A report from Bisnow on Massachusetts. "Recession alarm bells are ringing in one Boston real estate sector, but the backbone of the city’s economy is still pushing forward with more development. The higher education-backed development boom may be coming late in the cycle, but Suffock University John Nucci said universities are a safe bet when economic waters get choppy. 'We’ve been here for over 100 years and will be around for the next 100,' Nucci said. 'In many ways, we see increases in enrollment at times of an economic downturn because people come in and realize it’s an opportunity to further their educational career.'"

"As to whether the development is coming too late in this economic cycle, Berkley Investments Young Park said Boston’s research-based economy and hard science insulates it from downturns. While consumer goods developed in Silicon Valley might take a hit in down times when people are cutting costs, the research done in Boston’s burgeoning higher education-backed neighborhoods will still move forward. 'Harvard is a little late to the game but has enormous resources that haven’t been tapped,' he said. 'I think Boston has a lot of resources that would potentially shield it from the wild gyration of a recessionary phase in the economy.'"

The Arizona Daily Star. "In a sign that student-housing towers near campus are having an impact on similar outlying complexes, one of the earliest student-housing projects on the city’s west side is being converted into traditional apartments. Developer Holualoa bought Gateway at Tucson, a 188-unit complex built in 2005, for $12.9 million and plans to refurbish it into 273 units of conventional apartments. Churchill Commercial Capital arranged a $19.3 million loan for the renovation."

"The proliferation of student housing around campus impacted Gateway and made additional amenities, such as a shuttle bus, necessary to compete, said Lani Baker, vice president of finance for Holualoa. 'Once those towers started going up, occupancy significantly decreased,' she said. 'Profitability was impacted.'"

"Mike Chapman, senior vice president with NAI Horizon and a student-housing expert, said Gateway is the first major property here to convert from student housing to conventional apartments. 'Stress in that marketplace is just beginning,' he said of the complexes that are off campus.'"

"Predictions of saturation date back to 2013 when industry experts believed every new tower announced would be the last, but occupancy rates and high rents keep investors interested. When saturation will occur remains a mystery. 'If I could tell you for sure,' Chapman quipped, 'I’d be sitting somewhere counting money instead of being on the phone.'"

The Lawrence Journal-World in Kansas. "Thousands of Lawrence residents are spending more than they can afford for their homes and apartments, and Lawrence City Commission candidates have no shortage of ideas for how to fix it. 'The fact is that rents in Lawrence are higher than 30% of many people’s incomes,' Stuart Boley said. 'So you can look at that as a problem in housing prices; you can also look at that as a problem in income levels.'"

"Shipley said the city has focused funding on lower-end homes, when what people are demanding are homes in the $180,000 to $250,000 range. She said since developers have been overbuilding more expensive homes, the city may have to provide incentives to get those homes built. 'So what kind of incentive could we come up with to get developers or builders to build the housing we actually need instead of things we’ve already overbuilt, which is student housing, hotels and higher-end housing,' Shipley said."

The Collegiate Times in Virginia. "Construction has begun for an apartment complex along Patrick Henry Drive after an extensive battle between Shenandoah neighborhood residents and Green Valley Builders, a local Blacksburg construction company responsible for the development. Since the proposal of this project in 2018, Shenandoah neighborhood residents, who live in the area where the buildings are being constructed, have been fighting against the development of this housing."

"Blacksburg Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith urged the citizens of the town to understand this pivotal moment in Blacksburg history, noting the expected growth of Virginia Tech in the upcoming years. John McQuail, head of the Homeowner’s Association for the Shenandoah neighborhood, describes how many of the residents are unhappy about the decision, and that the majority of them lost hope in the battle against it."

"'I listed my house for sale the day after their decision,' McQuail said, discussing his disappointment in the approval of the construction of these apartments. 'In order for me to sell my house I had to reduce the price by $50,000. Several other neighbors had the same disappointing selling experience.'"