PCV pricetag nearly doubled in 8 years

Author

Carly Heltzel
April 10, 2025

Good morning. It’s Thursday, and I’m watching an ostrich peck at former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson through a car window in Texas. Onto the five Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and California stories you need to know for today.

1.

Rent prices at Poly Canyon Village have nearly doubled in eight years, with a single bedroom increasing from roughly $8,900 in 2017-18 to over $16,300 for the upcoming 2025-26 year. The leases span nine months coming out to a little more than $1800 per month. In upcoming years, the university hopes to require all second year students to live on campus, but students can apply for exemptions due to financial hardship. “It’s vastly cheaper to live off campus,” one student who used to live in PCV said.

2.

Two recent graduates of Cal Poly had their visas terminated, joining the one current student. Across the Cal State, the count went up to 40 international students with visas revoked, from the previously reported 36. It’s unclear what this means for each student, who were directed to their universities international center for assistance. National news outlets have reported that some visa terminations are a result of Trump’s order to deport pro-Palestinian protestors and those with criminal infractions as small as a traffic ticket, but most are left wondering why.

3.

If you’re planning to hike any section of the Pacific Crest Trail, be warned. Staffing shortages and funding cuts have rendered routine maintenance nearly impossible. Some sections of trail were completely washed away in a storm near Riverside, fallen trees litter the path in Washington and everywhere is overgrown or difficult to locate. Work orders got so backlogged they had to be wiped completely, with no plans to fix the issues until 2026. As if the 2,650-mile from Mexico to Canada needs more obstacles on the way.

4.

In a first-of-its-kind appearance, the LA Philharmonic orchestra will have its own set at Coachella this year. No major orchestra has ever had its own set at the desert music festival before. But it won’t just be any performance, more like the conductor’s mixtape featuring several special guests, including the likes of DJ Zedd and artist Laufey; the rest will be surprises. “It will be something that nobody will be able to see anywhere else,” the vice president of the orchestra said. 

5.

Remember the Trader Joe’s mini tote craze? It’s back: bigger, better and in pastels. Some stores have hours-long lines to purchase a $3 spring-themed bag — this time in baby blue, pink, lavender and mint green. But it might be worth it for the resale value alone. On Ebay, a set of all four tote colors costs $90, but there are several listings for $300, $1000 and even one for nearly $50,000 (with 285 page views in the past 24 hours). “The smaller the tote, the bigger the sensation,” Trader Joe’s says on its website.