Narragansett Approves Limiting Off-Camp Housing For URI Students

NARRAGANSETT, RI — After nearly seven hours of debate, the Narragansett Town Council voted 3-2 to limit the number of University of Rhode Island (URI) students living off-campus in town.

The council approved the "three-student ordinance," which limits the number of URI students allowed to live together in Narragansett to three people per single-family home.

The council's public hearing on Wednesday night saw rifts grow between students, neighbors and landlords. Many residents argued college students living in town are noisy and don't mesh with Narragansett's family neighborhoods. Others like John Miller said the ordinance is necessary to address a declining year-round population in town.

"The proof is the town of Narragansett lost that population, because the resident taxpayers were leaving or selling out to the student rentals," Miller said. "I think it's very important you vote in favor of the 3-students set-up."

But students said the ordinance limits housing options for students and makes rent unaffordable.

"One of the reasons people move off campus is because it's actually cheaper than living in a residence hall at the end of the day," URI student Maren Drake told WPRI in opposition to the ordinance. "But if you start charging $800 plus rent to live in what should have been an eight-person house for three people, it's not going to be worth it."

Several landlords agreed, including Evan Morrill, the director of academic rentals Narragansett Properties.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to increase the family population of Narragansett, but the way you are doing it is working against you," Morrill said. "The homeowners need to make up for lost money. The only way to do this is to increase rents for academic and summer rentals. Homeowners are not going to give up their homes. It will simply continue to increase rents and run families out."

The public hearing and vote was the first reading of the issue, and typically a second reading and another vote is required before the ordinance becomes officials.

This was a first reading of the issue, and typically a second reading and another vote would be needed before the new ordinance becomes official. Once official, the ordinance will only apply to new leases. Those already on a lease will not be affected.