Housing

Young and inexperienced students looking for housing in East Lansing are sitting ducks.

Unfortunately, leasing companies often are more interested in milking students for money than watching out for their interests. That’s where council members come in.

Someone needs to step up and protect student housing rights and end the mad race for housing that happens every fall. It’s simply unreasonable for students to camp out overnight for a house or apartment. Sure, students in part contribute to the frenzy because they scramble for housing, but housing companies are balancing on a thin line between being opportunistic and downright taking advantage of young renters’ naiveté.

Council should consider policies to protect students, such as pushing back the date when leases for the following year can be signed or ensuring students can break leases without penalties under certain circumstances, should be considered.

There also needs to be a greater push for affordable housing in the area, not just for students but also for middle-income families and young professionals. Housing costs in neighborhoods bordering campus are so inflated that only students willing to pay a hefty price or wealthy families are able to live there.

It was unfortunate that so few of the candidates who interviewed with The State News Editorial Board even knew students camp out for certain housing. We challenge them to be greater advocates for some of their most vulnerable residents.

Student voice

New council members cannot forget the student voice. Events such as the Brew & Do help incentivize students to be involved in city politics. Let’s be honest, no student is that interested in sitting through a two-hour meeting about zoning issues when they have an eight-page paper due the next day. Creative ways to include all members of the community are vital to sculpting East Lansing into a welcoming place for everyone to live.

Walking and biking

To get more people downtown and accommodate the growing number of students and residents who opt for a bike ride instead of a drive downtown, city council must plan on pedestrian- and bike-friendly policies.

Adding more bike lanes throughout the city, not just in one or two block stretches, would help cyclists feel safer on the streets. Although the city is working to improve biking conditions, infrastructure for the number of interested residents simply isn’t there yet.

Park District

The buildings marring Abbot Road and Grand River Avenue have been empty for years. Previous councils have tried and failed to transform the decaying site, but we can’t afford yet another failure.

More affordable student housing or young professional housing, retail space with unique local businesses, a grocery store or even a cinema could spruce up downtown. Students and permanent residents need more to do downtown that is not centered on drinking. A space where unique cultural events could take place, or even a grocery store so students without cars could have easy access to necessities, would be a welcome addition to the city and a service to students.