SF proposes new rules on student housing

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/SF-proposes-new-rules-on-student-housing-3725276.php

San Francisco is changing its rules for student housing, which could cause new concerns for the city's college and university students who are looking to find a spot to park their books and laptops.

Worried that the city's 14 postsecondary schools are pushing low-income individuals and families out of apartment buildings and residential hotels to provide beds for their students, the Board of Supervisors is looking to ban almost all conversions of existing residential space into student housing.

"We want to encourage construction of new student housing and block the cannibalization of our existing residences," said Supervisor Scott Wiener, author of the ordinance that will go before the board's Land Use and Economic Development Committee on Monday.

Although Wiener and other affordable housing advocates are reluctant to name names, the restrictions are aimed directly at the fast-growing Academy of Art University, which has been taking control of buildings across the city as its enrollment has soared from 2,300 10 years ago to more than 16,000 today.