Plymouth State University housing policy hurts landlords

To The Daily Sun,

Plymouth State University released a new policy stating that students must live on campus unless they meet the following criteria for the academic year 2019-2020. The policy requiring students to be 21 by Sept. 1, 2019, or earn at least 64 credits has created the fact that most juniors will need to live on campus. If students were currently living off campus or a commuter then they would be allowed to live off campus. If students can show that they have been in the military two or more years, they, too, would also be allowed to live off campus.

For any student that signs up for on-campus housing or now is required to live on-campus, the school has the right to put them in any room/apartment available. They can also assign the students to live with someone that they don’t know or haven’t chosen for a roommate. All dorm rooms are typically set up in the same layout as well, depending on the residence hall. The student placement for housing has continued to be unorganized and many students are still not assigned their housing section.

Annual report of 2018 for the Town of Plymouth states “Merrill Place, PSU’s newest residential facility, was opened in the fall of 2017, providing greater housing opportunities for students. It will be used in facilitating the university policy of keeping more students on campus. This new policy will provide better learning opportunities for the PSU students, plus will help reverse the infusion of PSU students into the downtown and village area so that they can return back to on-campus housing. Since there will be a demand for workforce housing with the increased development along Tenney Mountain Highway, there should be a fruitful transition from buildings in the downtown village area that housed students to buildings that house employees’ families.”

Most of the local landlords have found that, as of June 2019, the tenant occupation for Fall 2019/Spring 2020 semesters are at about 60%. This is due to the new on-campus requirements made by Plymouth State University. Many landlords have stated the policy has created this occupancy drop and revenue decrease. With the drop in off-campus students and the income it produces for the local economy, it will certainly have a major drop in revenue for the local businesses and the Town of Plymouth as well.

By the university forcing students to pay above-market rates for housing that is generally less appealing for them, they can augment revenues without formally raising tuition fees — it is a stealth, less-transparent way of raising student costs of college attendance. Also, doing so drives up the cost of education and restricts university students — all in the name of “the university experience.”

Living off-campus allows the students to have the convenience of a vehicle and parking where they live; full-size kitchen, private bedroom, building credit and referrals for future rental situations; independence, responsibility, living with roommates that the student chooses; less noise, additional space; allowing family to visit at any time; eating at local restaurants; more economical and affordable food choices, and off-campus is a more affordable housing option.

Off-campus housing not only is a better option for the student but it also creates revenue for local people, local businesses and the Town of Plymouth.

Paula M. Merrill

Property Manager

Plymouth