Rethink College Park

We’re happy to announce that Rethink College Park is sponsoring a Community Housing Forum with the undergraduate and graduate student governments (both organizations have representatives on the East Campus Steering Commitee). SGA president Emma Simson has been working closely with us over the last several weeks to make the event a reality. The goal is to open up a wider community dialogue on student housing in and around the university. This topic is critically important given the ongoing East Campus Initiative and several private projects in the area.

Here’s a blurb from some of our materials:

The University’s continued transition from a commuter campus to a residential campus has put enormous pressure on the housing stock in College Park. Despite the recent openings of South Campus Commons, University Courtyards, University View and University Towers there are still about 875 students on UMD’s Department of Resident Life waitlist. Market research shows a latent demand for over 2700 University-affiliated beds near campus units including, but not limited to, housing units that are amenable to graduate students. Continually low rental vacancy rates (2.8%) in College Park and associated high rental prices have lead to student encroachment into traditionally family-oriented neighborhoods; causing conflict and discontent among city residents. Students fear that rent stabilization policies, enacted by the City Council last year, will only exacerbate the student housing shortage.

We’ve invited several area developers (including all developers who have expressed interest in East Campus) along with city and university officials so students can share their ideas on the type, cost, size and quality of new housing.

The event will be held on October 30th in the Atrium of the Stamp Student Union at 5:30pm. We hope you decide to join in!

> Students should RSVP on Facebook
> Developers, university, and government officials should RSVP to Rethink College Park Editor David Daddio
> Download the Event Flyer (PDF)