diff --git a/client/src/util/api.tsx b/client/src/util/api.tsx
index bcd522aa..9bf72c94 100644
--- a/client/src/util/api.tsx
+++ b/client/src/util/api.tsx
@@ -42,12 +42,7 @@ async function resolve(promise: Promise<any>) {
  * To UPDATE DURING DEPLOYMENT USING ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
  */
 const BACKEND_URL =
-  process.env.REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL || 'backend url not found';
-
-console.log(`BACKEND_URL: ${BACKEND_URL}`);
-
-// const BACKEND_URL = 'api.hackboilerplate.com';
-
+  process.env.REACT_APP_BACKEND_URL || 'http://localhost:4000';
 const URLPREFIX = `${BACKEND_URL}/api`;
 
 /**
diff --git a/server/src/config/createExpressApp.ts b/server/src/config/createExpressApp.ts
index d0826111..7da9ac03 100644
--- a/server/src/config/createExpressApp.ts
+++ b/server/src/config/createExpressApp.ts
@@ -18,9 +18,7 @@ import ApiError from '../util/apiError.ts';
  * @returns The configured {@link express.Express} instance
  */
 const createExpressApp = (sessionStore: MongoStore): express.Express => {
-  const FRONTEND_URL = process.env.FRONTEND_URL || 'frontend url not found';
-  console.log(`FRONTEND_URL: ${FRONTEND_URL}`);
-
+  const FRONTEND_URL = process.env.FRONTEND_URL || 'http://localhost:3000';
   const app = express();
 
   // Set up passport and strategies
diff --git a/server/src/services/mail.service.ts b/server/src/services/mail.service.ts
index b164c6ac..1d35a313 100644
--- a/server/src/services/mail.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/mail.service.ts
@@ -6,8 +6,7 @@ import SGmail, { MailDataRequired } from '@sendgrid/mail';
 
 const appName = 'Boilerplate'; // Replace with a relevant project name
 const senderName = 'Hack4Impact UPenn'; // Replace with a relevant project sender
-const baseUrl = process.env.FRONTEND_URL || 'frontend url not found'; // TODO: figure out better place to put this
-console.log(baseUrl);
+const baseUrl = process.env.FRONTEND_URL || 'http://localhost:3000';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line no-useless-concat
 SGmail.setApiKey(`${process.env.SENDGRID_API_KEY}`);