'No more than 4': Ordinance leaves Texas A&M students scrambling for housing

Student leaders have asked the city for protected class status, as occupancy enforcement is set to begin June 1.

• The College Station City council voted to start enforcing the "No more than four" housing rule starting June 1.
• The "No more than four" ordinance limits rental units to four unrelated persons. It has been in place since 1939 but it has not been regularly enforced.
• Student leaders are asking the city to work with them to find different solutions that benefit students and residents — they are also asking the city to make students a "protected class," which would make it illegal to deny rental units to college students.
• If the city begins enforcing the ordinance June 1, many students will be forced to look for new housing for the fall semester, with options being more limited.
• Violators will be fined $250-500 per citation.

Broadcast Script:

“We've known students that have been fined in the past and given a criminal misdemeanor as a result of this issue," said Texas A&M Student President, Cade Coppinger.

Coppinger is talking about the "No More Than Four" housing rule in College Station.

"We also have seen students that have been given warnings, and things of that sort — I think there's going to be a lot of students that are affected in College Station.”

The city will begin enforcing the rule starting June 1, restricting rentals to four unrelated persons.

Student government leaders say blanket rules like this one do not address the root of the problem.

“How about we take into account the unique character of each home? If you have a five bedroom, why not let five people live there?”

Chief of Policy at Texas A&M, Ben Crockett, says they want to work with the city to find common ground but so far — no luck.

“If I can summarize several months of dialogue, it has been characterized as a lost cause, but I don't believe that all causes are lost forever," he said.

Now, they're proposing out-of-the-box solutions.

“The other thing that we've asked for is to grant students a protected class status — what that does — 'I can't refuse to rent to you or anyone else because they're part of a family' or, 'I can't refuse to rent to someone because of their religion' — I don't think that you should be able to refuse to rent to someone because they're a student.”

Crockett and Coppinger say this new enforcement will throw a wrench in students' housing plans, many who have already signed leases for the fall semester.

“The housing options have become so competitive that you're getting your house and you're signing up for your lease over a year in advance to sign up with other students.”