Please join me in signing the petition to protect our Oaklands neighborhood from the increasing trend of single-family homes being converted into student rentals.

I have submitted the following letter to the town council, outlining our shared concerns about the impact of these conversions on our community. It's crucial that we come together to address these issues and advocate for policies that will preserve the character and stability of our neighborhood.

Your support is vital in making our voices heard and ensuring that Oaklands remains a welcoming and cohesive community for families and long-term residents.

Dear Newark Town Council,

I am reaching out to you today to share some concerns regarding a growing trend that is impacting our neighborhood, particularly in the Oaklands area. The issue at hand is not simply the increasing number of student rentals, but rather the encroachment of these rentals into single-family neighborhoods. This trend poses a significant threat to the character and integrity of our community.

Over the past few years, there has been a noticeable rise in the number of college students renting single-family homes in Newark. Enrollment at the University of Delaware over the past ten years has increased by approximately 10%, with the Newark campus growing from 20,550 students in 2013 to 22,623 students in 2023. Concurrently, the university has continued to reduce its on-campus housing offerings. As a result, there has been a corresponding increase in the demand for off-campus housing, leading to a surge in student rentals. The consequences of this trend are far-reaching. Specifically, neighborhoods in the East Park Place and East Cleveland Avenue areas, and more recently in my neighborhood, Oaklands, and even Fairfield, have been particularly affected. These areas, once predominantly occupied by full-time residents and families, have seen a dramatic shift as more properties are being rented to college students. The consequences of this shift include:

• Investors are buying single-family homes to convert into rental properties, reducing supply and pricing out families who want to buy. As more homes are converted into student rentals, fewer options are available for families looking to settle. This rising demand for student rentals drives up home prices and reduces inventory. The lack of available housing for long-term residents undermines the town’s ability to grow and maintain a balanced community, exacerbating issues of community cohesion and altering the stability and character of our neighborhoods.
• The transient nature of student rentals has led to a decline in community cohesion. Long-term residents, who typically take pride in their homes and invest in building relationships with their neighbors, may feel a loss of the neighborhood’s identity and a weakening of social ties. In contrast, student tenants are often short-term occupants with little incentive to integrate into the community or maintain their properties. This erodes the sense of community and makes it difficult to foster lasting connections among residents.
• Student renters, who may only reside in these homes for a year or less, often do not maintain the properties to the same standard as long-term homeowners. This can result in an increase in litter, poorly maintained lawns, and general neglect of the properties they occupy. Consequently, the overall aesthetic appeal of our neighborhood diminishes, which can deter potential new residents from moving into the area.
• With more students living in these traditionally family-oriented neighborhoods, there have been frequent gatherings and parties that extend late into the night, disrupting the peace and quiet that many of us moved here to enjoy. These constant noise disturbances not only affect our ability to rest but also create a stressful environment for families with young children and elderly residents.
• Parking has also become a significant issue due to the influx of student renters in single-family neighborhoods. Many student tenants own multiple vehicles, leading to overcrowded streets and a shortage of available parking spaces for residents and their guests. This congestion not only poses safety risks for children playing outside and for emergency vehicles needing to navigate our streets quickly, but it also highlights that many homes are not equipped to handle the number of vehicles associated with student housing.

It is crucial for the town council to consider these impacts when addressing housing policies and to explore solutions that balance the needs of the growing student population with those of permanent residents. Council should be encouraging more multifamily student housing complexes within approved zones specifically designed for student accommodation. By providing purpose-built housing for students, we can alleviate the strain on single-family neighborhoods while also offering students suitable living arrangements that promote responsible community integration.

The town can implement regulations to ensure that student housing developments are strategically located and adequately equipped to meet the needs of both students and surrounding residents. These regulations may include stricter rental regulations within single family neighborhoods such as occupancy limits and restrictions on the number of student rentals within certain neighborhoods. The town of West Chester, PA can be looked at as an example on the effectiveness of such policies.

I urge the council to take these concerns seriously and to work towards policies that will preserve the character and quality of life in our neighborhood. By encouraging the development of high-density student housing in designated areas and protecting residential neighborhoods from being overrun by student rentals, we can create a more harmonious and sustainable community for all residents.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.