Rent to increase in married residences

By Sarelle Azuelos

Residence students can look forward to waterproof roofs, new locks and upgraded kitchens in Fall 2008.

The board of governors recently passed the Residence Students’ Association’s proposition of a $20 million five-year residence rehabilitation and renewal plan. While the board approved the association’s plan to go to the province for funding, rent will still be increased to cover interest payments.

University of Calgary student services assistant vice-president Jim Dunsdon explained that even with the increase, rent was still equal or below market value.

“I think students across the city of Calgary, regardless of what institution they’re going to, are challenged by the high cost of living in this city,” explained Dunsdon. “That’s just a very real issue for all students in Calgary right now.”

Graduate student Mostafa Galal lives in family housing and believes the increase is unfair to current residents.

“They’re asking again for an increase of about $130, so it’s 15 per cent,” said Galal. “Most of the tenants in the University of Calgary family housing are students and they get money from a source that’s limited.”

He explained the majority of grad students work full-time on campus and live off of research grants and scholarships. These scholarships aren’t increasing with rent at an equal rate placing a greater strain on the students. Currently 18 per cent of family housing revenue is assigned to maintenance, which Galal argued should have covered the costs of eventual upgrades.

“Anyone who has a house in Calgary and rents it divides his resources regarding maintenance and renovations and loans of the building,” said Galal. “The problem is the university has used its resources from the income of the units, now they tell us the unit is in miserable condition and we have to renovate it.”

Vice-provost students Ann Tierney said that the increase was not having an effect on applications for new students or those wishing to live in family housing next year. She specified that $8 million from the project had been allocated to family housing to renew kitchens, paint, fix flooring and paint, and other plumbing and electrical necessities. In 2008 alone, the total is listed as over one million dollars and will hopefully be completed by 2013. Galal also argued students currently paying for renovations will not benefit from them.

“To fund the project in order build we borrow, but it is in fact the revenue from rates that helps us pay back the mortgage or the borrowing,” said Tierney. “In the report there were over $50 million of suggestions but some of them were things like repainting here and there. Of course there was the issue, for some of the buildings, how much we wanted to invest over a longer term in the event that we might was to replace some of them.”

Residence Students’ Association president Lance Stewart was pleased with the progress, but made it clear that residence buildings needed as much help as they could get.

“The $20 million just scratches the surface,” said Stewart. “It’s basically a small project to get done, the absolute necessity for the next five years. The $20 million does not take into account the major problems that need to be done in Norquay, Brewster and Castle that we’ve been talking about for a couple of years now.”

Stewart also said he was impressed with the below market costs that residence services ensured for students living in all residences. Stewart and Dunsdon agreed with the viability of knocking down several building and replacing them in the future.

“There are a couple of building that if you look at how much is going to be required to ensure they’re available for 20 years, it’s actually more cost effective to rebuilt,” said Dunsdon. “The majority of the money is going to be spent on Kananaskis, Rundle and family housing. We’re very committed to renewing our existing buildings for students and we’re also committed to expanding residence capacity on our campus.”

The recently proposed phase six building is set to be completed in 2010, with sites currently under consideration.