BYU NewsNet - Say What?! Eliminate BYU Housing?

Although BYU approved housing may limit the supply of houses for BYU students, BYU-approved housing does not cause the "economic nightmare" described in the article entitled "Eliminate BYU Housing". In fact, it is an essential organization that exists to provide students a clean and moral living environment while studying at BYU.

The office of Off-Campus Housing limits the supply of BYU approved housing in only two ways. First, it requires that to be BYU approved the property must fulfill certain minimum specifications. For example, it must be sufficiently furnished for the number of students it will house. Second, BYU Off-Campus Housing is not approving any new properties outside of the new boundaries. This does not create a shortage of BYU housing. Most BYU students live within the boundaries. Also, any BYU approved landlord will tell you how much harder it has been to fill their spaces, so there may even be a surplus.

All of that doesn't matter much in the long run because the market will reach a new equilibrium. If BYU approved properties are making more money for landlords than unapproved properties, then landlords will start to buy properties within the boundaries and make them BYU approved. We are seeing this currently as new BYU approved complexes are in the process of being built.

If a house or an apartment falls below the minimum specifications BYU students have the option to call Off-Campus Housing and report the problem. It is encouraged. If there are honor code violations, then landlords are expected to act. Can you imagine what it would be like without Off-Campus Housing? Students would have less capacity to resolve shoddy living conditions, and the honor code violations that do exist would most certainly increase in number. I am glad we have BYU approved housing.