Ivory University House, salt-lake-city-ut

The Ivory house, an unrelenting money trap with undesirable living conditions. Maintenance MEN entering your room with their key, whenever they want, regardless if you can hear their knocks from your bedroom, sound asleep, to turn your water off and make “repairs”… multiple times a month. Next, you or your friends will get their car towed or pay the hundreds of Dollars of parking pass fees over the course of the year. Parking does not come with residency! No free parking for residents or guests, lot patrolled, 425+ dollar fine with legacy towing, a hostile towing company in their own right. The no parking signs, vague and their view obstructed, hidden behind construction. Also, no overnight guests allowed. You’re being tracked by the cameras, the key fob, the gates. The administration is always watching, enforcing rules and making you pay! Beware of this place, it’s no worth a year of being in a surveillance state. Forget the convincing and location, it’s a money trap with very real consequences trusting a hostile place like this with your housing!

I was initially excited about Ivory House in 2023, especially since I had received their scholarship for the new school year that Fall (which I ended up using toward Lassonde Studios), but my experience with their leasing process was pretty disappointing. During my phone interview I was told the only thing I’d need to pay was the security deposit, but the lease later showed that two months of rent were due up front. When I pushed back about feeling misled, I was told I could be sent to collections for the full year even if I didn’t live there, and I was only allowed to cancel for about a $300 relet fee, which I felt I had to threaten legal action to even get offered. Communication was often difficult, since calls sometimes went unanswered and an email listed on the website bounced, although they were very quick to follow up when it came to getting me to sign. After I paid the fee and received my move-out statement, my resident portal login was disabled, so I could no longer view my payment history or agreements. When I later tried opening the application portal to double-check something, I received a call and voicemail shortly afterward asking if I was still interested in housing, even though my situation should already have been clear. The timing felt odd and added to my discomfort with the process. I was also surprised by some strict rules, like not being allowed to bring your own mini fridge, and when I asked about Ivory House being owned by the LDS Church because I felt I wasn’t being treated in a very Christlike way, the property manager, CaNisha, told me that at the end of the day it is still a business, which made the pricing feel at odds with the way the place is marketed as an altruistic mission. I also noticed on their Instagram stories that they occasionally offered gift cards for leaving reviews, which didn’t inspire much confidence. I will say the scholarship luncheon was nice, the turkey sandwiches were actually pretty good, the staff and donors were pleasant in person, and the building and location are great. At the same time, the overall process, pressure, and mixed messages left a bad taste in my mouth and ultimately made me decide not to live there. My scholarship also wasn’t renewed for the following year, even though my situation hadn’t changed, which added to my uneasiness given everything that had already happened, although I don’t know if the two were related. I am genuinely grateful that the scholarship helped reduce my housing costs for a year, especially as a first-generation, out-of-state student already carrying around $100K in student debt with limited support. But between this situation and some broader frustrations I’ve had navigating the university as a whole, the experience still left me feeling disappointed, which is unfortunate because I really wanted to feel good about being part of something that is presented as a supportive, mission-driven partnership with the U.

Living at Ivory has been an amazing experience! The amenities are amazing and everything is always very clean. The gym has many machines, and it even has a yoga room. I always use the study rooms, and the convenience being next to campus is extraordinary.

A great place to live. The rooms are comfortable, the amenities are a great plus (24/7 gym room, gathering rooms), and there are plenty of good events put on by the staff. They just recently added two new buildings and a courtyard with grills, a fire pit, cornhole, ping ping, and a volleyball court. The rent is pretty high but a lot of people I know (myself included) were able to get some pretty good housing scholarships that covered a significant portion of it. The biggest drawback so far has been the thermostat. I saw someone post a review a year ago mentioning this, and it still has not been fixed, at least in the older buildings. The thermostat will sometimes just randomly change temperature without any input. If being able to accurately control the temperature of your room is a dealbreaker, maybe reconsider. Otherwise a great place.

From the moment we arrived at Ivory House, the staff made us feel welcomed and respected. Everyone we interacted with was professional, kind, and genuinely helpful—though I can’t remember all their names, their warm presence stood out. A special thank you to Brody, who provided a thorough and thoughtful tour and offered consistent guidance throughout the process. His clear communication and supportive attitude made everything smoother and more reassuring for our family. The unit itself was very clean and well-maintained, and the entire building felt safe, secure, and intentional. I truly appreciate the rules and structure of the community, which align with our values and provide peace of mind as our student takes this next step. The pricing feels fair for the market, especially considering the amenities, safety features, and level of care that goes into managing the property. I wholeheartedly recommend Ivory House to any family looking for a safe and empowering space for their college student. Thank you again to Brody and the entire staff for making us feel confident in our decision!