattler football players say they're working to meet a need and keep students close to the school.
“Making student housing closer to campus would definitely help us," said FAMU student Kennedi Budley.
Students like Budley say FAMU could use more housing on and near campus.
"It would just give us more opportunities to focus on our academics rather than trying to figure out the financial end of finding somewhere to live," Budley added.
And she's not alone.
Olivia Williams, a FAMU Student who lives off campus, told me, “I feel like it would be more convenient if we had more off-campus housing closer to campus because of just the driving necessity we have to do, fighting for parking once you get here, just simple things like that."
FAMU Student Aiyanna Nixon added, “It would be really good for the community, especially because we recently did have an increase when it came to on-campus housing and stuff like that, so I think it would help our students.”
FAMU recently added new on-campus housing, Venom Landing, which included 700 more beds for students.
But this new project from two former Rattler football players would create affordable off-campus housing within walking distance.
Christopher Daniels, the Director of Smart Capitol, is spearheading the effort.
Daniels said, “It’s absolutely critical. FAMU every year has a shortage of housing. There are so many people who want to come to FAMU, but there’s not enough places to stay and not enough places for them within walking distance of campus. So one of the things I wanted to do was make sure that people could walk to campus could be close and have a very nice safe clean places. And that’s what encouraged me to do the project.“
Former Rattler star and Current Dallas Cowboy Isaiah Land told me a project like this was personal for him.
Land told me, "It’s big for me to be able to come back and have the means to help the area, help the students, have places to stay, and I just wanted to see how far we can go with it."
Construction started in October, and the new housing could be open for students this upcoming summer with prices around $850 per room.
Developers tell me this is just the start. They're hoping to acquire more properties near campus and build more affordable units.
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