Students aren’t surprised AU is cutting ties with Tenleytown Apartment building.

American University students say they’ve been struggling with the Frequency apartments since the start of the semester so they aren’t surprised the school plans to cut ties with the housing complex for the next academic year.

AU announced earlier this month that it would not renew its lease with the Frequency.

“American University has decided not to renew its lease for the Frequency Apartments after the 2026-27 academic year. The Frequency will remain an AU housing option through August 14, 2027, and no current resident is being asked to move as a result of this decision,” Katya Popova, the school’s interim vice president and chief marketing and communications officer, told The Wash in a statement.

Popova said the decision reflects the university’s focus on its on-campus residential experience and those facilities it operates directly.

“Over the past several years, AU has made significant investments in its residential facilities and continues to invest in improvements to existing residence halls, including updated furnishings and room configurations, while strengthening options for upper-division, graduate, and law students,” Popova said. “Students will receive additional information about housing options for 2027-28 before the housing selection process begins.”

Located on the corner of Brandywine and 40 streets NW, next to the Tenleytown Whole Foods Market, the Frequency has been a housing option for juniors, seniors, and graduate students for the past few years. The complex, which previously housed American University Radio (WAMU 88.5 FM)  has 100 units.

The apartment building has been giving students problems since August.

One student, Emile Swartz, moved into his apartment in August, which he said was good until issues began to arise.

He said the air conditioner in his unit had not been cleaned, making him sneeze many times a day. The window didn’t have a handle and couldn’t be used, he said.

He said the washing machine flooded the apartment. Instead of fixing or replacing the washer, maintenance only shut off the washer and told him not to use it again.

“I’m not shocked. It seems like an expensive place,” Swartz said regarding AU’s decision.

Sydney Dakss said her experience at the Frequency has been less than ideal. Having moved into the complex in August, Dakss said she found herself out of her apartment in September.

The toilet flooded the unit, and she said she had to move out for three and a half weeks. Dakss said the maintenance staff was unreliable and would not communicate with her.

While she reached out multiple times to AU housing for help, Dakss said she was told it was “a Frequency apartment problem, not an AU problem.”

During this time, she said she didn’t know when she would move back and when she did, the new floors they had put in were already damaged and they had put a hole into the wall.

Dakss said she had heard nothing but good things about the Frequency before she moved in. But were just different this semester, she said.

“It seems like everyone is having a problem with Frequency,” Dakss told the Wash.

While for Dakss the situation was bad, she said she knew there was more going on than she was aware of.

Katie Parris said the rent was too expensive for the building and her apartment was not well maintained. When she had moved into her unit, it was dirty and the furniture was worn out, she said.

Parris said she wasn’t shocked by the university’s decision not to continue working with the complex, though she was concerned about where students would go.

“There’s already so few housing options available to upper classman students,” Parris said.

Parris said that there was not enough university housing because the school prioritized freshmen and sophomores living on campus, and it was difficult for students to find housing in D.C. due to budgets and competition.

In her statement, Popova said there will be space for students needing housing.

According to an FAQ page from the university’s Office of Housing and Residents Life, “AU will share available housing options, eligibility, and selection information for 2027-2028 before applications open. Students with questions about their individual options can contact Housing & Residence Life at that time.”

The Frequency’s management team was unavailable to comment.

Housing registration for the 2027-2028 academic year will open during the Spring 2027 semester.