West Lafayette asks residents to house Purdue students amid shortage
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The city of West Lafayette is encouraging residents to rent their extra bedrooms to Purdue University students in an effort to curb a major housing shortage as the student population grows.
The city council unanimously passed a resolution March 4 meant to increase awareness of a city owner-occupied rental program. In turn, council members said they hope homeowners offer long-term leases to students while Purdue builds more units.
Council members said they wanted to leave “no stone unturned” when it comes to increasing housing availability. The resolution sponsors say its meant to build capacity while larger substantive projects are constructed and is a way to let homeowners know they can make extra money through a program they may not have known about.
“This resolution is a way to raise awareness in the short term,” said council member Laila Veidemanis during the meeting. “We decided to put every option on the table to increase housing capacity.”
The Rental Housing Inspection Program, which is operated through the city’s building department, requires registering a unit, passing a rental inspection and paying a $235 rental inspection fee every two years.
Housing in the city is sparse with a rental unit vacancy capacity hanging at 1%, the resolution read. According to Census data, the national average is 6.6%. In February, the council issued a “call to action” resolution to spur Purdue to address the city’s housing shortage and affordability crisis exacerbated by the university’s growing student population.
The university is building a new eight-story residence hall south of its Hillenbrand Hall. The project, set for completion in June 2026, will create 896 beds, which constitutes a 35% increase in on-campus beds.
One resident who spoke during public comment said there needs to be more pressure on Purdue’s administration to taper enrollment and build more housing. She and another resident asked why they needed to commit time and resources to house students when that should be the university’s duty.
“I resent the fact we have to do that,” the woman said regarding the resolution, though she supports it. “How dare you, Purdue, do this.”
While Purdue boasts how its enrollment jumped 31% since 2013, city council members said that growth needs to be supplemented with places those students can live, and the buck can’t fall on the city each time. Over 41,000 students are enrolled at the university.
The city will provide information about the rental program and its impact through mailers, its website and other avenues.