College Station Students Challenge “No More Than Four” Housing Ordinance

College Station: Students Say “No” to No-More-Than-Four

In College Station, starting June 1, the city’s “no-more-than-four” housing ordinance is set to be enforced with renewed vigor. The ordinance—originally enacted 80 years ago—allows no more than four unrelated individuals to reside in a single-family dwelling. Its forthcoming enforcement is said to be a response to rampant complaints about rapidly changing neighborhood layouts and the growing density of student renters. However, many members of the affected student community are calling out, saying it’s time to say “no more” to this ordinance.

The Impacts of the Ordinance

College Station’s rapid growth has been largely driven by the parallel growth of Texas A&M University over the past two decades. This expansion hasn’t come without its challenges. The city is currently facing an affordable housing crisis. A recent report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University revealed that College Station has a rental housing burden of 59%, and a severe housing burden of 33.5%. This means that 59% of renters allocate more than 30% of their income toward housing, and over a third of renters spend more than half of their income on housing. Both metrics are on par with the New York Metro area and exceed those of the San Francisco Bay area.

Student Market Struggles

A considerable portion of the impacted group by this housing crisis are students. Recent data shows that a typical student in the Bryan-College Station area spends approximately $6,018. In comparison, the Department of Housing and Urban Development data cites that the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Bryan-College Station is $953, and even reaching $1000 as per Zillow’s October 2023 update.

These high housing costs have severe implications for the students, with minority students feeling the most pressure. A 2021 study from the Department of Student Affairs found that 50% or more of Black and Hispanic students have raised concerns about the cost of housing and running out of money for food. The reality is stark. According to research, approximately 72% of college students facing housing insecurity contemplate dropping out of school, and these students are 11% less likely to have a GPA of 2.0 or higher.

Coming to a Solution

It’s clear that the “no-more-than-four” ordinance compounds on these existing problems by limiting the supply of housing, which inadvertently pushes housing prices up. Alternative strategies are needed. Several cities, such as Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, for instance, manage occupancy through health and safety regulations—possibly a viable approach for College Station as well.

According to Texas A&M Economics Professor Dr. Jonathan Meer, “Price per renter goes up, unequivocally.”. Even Fred Dupriest, the head of the Occupancy Enforcement Alliance admitted to this during the October 26, 2023, Student Senate meeting, stating: “It is an argument that students can go into more debt, and I’m making that argument.”

Therefore, it is vital for the cities of Bryan and College Station to listen to and address the concerns of both students and permanent residents, in an attempt to equably serve the whole community. Students, even if they are transient in the community, bring real value and should also be seen as valued citizens. If their problems are held with equal weight to those of their permanent resident neighbors, a cooperative conversation about the future of the community can be started, paving the way for more equitable and effective housing policies.