CoSta housing ordinance makes the Trib

techno-ag

6:33p, 5/17/24

And of course the Texas Tribune takes the most liberal slant. It's all a matter of equity, you see.

That said, the ordinance sucks for students. And the bid to fine them for everything is getting out of hand. The Aggieland Board has a thread on motorcycle cops watching intersections and pulling over anyone who touches their cellphone at the light. Another thread on charging for public parking on public streets ($25) during the summer George Straight concert at Kyle Field and the Brazil vs. Mexico soccer game.

So yeah the city is on a money grabbing binge bigly. Kinda makes me overlook the liberal Trib stance.

Quote:
For three years in college, Texas A&M University student Ethan Tan lived in houses near campus with six roommates, each of them paying about $400 a month in rent. Tan, a graduating senior, said that low cost saved him from having to take out more loans and pick up long work shifts, which would've barred him from participating in some of the leadership opportunities he took at school.

But starting in June, College Station will enforce an occupancy ordinance that prohibits more than four unrelated people from renting a single-family unit together and students in housing arrangements such as Tan's will be liable to fines similar to parking tickets.

While a version of the rule has already existed in the city for around a century, it had remained largely unenforced. The push for some kind of enforcement started about two years ago amid simmering tensions between A&M students living in single-family units near campus and homeowners in those neighborhoods.

The friction not only highlights how college students have increasingly struggled with housing costs but also the challenges cities across Texas face when trying to balance homeowners' concerns with the need to provide affordable housing.

https://www.texastribune.org/2024/05/17/texas-am-student-housing-affordability/

Buy a man eat fish, he day, teach fish man, to a lifetime.

- Joe Biden

I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled.

- Kamala Harris

Rapier108

6:54p, 5/17/24

Why should Bryan/College Station make special rules, exemptions, and accommodations for students, especially at the determent to the rest of the residents? The students basically want to be able to live anywhere and everywhere, the homeowners in those neighborhoods be damned.

Students bring nothing but trouble to neighborhoods, be it parties, loud music/bass, ultra loud vehicles, or just coming and going all hours of the day and night. Residents should not be forced to live next to 4-6+ students who have less than zero respect for their neighbors.

And the problem is not just in neighborhoods near campus. You can find students in almost every neighborhood in B/CS. Sure, some are good neighbors, but many are not. I know several people who eventually decided to move because of the number of rental houses in their neighborhoods (mostly owned by LLCs or other business types) which are far away from campus. The neighborhoods near campus are already almost all students, either in houses or Ag Shacks.

"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." - Sir Winston Churchill

Waffledynamics

7:00p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
Why should Bryan/College Station make special rules, exemptions, and accommodations for students, especially at the determent to the rest of the residents?

College Station wouldn't exist without the students, and Bryan would be a lot smaller.

Quote:
Students bring nothing but trouble to neighborhoods, be it parties, loud music/bass, ultra loud vehicles, or just coming and going all hours of the day and night. Residents should not be forced to live next to 4-6+ students who have less than zero respect for their neighbors.

Don't live in a college town, then. There are a lot of students that don't do that stuff and don't like that stuff, also. It not a secret that Texas A&M is there and that there are a lot of students.

Quote:
Sure, some are good neighbors, but many are not.

So deal with the bad ones.

Ag_of_08

7:04p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

The one and only reason the city of college station exists is the students. It would till be a grain station in the middle of nowhere without the university.

I hope students take over the council and counter BS with BS

Definitely Not A Cop

7:09p, 5/17/24

CoSta?

Rapier108

7:13p, 5/17/24

This has been the attitude forever, residents must bow down to the students, give up any rights, and let them do whatever they want simply because "without them CS wouldn't be here."

And they wonder why many people hate the students. Students believe they have the right to trample on everyone else and are owed something simply because they're students.

Keep people awake all night? Must be allowed.
Destroy property values? Must be allowed.
Trash the neighborhood? Must be allowed.
Have parties every day? Must be allowed.
Be a general nuisance? Must be allowed.

Non-students didn't give up their rights by living here. Students need to learn to be good neighbors.

"If you will not fight for right when you can easily win without blood shed; if you will not fight when your victory is sure and not too costly; you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance of survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves." - Sir Winston Churchill

Definitely Not A Cop

7:16p, 5/17/24

I think Rapier has a point. There should be designated non-student neighborhoods. And A&M should eminent domain the surrounding land to build more affordable student housing.

Waffledynamics

7:16p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
This has been the attitude forever, residents must bow down to the students, give up any rights, and let them do whatever they want simply because "without them CS wouldn't be here."

