No discrimination against students
Issue date: 3/20/08 Section: Editorial
As if dealing with real estate agents, landlords and sky-high rents weren't enough, students hoping to live off campus next year can add the Boston Zoning Commission to the list of obstacles standing in their way.
The commission has recently passed a measure stating that no more than four college students can live together outside of college dormitories. While the commission cites an increase in noise complaints and the general rowdiness of off-campus students, a punishment for violating the new policy has not been established, though many officials are leaning towards some kind of fine.
According to a March 13 article in The Boston Globe, a hearing at City Hall on the subject drew a crowd of over 150 students, college and town officials and ordinary citizens.
After the hearing the commission passed the measure unanimously, which had already been approved by the City Council. Should the mayor sign it into law, the restrictions could take effect within days.
The main proponents of the new regulations, mostly neighborhood groups and city officials, include state Representative Jeffrey Sanchez of Mission Hill and Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
According to The Globe's article, many supporters cite rowdy late-night parties and the displacement of middle-class families because of students crowding into high-rent apartments as their main reasons for the measure. But these arguments do not take the college student's position into account.
When renting an apartment, the rates are the same for the space no matter how many occupants there are. So sharing a three bedroom apartment with six people would give landlords the same amount of funds as with four. And this increase of students does nothing to inhibit other families from renting in the same building.
If anything, this measure will backfire. Should no more than four students be able to live together, it will force groups of students apart, increasing the number of student groups searching for off-campus housing.
The commission has recently passed a measure stating that no more than four college students can live together outside of college dormitories. While the commission cites an increase in noise complaints and the general rowdiness of off-campus students, a punishment for violating the new policy has not been established, though many officials are leaning towards some kind of fine.
According to a March 13 article in The Boston Globe, a hearing at City Hall on the subject drew a crowd of over 150 students, college and town officials and ordinary citizens.
After the hearing the commission passed the measure unanimously, which had already been approved by the City Council. Should the mayor sign it into law, the restrictions could take effect within days.
The main proponents of the new regulations, mostly neighborhood groups and city officials, include state Representative Jeffrey Sanchez of Mission Hill and Mayor Thomas M. Menino.
According to The Globe's article, many supporters cite rowdy late-night parties and the displacement of middle-class families because of students crowding into high-rent apartments as their main reasons for the measure. But these arguments do not take the college student's position into account.
When renting an apartment, the rates are the same for the space no matter how many occupants there are. So sharing a three bedroom apartment with six people would give landlords the same amount of funds as with four. And this increase of students does nothing to inhibit other families from renting in the same building.
If anything, this measure will backfire. Should no more than four students be able to live together, it will force groups of students apart, increasing the number of student groups searching for off-campus housing.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Christine
posted 3/21/08 @ 9:29 PM EST
This is a completely ridiculous idea!
First of all, the main reasons for say six students to live in an apartment that only has three bedrooms is that rent is so expensive. (Continued…)
Fasting
posted 3/26/08 @ 2:34 AM EST
This appears to be a very bad idea that will displace more families than less of them. A better way would be to more strictly enforce the law against disturbing the peace to make sure that neighbors are not bothered. (Continued…)
Diane
posted 5/11/08 @ 3:35 AM EST
Racial obnoxiousness in North America: Abuse of Human Rights and Privacy Violations:
BEWARE of racially intolerant white canadian cops and security and their henchmen who claim to be despots; following parasitically in the footsteps of their american counterparts, and wilfully engage in their racial profiling of non-whites, in racial harassment of
non-whites, and in racially dehumanizing attempts to racially harass non-whites through intimidating physically, mentally, and spiritually; portraying their racial hatred of non-whites through causing wilfull and dehumanizing disturbance to non-whites through using
illegal wall-see-through technologies and audio-bugs on non-whites' homes; through listening and watching through the walls of non-whites' rented and owned homes, through
their internet and private telephones, and through using tempest technology to latch on as parasites onto others' computers' hard-drives as well amounting to illegal plagiarism and privacy violations. (Continued…)
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