Georgia State University suffers from dorm overcrowding

ATLANTA - A housing shortage at Georgia State University has a student's and parents on edge and the university offering a financial incentive.

At the University Commons dormitory, many student residents like Brandon McCloud are not happy about potential new living arrangements.

"We're getting forced to room with other people, to have bunk beds we never had before," said GSU student Brandon McCloud.

He's talking about a four bedroom two bath apartment like a dormitory, complete with a kitchen, where according to University housing at least one room could double up with a new roommate.

GSU Director of Housing Randy Brown told FOX 5 News the shortage of 400 beds out of a total of 52 hundred applies to primarily to University Commons and Piedmont North.

The university is searching for volunteers to take the financial incentive.

"If they opt in and say you know what I'm interested in another person moving in my physical bedroom and living with me, they're getting a fourteen hundred dollar credit," said Brown

One potential new roommate is the daughter of Vipul Patel. He was at the GSU housing office after receiving an email about his daughter who is slated to stay at the Sheraton Hotel in downtown Atlanta.

"She has to stay at the Sheraton hotel for ten days to cover this and I don't know who is going to pay for it," said Patel.

The university said housing costs don't change for students at the Sheraton who will then transition into the dorms, as that extra room mate.

Director Brown told FOX 5 News they too are offered the incentive.

"The other reason we went with the Sheraton option up front is it gives us more time to engage with those students face-to-face," said Brown.

But some just don't like the options, regardless of an incentive.

Housing Director Brown told FOX 5 News he anticipates some students who have already registered will cancel their accommodations which he hopes will ease overcrowding.