And they wonder why many people hate the students. Students believe they have the right to trample on everyone else and are owed something simply because they're students.

Keep people awake all night? Must be allowed.
Destroy property values? Must be allowed.
Trash the neighborhood? Must be allowed.
Have parties every day? Must be allowed.
Be a general nuisance? Must be allowed.

Non-students didn't give up their rights by living here. Students need to learn to be good neighbors.

Nobody is asking for any of this. If someone does this, punish them.

RogerFurlong

7:17p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
This has been the attitude forever, residents must bow down to the students, give up any rights, and let them do whatever they want simply because "without them CS wouldn't be here."

And they wonder why many people hate the students. Students believe they have the right to trample on everyone else and are owed something simply because they're students.

Keep people awake all night? Must be allowed.
Destroy property values? Must be allowed.
Trash the neighborhood? Must be allowed.
Have parties every day? Must be allowed.
Be a general nuisance? Must be allowed.

Non-students didn't give up their rights by living here. Students need to learn to be good neighbors.

Let the kids have fun. It's a town for students. Just because you're a townie doesn't mean you need to ruin the fun for everyone.

techno-ag

7:21p, 5/17/24

In reply to Definitely Not A Cop

Definitely Not A Cop said:
I think Rapier has a point. There should be designated non-student neighborhoods. And A&M should eminent domain the surrounding land to build more affordable student housing.

That's kind of what the Northgate high rises have done. They house thousands of students who would otherwise be out in the neighborhoods.

Buy a man eat fish, he day, teach fish man, to a lifetime.

- Joe Biden

I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled.

- Kamala Harris

techno-ag

7:33p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
I know several people who eventually decided to move because of the number of rental houses in their neighborhoods (mostly owned by LLCs or other business types) which are far away from campus.

My family formed an LLC for rental properties. We're not a big conglomerate or anything, there's just an extra layer of legal protection with an LLC.

We're local but your out of state investors hire local property managers. That's the only way it can work for them.

Two things CoSta does to LLCs. They started an owners registry which you have to pay for, ostensibly so they can contact an owner in the event of a problem. In reality it's just another fee on rentals.

Also, when they see the owner is an LLC there is no mercy on property taxes. It's rough on everyone I know but our LLC properties seem to always go up. Maybe that's not the city but still. It's treated differently in my experience.

Buy a man eat fish, he day, teach fish man, to a lifetime.

- Joe Biden

I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled.

- Kamala Harris

ATX_AG_08

7:36p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
Why should Bryan/College Station make special rules, exemptions, and accommodations for students, especially at the determent to the rest of the residents? The students basically want to be able to live anywhere and everywhere, the homeowners in those neighborhoods be damned.

Students bring nothing but trouble to neighborhoods, be it parties, loud music/bass, ultra loud vehicles, or just coming and going all hours of the day and night. Residents should not be forced to live next to 4-6+ students who have less than zero respect for their neighbors.

And the problem is not just in neighborhoods near campus. You can find students in almost every neighborhood in B/CS. Sure, some are good neighbors, but many are not. I know several people who eventually decided to move because of the number of rental houses in their neighborhoods (mostly owned by LLCs or other business types) which are far away from campus. The neighborhoods near campus are already almost all students, either in houses or Ag Shacks.

Maybe because it's a college town supported off the students. I lived in a 4 bedroom house right off campus for a year at A&M. It was awesome walking to football games.

The guy who bought it and leased it to us is an A&M alum and major donor. He'd be the one "getting rights taken away". What's he supposed to do with it now?

ATX_AG_08

7:37p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
This has been the attitude forever, residents must bow down to the students, give up any rights, and let them do whatever they want simply because "without them CS wouldn't be here."

And they wonder why many people hate the students. Students believe they have the right to trample on everyone else and are owed something simply because they're students.

Keep people awake all night? Must be allowed.
Destroy property values? Must be allowed.
Trash the neighborhood? Must be allowed.
Have parties every day? Must be allowed.
Be a general nuisance? Must be allowed.

Non-students didn't give up their rights by living here. Students need to learn to be good neighbors.

Giving up rights?
Let them do whatever?

Take a step back man.

91AggieLawyer

7:53p, 5/17/24

So people that are RELATED don't cause any problems; only those that are UNRELATED.

Or is this ordinance being written to avoid legal issues?

If that's the case, you have to wonder if something else is at play. If it is, why not deal with THAT? In other words, deal with the cars on the streets and loud noise, and let the landlords deal with property damage. Start enforcing criminal statutes for the latter. Instead of telling landlords, "that's a civil matter," enforce destruction of property (or other relevant) statutes IF that's an issue.

