Evergreen Terrace, student housing for married couples and families, may need some updating, according to several students familiar with the complex.

Among the problems are broken machinery and outdated fixtures, said Anthony Moorehead, a graduate student in geology from Wilkes- Barre, Penn.

Moorehead said the apartments sizes could be an issue. He lived in the apartments from August 2010 to August 2011.

“The room size would be good for two people,” he said. “I think it would be small for two adults and kids.”

Since the complex is for families, it might not be the right place for people looking for peace and quiet, Moorehead said.

He said the apartments were outdated and had not been repaired in a while. The cabinets began to rust, he said, which would eventually bleed over onto dinnerware.

Although Carbondale is not prone to heavy snow in the winter, Moorehead said seasonal maintenance could also be an issue.

“They do not keep up with wintertime maintenance,” he said. “I shoveled the sidewalk most of the time. They would let the ice build up, and they wouldn’t put down salt.”

Moorehead said his biggest complaint was the staff’s responsiveness.

“I don’t think they really went out of their way to bring you in and make you feel welcome,” he said.

One benefit of the complex was the residents diversity, Moorehead said. Someone who comes here from a foreign country might be able to find someone who speaks the same language and practices the same culture, he said.

The buildings in the complex are also very spread out, he said, so residents don’t feel as if they live on top of each other.

Moorehead said water, sewer and trash were included in the bill while he lived there. Residents paid electric, cable and Internet, but Moorehead said his Internet hookups were damaged and it took time for the cable company to fix them.

Apartment floors are made entirely of linoleum, which may be a hazard for small children running around their homes.

Resident Jerry Smudde, a senior from Elkhorn, Wis., studying digital cinema animation, said the space is big enough for his family. However, he said he wishes all utilities would be included with rent.

Smudde said he pays $680 a month for rent, which includes water and sewage. Electricity is paid through his bursar account, he said.

Kids are free to run and do whatever they want, and the privacy is nice, Smudde said. He said he feels safe in the complex because cops often patrol the grounds.

Smudde said the apartments occasionally have insect issues, as he has seen problems with grasshoppers and spiders. Occasionally, Orkin will come and spray for bugs, he said.

Beth Scally, associate director of University Housing, said the office occasionally receives maintenance requests for the complex such as clogged sinks and toilets or a hinge that needs fixed.

Evergreen Terrace residents have access to maintenance hotlines, Scally said. Residents can call the Evergreen Terrace office during the day for assistance, and they can call an emergency number provided by University Housing at night.

Scally said graduate students often provide assistance for international students. For example, if an international student believes the heat is broken but they actually do not know how to work it, Scally said graduate students will come to their apartment to show them how to work the heat.

She said the complex is now receiving an update. Current projects inside Evergreen Terrace include new cabinetry and updates to the balconies.

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” she said. “There’s 33 buildings out there, but we’ve started working on them.”