'Tis barely a week until Election Day, when Bostonians will choose their first new mayor since 1993. How do candidates John Connolly and Marty Walsh stack up when it comes to student housing? Especially given the more than 27,000 Boston college students who live off-campus?
Our pals at Jumpshell have a new eBook out laying down not only the current student population in Boston and the surrounding region (broken down in the handy chart above) but the positions of current Boston Mayor Tom Menino and his two would-be successors. Basically, Menino wants to build a lot of housing and quickly, though he waited too long (we think) to propose his 2020 plan and it will likely still not be enough to significantly boost inventory and thus perhaps lower costs. Better late than never, though, and it looks as if both Walsh and Connolly would continue Menino's efforts to some degree. From the eBook:
Marty Walsh is in favor of more on-campus and university-owned housing for students in Boston. The BC Gavel also published an article stating that a Walsh administration would be "an asset to the university" regarding the school's plans to build new residence halls. John Connolly shares this position, but emphasizes the importance of focusing on creating more housing for graduate students, in addition to undergraduate students. ...
John Connolly's position is slightly more specific with regard to its stated focus on exploring options for additional graduate housing, while also addressing housing for undergrads. However, this does not mean Marty Walsh doesn't also promote this approach.
Again, though, we're talking a lot of housing going up before anyone sees an ebb in costs. Stay tuned.
· The Future of Student Housing in Boston [Jumpshell]
· Why the Hub Housing Market Could Get Worse, Much Worse [Curbed Boston]
· Boston's 5,000 New Apartments Won't Mean Lower Rents [Curbed Boston]