Lock their ass up, with "their" being the people who are causing trouble. And leave those that just want to save money on rent and the landlords who have no issue with this alone.

Emotional Support Cobra

8:04p, 5/17/24

In reply to Definitely Not A Cop

Definitely Not A Cop said:
CoSta?

I know, I won't even say CSTAT.

HollywoodBQ

8:06p, 5/17/24

In reply to 91AggieLawyer

Well, if they went after big families and relatives, that would be called racist, wouldn't it.

I didn't miss the fact the protagonist in the story was named Tan.

techno-ag

8:07p, 5/17/24

In reply to Emotional Support Cobra

Emotional Support Cobra said:
Definitely Not A Cop said:
CoSta?

I know, I won't even say CSTAT.

No one says CStat anymore. All the cool kids say CoSta.

Buy a man eat fish, he day, teach fish man, to a lifetime.

- Joe Biden

I think that, to be very honest with you, I do believe that we should have rightly believed, but we certainly believe that certain issues are just settled.

- Kamala Harris

doubledog

8:48p, 5/17/24

Every student owns two cars and they park each one on the street. That is one reason we need an ordinance.

aggie93

8:55p, 5/17/24

In reply to techno-ag

techno-ag said:
Emotional Support Cobra said:
Definitely Not A Cop said:
CoSta?

I know, I won't even say CSTAT.
No one says CStat anymore. All the cool kids say CoSta.

I choose to be uncool then.

"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help."

Ronald Reagan

pacecar02

9:01p, 5/17/24

Both towns whiffed on housing long ago

Screwed with working class neighborhoods

Messed up schools and feeder school boundaries

0 to no incentive to invest in improvements to the homes when all folks are renting is for four walls and a roof whilenin school.

So now they are picking losers

CS city council I don't understand at all

They suck at damn near everything they do

Watch them dig up rock prairie again in 2 years, they love redoing that road

How many more lights can the add to 2818?

Anyway

It's kinda silly Bryan and College Station don't manage some of these issues together, our problems are all interrelated

no sig

FWAppraiser

9:08p, 5/17/24

The article makes it seem like the ordinance was already in place, and they're just going to start enforcing it now. If that's the case, I have zero problem with that. The city should be enforcing the ordinances that property owners were already subject to.

If this is new, I almost always take issue with restricting private property rights. Enforce noise ordinances, parking violations, etc. if the kids are being a nuisance to their neighbors.

pacecar02

9:15p, 5/17/24

In reply to FWAppraiser

The pay for parking thing is new

Charging residents to park in front of their homes sounds like BS policy to me

no sig

FWAppraiser

9:17p, 5/17/24

In reply to pacecar02

For sure.
I was referring more to the number of unrelated residents part.
So if you have a bunch of kids living in a house and a no street parking ordinance, enforce it. If not, no issue.

1939

9:27p, 5/17/24

It's as if the townies didn't realize there is a huge university in town.

pacecar02

9:30p, 5/17/24

In reply to 1939

They've kinda Hellen Kellered their way around stuff for forever

The non related persons ordinance went in around the early 0's

no sig

TX04Aggie

9:48p, 5/17/24

In reply to pacecar02

Yep. I remember it being a concern when I was there in early 00s….

justcallmeharry

9:59p, 5/17/24

In reply to Definitely Not A Cop

Definitely Not A Cop said:
CoSta?

CoSta RiCa?

If you think I am a liberal, you are incorrect. Assume sarcasm on my part. Sorry if something I post has already been posted.

TRADUCTOR

10:04p, 5/17/24

Getting old move next to kids and whining about your choice is idiotic.

eric76

10:12p, 5/17/24

Does this mean that the assisted living and nursing homes are going to have to shut their doors?

eaa84059-c3ef-468a-998c-75e682c328fa@8shield.net

The Banned

10:14p, 5/17/24

Lived in CS for several after getting married and with two small children…. Anyone giving college students a hard time for being college students is teetering between hypocrite or just plain crotchety.

Of course college kids want to have a little fun. No, their yard maintenance skills are not great. Yes, they park far too many cars in their driveway/side of the road. But so did most on this board and none of it is some sort of major quality of life issue. Let them have fun and understand that, without the university, you would be living in the same dense urban hellhole that most other folks are. And, just like in years past, most Ags are good people and a simple conversation can go a long way much of the time.

AlaskanAg99

10:20p, 5/17/24

In '97 my folks bought a 4 bdr house on S of Santa Maria. And get this it was $80k.

I lived there and my brother after me. 3 roommates ea.

