A report from the Journal Gazette in Indiana. "Students choosing to live on campus at Purdue University Fort Wayne this all could pay less than expected due to higher than anticipated demand. Filling beds had been a challenge since the last of the buildings opened in 2010, school officials have said. Nearly a quarter of beds typically remained vacant."

The Baton Rouge Business Report in Louisiana. "Despite rising vacancy rates for student housing near LSU, residential investors are still looking at the Baton Rouge student market for new properties. Dallas-based Fountain Residential Partners, which specializes in luxury student housing, is planning a complex near LSU’s South Gates."

"Amid a wealth of new construction the last few years, the LSU student housing market is currently struggling to absorb new units. Newer, generally higher-end student housing complexes near LSU were approaching 19% vacancy rates, as of April."

The East Carolinian in North Carolina. "Pool tables in a resident-only lounge, Starbucks coffee machines in the lobby, study areas with Mac computers lining the walls and heated swimming pools with bar stools cemented to the shallow end -- at what point did student housing become similar to luxurious resort-style living at the cost of student refund checks?"

"When students are drawn toward these captivating, seemingly-amazing apartment complexes, targeted toward the individuals who continue to act as if college resembles reality TV, who is left with the bill? So why are we putting the idea of luxury student living on a pedestal? Do these partakers who sign for housing at lavish complexes realize the standard they are holding themselves to now will most likely not be what they live in after college?"

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune in California. "Los Angeles is the fifth priciest city in the nation for apartment renters, despite a year-over-year decline in rental costs. The median monthly rent for a one-bedroom unit in L.A. was $2,250 in June, down 3.8% from a year earlier, the report said. A two-bedroom apartment was $3,030, down 7.9 percent year-over-year."

"'Most of the nation has experienced many flat monthly growth rates, with a handful even seeing large, double-digit year-over-year declines,' the Zumper report said. 'It seems the market is stabilizing since the days of many cities experiencing consecutive, 10%-plus year-over-year growth rates in 2018.'"

From City Watch LA in California. "If you’ve driven between Northern and Southern California on the I-5 freeway, you’ve passed through one of California’s most biodiverse ecosystems, which sits on the Tejon Ranch."

"Tragically, a sizable part of this beautiful place is about to be devastated by the one of the largest housing developments in LA County’s history. The Tejon Ranch Company’s Centennial development would convert 6,700 beautiful acres into 19,000 homes (mostly single-family) and 8.4 million square feet of commercial space."

"Why would we destroy irreplaceable wildlife under such ecologically delicate circumstances when luxury apartments have been built faster than trees have been planted throughout Los Angeles’ historic neighborhoods?"

"The housing infrastructure Angelenos need already exists. Vacant buildings are not being utilized, while others are being rapidly built to make housing immediately accessible to wealthy transplants."

The Portland Press Herald in Maine. "A developer behind projects in Portland and Saco has been sued by a business partner who alleges he 'squandered, embezzled and stole' money from their company to pay personal debts and maintain a lifestyle he could not afford."

"Meanwhile, development properties on Saco Island and in Portland’s Bayside neighborhood are due to be sold at foreclosure auctions next week. In the lawsuit against Bernard Saulnier, real estate broker John Veneziano says Saulnier took money from J&B Partners LLC, the business they created to develop projects in Portland and Saco, to pay for other business dealings and Saulnier’s personal debt."

"Saulnier has completed developments in Saco and Old Orchard Beach and has approvals for two projects in Portland that include more than 70 units of housing that have yet to be built. He won approval in 2017 to build 19 condos on Sheridan Street on Munjoy Hill, although that project was delayed to address concerns about blocking views from Fort Sumner Park. Saulnier also purchased a project on Chestnut Street that would allow for 53 apartments in a seven-story building next to an existing parking garage."

"The properties were listed for sale in January, but Saulnier said at the time he was securing financing and taking them off the market. The Chestnut Street property is now scheduled for public auction Tuesday. The Sheridan Street property does not appear to be affected by the auction. Also headed to the auction block Tuesday is land on Saco Island where Saulnier has proposed a large development project."

"Saulnier and J&B Partners LLC defaulted on the mortgage for the Saco Island site in January and a public auction of that 6-acre parcel of land was postponed twice since then to allow more time to pay back the lender."

"The lawsuit alleges that after Veneziano raised $6 million for J&B Partners, Saulnier had done little to develop J&B’s projects and 'squandered, embezzled and stole' its liquid capital by paying off his personal debts and those of Saulnier Development LLC. Veneziano’s attorney, William Gallitto says in the lawsuit that ledgers produced by bookkeepers 'clearly demonstrate that Mr. Saulnier has been embezzling and stealing money from the J&B since its inception.'"