University Pursues Student Housing Options
Even though Saskatchewan Housing has turned down its application for a $19 million grant to help build 200 family townhouses for students, the University will proceed with planning as if the project were going ahead.
Richard Florizone, vice-president of finance and resources, said government officials were not specific about why the University’s grant request was denied. The funding was needed to ensure rents for the four-bedroom McEown Park townhouses remained affordable for students but still covered the estimated $46 million construction cost. Without it, the University would have to charge about $500 per bedroom per month on a 12-month lease, he said, which is about $100 per month above the upper limit of the current market.
“On the financing side, things are still a bit vague,” Florizone said, “but we’re going full speed ahead (with planning), behaving in a manner consistent with building.”
The last residence project at the U of S—Wollaston Hall—opened in 1976. In total, the University can house about six per cent of its student population; peer institutions accommodate 12-25 per cent. The townhouse project would replace student family accommodation in Souris Hall, freeing up 134 beds that would then go to single students. The original expectation was that the townhouses would be ready for occupancy in September 2009.
Florizone said while plans continue to develop and the University seeks the necessary permissions to build, it is also talking with the province’s new Task Force on Housing Affordability, a two-person panel set up to advise the government on policies that encourage greater affordability. “They’ve told us we’re not eligible (for funding) under previous programs but that we’ve got a great proposal. It’s not a commitment but it is a positive signal.”
At the same time, the University will be investigating public-private partnerships similar to those used by other universities to build student housing. A number of developers have been approached and may be willing to make proposals for 1,500 apartment-style beds. Florizone cautioned these talks are very preliminary.
“In the short term, our strategies for this fall will be similar to last year. We’re asking people to open their homes and we’ll use the housing registry which worked well last fall. In the longer term, we remain highly committed to student housing and we know the need is urgent.”