We had 2 big parties each school year, Parents weekend in the fall and bug boil in the spring.

We had a cop that lived 2 doors over. He came over once on a Saturday at 2pm to ask "What are we up to", we explained and he said just shut it down by 11.

It's pretty easy to coexist. You have to a be a real ****lord. Which I was to my roommates because I was the "House Mom" and anything bad fell on me and only me.

Mu brother moved in after me and 4 years later I convinced my parents to sell.

Worst thing I've ever done.

Old Tom Morris

10:26p, 5/17/24

Enforce noise and nuisance laws, but telling people that 4 people can live on their private property but 5 can't is big govt bull****

eric76

10:33p, 5/17/24

In reply to AlaskanAg99

AlaskanAg99 said:
In '97 my folks bought a 4 bdr house on S of Santa Maria. And get this it was $80k.

I lived there and my brother after me. 3 roommates ea.

We had 2 big parties each school year, Parents weekend in the fall and bug boil in the spring.

We had a cop that lived 2 doors over. He came over once on a Saturday at 2pm to ask "What are we up to", we explained and he said just shut it down by 11.

It's pretty easy to coexist. You have to a be a real ****lord. Which I was to my roommates because I was the "House Mom" and anything bad fell on me and only me.

Mu brother moved in after me and 4 years later I convinced my parents to sell.

Worst thing I've ever done.

I moved into a very solid family neighborhood for the peace and quiet. It was great.

And then a bunch of seniors moved into the house next door. The first weekend of school, they had a party that started after the bars closed. That was a nightmare.

Not only was it extremely noisy, they pretty much clogged up the entire street with their cars. if there had been a fire or an ambulance, there might not have been enough room to get the firetrucks or ambulances through.

There were noise complaints and by about the second month of school, their parties got a whole lot quieter and small enough for everyone to be in doors.

If you want to throw loud parties like that, move into student areas where it is expected. Don't move into quiet neighborhoods where many people have to get up to go to work at around 6 or 7 am.

eaa84059-c3ef-468a-998c-75e682c328fa@8shield.net

AlaskanAg99

10:43p, 5/17/24

In reply to eric76

eric76 said:
AlaskanAg99 said:
In '97 my folks bought a 4 bdr house on S of Santa Maria. And get this it was $80k.

I lived there and my brother after me. 3 roommates ea.

We had 2 big parties each school year, Parents weekend in the fall and bug boil in the spring.

We had a cop that lived 2 doors over. He came over once on a Saturday at 2pm to ask "What are we up to", we explained and he said just shut it down by 11.

It's pretty easy to coexist. You have to a be a real ****lord. Which I was to my roommates because I was the "House Mom" and anything bad fell on me and only me.

Mu brother moved in after me and 4 years later I convinced my parents to sell.

Worst thing I've ever done.
I moved into a very solid family neighborhood for the peace and quiet. It was great.

And then a bunch of seniors moved into the house next door. The first weekend of school, they had a party that started after the bars closed. That was a nightmare.

Not only was it extremely noisy, they pretty much clogged up the entire street with their cars. if there had been a fire or an ambulance, there might not have been enough room to get the firetrucks or ambulances through.

There were noise complaints and by about the second month of school, their parties got a whole lot quieter and small enough for everyone to be in doors.

If you want to throw loud parties like that, move into student areas where it is expected. Don't move into quiet neighborhoods where many people have to get up to go to work at around 6 or 7 am.

I kept my people locked down. We were good neighbors and even our parties, the parents were all in their 40-50s for a home game (against the worst team so they could get tickets) and they all drove back to Houston that day.

Crawfish boil was a little more, but the threat of the cops wife gave me heartburn and it was the ******* smokers I had to chase into the backyard every 30mins so they'd be drowned out by street noise.

We were good neighbors because I made my *****es behave. Why? Because my dad would have beat me sideways and I spent 2.5 years working on that house and he lived 80 mins away. Fall and spring he and I would work on house projects starting at 8am.

I did not like him.

Only later did I realize the skills he taught me working hungover on Saturday mornings. Best education ever.

ABATTBQ11

11:59p, 5/17/24

In reply to Rapier108

Rapier108 said:
Why should Bryan/College Station make special rules, exemptions, and accommodations for students, especially at the determent to the rest of the residents? The students basically want to be able to live anywhere and everywhere, the homeowners in those neighborhoods be damned.

College Station isn't making any accommodations or exemptions for students. The only special rules they're making are more attempts to extract even more money from them.

And why shouldn't students be able to live anywhere and everywhere? Last time I checked, College Station was in America, where living wherever you want is a God given right.