A report from the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. "If you’ve noticed all the recent construction south of LSU and thought to yourself that the student housing market has got to be overbuilt, your instincts are spot on. Vacancy rates for the 17 'class A,' or newer, student housing complexes near LSU are approaching 19%, a stunningly high number, given that the university submarket is typically among the strongest in the multifamily sector marketwide."

"'We just have a flood of new inventory and there is too much,' says appraiser Wesley Moore, who specializes in the local multifamily sector. 'We were warning about this two years ago, and most of the deals we were talking about then have either gotten underway or been built and it’s starting to show.'"

From The Vindicator in Ohio. "Dominic Marchionda’s creditors have filed for foreclosure on Youngstown State University’s Flats at Wick student-housing complex, claiming he owes more than $5.2 million. The 112-bed apartment building, which opened in 2010, is also at the center of a 101-count corruption indictment alleging Marchi-onda bribed former city Finance Director David Bozanich to receive city backing for the Flats at Wick project in the form of $1.2 million in water and wastewater funds – money Marchionda is accused of misspending on himself."

"Flats at Wick’s current valuation is about $4.4 million, according to the county auditor’s office."

From Syracuse.com in New York. "Out-of-state developers spent millions of dollars buying Syracuse buildings just to tear them down, because there was money to be made utting up apartments for wealthy college kids. It’s a booming business. And it gets a lot of help."

"Luxury student housing in Syracuse is heavily subsidized by city taxpayers. The developers get some of the biggest tax breaks in town. Syracuse officials say the city will benefit from the student housing in the long run, after property tax breaks expire on the new multimillion-dollar buildings. In the meantime, they say, new construction makes the city more vibrant and encourages investment."

"But vibrancy in one neighborhood may come at the expense of others. Neighborhood groups in the Euclid Avenue area east of SU have sent up flares of worry that a glut of student housing could lead to vacant houses on their streets. And although tax exemptions don’t require the city to pay out cash, they give breaks to big national companies while other taxpayers, including competing landlords, pay full fare."

From Multi-Housing News. "How have students’ needs and expectations changed over the past few years? PEBB Capital Principal & Managing Director James Jago: 'We believe the era of the all-out amenity war to lure the highest rent may be fading.'"

"Please talk about trends to watch in the student housing market this year. Jago: 'We’re keeping an eye on a potential pullback by some of the large institutional/sovereign investors that have been the high bidders for brand new, Class A core product. Whether it’s because student housing allocations are becoming maxed out or existing portfolio performance is stalling, we’re already seeing demand for this product soften a bit, especially in markets where the new supply pipeline exceeds projected enrollment growth. A pullback by these investors will have a meaningful impact on the developers/merchant builders who have been relying on those buyers as their exit.'"

From Bisnow on DC. "D.C.'s apartment market experienced unexpectedly strong rent growth in the first quarter, but a surge of new deliveries this year could put downward pressure on rents. The rent growth came despite the continued onslaught of new apartment deliveries and a significant drop in absorption. D.C. delivered 4,180 new Class-A units over the 12 months ending March 31. During that same period, the market absorbed 3,584 units, a 16% decrease from the prior year."

"The supply surge is set to increase dramatically over the next 12 months, and Delta Associates President Will Rich expects rents will not be able to maintain the upward momentum. An estimated 6,346 units are expected to deliver in the District over the next 12 months, a 52% increase over the last year. 'We expect the District will experience weaker rent growth than the long-term average over the next 12 months due to the sheer number of units that will be coming into the marketplace,' Rich said."

"Northern Virginia delivered 1,436 units in the 12 months ending March 31, but it is projected to deliver 7,646 units over the next year, an increase of over 400%."

From the Washingtonian. "Washington’s steady stream of upper-crust transients means renting here isn’t just for recent college grads looking for a deal on an English basement. And while you’re not likely to find a 10,000-square-footer with a saltwater pool on Craigslist, mansions for rent are easier to come by than you might think."

"Real-estate agents say some of those properties are available because there are more frustrated sellers in places such as Potomac and Great Falls. 'People who bought homes in Potomac for $4 million in 2005 to 2007 that are now valued in the upper-$2-million range sometimes decide to rent for a while, especially if they can cover their costs,' says Kara Sheehan of Washington Fine Properties."