San Diego Neighborhood Wrestles With Student Housing

"Mini-dorms, a growing trend around San Diego State University, are single-family homes rented to several students, often after extra bedrooms and parking spaces have been added."

"The trend has ignited anger among longtime residents who say the resulting late-night parties and loud music aren't compatible with neighboring families, and now the city wants to tighten controls on mini-dorms by restricting a property owner's ability to renovate."

The city is considering "reducing the number of parking permits issued to residents and adding a code enforcement position in partnership with SDSU."

"25-year-old [Michael] Haaland and Ian Sells, partners and former fraternity brothers who are the team behind much of the development, "think the city is kidding itself trying to stop mini-dorms around SDSU. The university serves 33,000 students on its main campus, but provides housing to accommodate 3,800. An additional 600 live in fraternity and sorority houses."

"Do the math, they say."

" 'I don't care what laws they pass. I don't care what they do. Eventually all these houses, kids are going to be living in them,' Haaland said, adding that the city should rezone for more apartments on major College Area streets."