It should be clear to anyone that the only motivation for the city of Ames to enforce this ordinance is to boost the local economy. Limiting households to three students will create a lot more demand for housing than there ever was a need for.

For those new to Iowa State, you wouldn’t remember the huge old houses that made up the west side. They added a certain old-town charm that in the last six years have been replaced by four-story apartment complexes. If you checked, I think you’d find that very few of these complexes have four-bedroom units.

The reason is simple: There is more profit to be made per tenant in a two-or three-bedroom dwelling. Doesn’t anyone see the correlation between reducing the number and population of dormitories and the number of brand-new apartment complexes?

While I was in school I saw probably 15-20 new complexes built. Beyond the mathematical increase in housing spending, just think of the boost to the local construction businesses, and the influx of money that brings to the city.

When I came to Ames, South Dakota was almost a dirt path. Now it’s four lanes and has access to Highway 30. I guess that’s expected when dozens of apartment complexes are built. The question is, where did the people live before these places existed?

Did the ISU student population double in the last few years? I doubt it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if the average per-student housing cost didn’t go through the roof. Ames just keeps finding ways to skim the students, and all they can do is take it. That is, unless they realize that with a population of 25,000, there comes a little weight to throw around.

Walt Shumate

Alumnus