Our communities

Arrakis is a friendly, social co-op with residents from a wide array of backgrounds. We host house dinners, and throw parties including Around the World, along with many other social events. We have cozy common spaces, including a patio!

We encourage members to be involved in LGBTQ advocacy and community building inside and outside of Eden’s walls. Eden is actively working to be an anti-racist community. We use a racial and social equity lens in our processes and meetings and we work to unlearn racist actions and ideas.

We recognize and appreciate all of the elder Black queer visionaries that made spaces like Eden possible. All students of any identity are welcomed at Eden. ICC Austin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of their identity. Members who want to call Eden their home should fully understand, support, and respect this community and the reasons for its creation.

Helios is a vibrant, pet-friendly house within the ICC community and a designated City of Austin Historic Landmark. Helios is more than just a place to live; it is a community of thoughtful, curious individuals navigating through their education and life together. Because of our love for this space, we’re intentional about caring for both the physical state of the house and the people (and animals) within it.

Our community values reflect this care: we focus on cleanliness, respect, and creating an inviting atmosphere through simple, thoughtful actions—like greeting our housemates and checking in with one another. On weeknights you’ll find us chatting on the front porch, studying in the study nook, or singing and dancing in the kitchen together.

As ICC’s largest community, New Guild welcomes members from many walks of life. We strive to make our home a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and people of color. We’re made up of artists, filmmakers, writers, musicians — if you’re looking for a community of creatives, this is the place. 

In addition, we love live music. The more people dancing along, the better. During the weekends, we often stay up late while blasting our favorite songs. We are heavily connected to the music scene in Austin, and we’ll find a local concert to go to almost every weekend. It’s common to find members hosting band practice in our backyard or playing their instruments in our common spaces.

Around the house, you may find students completing their art projects, studying, playing video games, baking, cooking, singing, and so much more. There is always something to do at New Guild, and we do our best to build an inclusive environment where anybody can join in on the fun. Living in the house teaches you how to prioritize what you find most important. Ultimately, if you’re looking for the quintessential artistic-bohemian commune, we’d love to have you at New Guild.

Royal House Co-op is a quiet, vegetarian community that values mutual respect, independence, and inclusivity. Members enjoy a calm atmosphere where everyone contributes to maintaining a clean and supportive shared space. The culture is relaxed and welcoming, with a focus on peaceful coexistence and genuine connection.

Ruth Schulze is a space that holds diversity in high regard. Our house members come from all walks of life. No matter what your personality type is, you will likely find people that you mesh well with here. We take pride in how we bond as a community and at the same time, promote individualism and personal space. We have both introverted and extroverted people. Our welcoming environment makes it easy to find people to do many activities with; groups that are big or small we promote it all! However, there is no pressure for you to participate in anything. If you feel like doing stuff with people, you will very likely find someone either by asking around (e. g. at the dinner table in the commons area) or by posting on our many social media platforms!

Members who chose to live in a substance free environment do so for a variety of reasons including health, personal values, family influence, and impact by addiction and recovery in family, friends’ and/or one’s own life. Members who decide to call Ruth Schulze Co-op their home commit to the following agreements.

• Members agree not to use or possess alcohol, tobacco products*, or any illicit/illegal drugs in any space within the house or on house grounds.
• If a member chooses to consume substances while off the premises, respect for the community must be maintained and behavior upon returning home must not negatively impact the community or any individual member.
• Members agree to hold each other accountable and will follow ICC Austin’s conflict resolution process to confront any member who is in violation of the substance free policy.
• Members understand that violation of the substance free policy may result termination of the member resident agreement.

*Tobacco products may be kept in a member’s possession but may not be used in the house or on house grounds.

House of Audre Lorde is a space maintained and established for and by People of Color, dedicated to amplifying our voices. We recognize the ongoing legacy of racial inequity in the United States. Our goal is to provide a community centered living space that intentionally de-centers White cultural norms that we Students of Color must navigate in our daily life. We envision a supportive and collaborative academic, living and learning environment. One that sustains the collective health, well-being, development, and empowerment of all its members across all aspects of life.

All students are welcomed to live at House of Audre Lorde. ICC Austin will not discriminate against anyone on the basis of race. Members who decide to call House of Audre Lorde their home should fully understand and support the vision of the house and the reasons behind its creation. 

As an organization, we acknowledge what we don’t know. This space will allow a new community and its development will be driven by the members with support from our staff. We offer this poem, by Micky ScottBey Jones, as a starting direction for the community.

An Invitation to Brave Space

 Together we will create a brave space,

Because there is no such thing as a “safe space”.

We exist in the real world.

We all carry scars and we have all caused wounds.

In this space,

We seek to turn down the volume of the outside world,

We amplify voices that fight to be heard elsewhere,

We call each other to more truth and love.

We have the right to start somewhere and continue to grow.

We have the responsibility to examine what we think we know.

We will not be perfect.

This space will not be perfect.

It will not always be what we wish it to be

But

It will be our brave space together,

And

We will work on it side by side.