Houses off campus are losing their approved status.

“Effective immediately, only apartment complexes will be eligible for approval,” the BYU–Idaho Housing Office said in an official statement. “Future applications to convert single-family residential homes to single-student housing will not be approved. Currently approved single-family residential homes will not be affected at this time.”

This means that homes built to house a family but changed to house single students will no longer be accepted as BYU–I housing. The houses already being used will keep their approved status until the owner changes.

 No official statement has been released concerning the modifications of when the homes will lose approval or when they will no longer keep their approved status.

Many students have voiced concerns that getting rid of this kind of housing could raise housing prices for students. It could decrease competition among approved housing companies, driving prices up.

Due to such concerns, the statement is currently being revised and a new edict will be released in the near future.
“I save $500 by staying here,” said sophomore Amy Feik. “I don’t have money to throw around for a smaller space. The main reason I moved into a house was because we have our own wireless Internet and it is so much        less expensive.”
Homes have been a popular alternative to apartment complexes. Many students prefer the different atmosphere and extra space and privacy many houses provide.

“I chose to live in a house because it is spacious; a breath of fresh air. It’d be tough to go back,” said junior Karlan Hansen.
Homes currently under renovation for student living will no longer be approved for housing. When the approved owner of a house passes away or decides to sell the home students are living in, the BYU–I approval will be removed.

The demand for student housing has attracted real estate investors. Retiring families have fixed homes to house students. They planned on these homes being rented long into their retirement to help support them, according to The Standard Journal.

With this new standard put out by BYU–I, the homes will lose their value and those that bought the homes will lose money.
 Andy Cargal, a public relations representative at BYU–I, said that the community will know about the change within a few weeks.

This new policy is coupled with a Rexburg City Council decision to allow land owners the option to reduce the ratio of parking to tennets by 50 percent and visiting students by as much as 90 percent. The decision was made in a city council meeting Wednesday, May 6.

Students with questions or concerns can contact the Student Representative Council at www.byui.edu/src.