What I found interesting was the note that State Funding is tied to a formula that incentivizes growth.

Implying that slowing growth will have financial impacts. Seems like the state funding formula is out of balance and puts A&M between a rock and hard place of wanting to take time to address these issues while risking state funding incentives.

Mo people, mo problems.

TAMU and Blinn keep adding students and the cities have to spend to accommodate. Not real sure of a solution.

I am - send them out to the county and use the FED opportunity zone that extend all the way to Brazos.

The only way you can "fix" this housing issue is to have the government basically give away free land. You can give me the back and fourth about zoning this and zoning that - but it is a bandaid on a broken leg.

You cannot start building a massive amount of homes because prices will skyrocket on materials.

Even if you take your average home and break it up - materially speaking - into 3 homes, the most you will get is about 700sq of home. Now each of those homes will need utilities as well. Not a big deal but again we are talking material usage.

The real solution here is to backstop the infrastructure costs now and in the future. In order to keep prices artificially down, you cannot pass those costs onto the home owner. And lets be honest here... how many people are gonna be happy living on a plot of land with about 700 sq feet of living space. Can anyone show me market research where that has worked?

But lets say it loud and clear what the truth really is:

People have been saying for YEARS and YEARS that taxes and fees have driven people outta their homes and pushed them to the county. This creates housing issues within the city as prices continue to go up.

So now people want government to spend $10m's on land and infrastructure to fix a problem created by government.

Remember only a couple of years ago we were told that home owners needed to pay the IMPACT FEE's to pay for infrastructure. And now, "no fees, no zoning, free land" is all the rage...

So the city is gonna charge people who can afford it an impact fee but waive it on those that cannot? How long till people just dont build in COCS anymore?


EDIT - if the local government is gonna commit to this they need to say it loud and clear: Every tax payer needs to agree to subsidize free land for "socially responsible development"

• You are not gonna get a tax break - in fact your taxes will go up to help pay for this - thanks!
• You are not gonna get a utility break - see above
• and your housing will only get more expensive while theirs gets cheaper.

How is any of this ok?

Bob Yancy said:

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There are two stories in the Eagle this morning that are both very interesting. But, taken together, are a fascinating look at what's been happening in our community, and why.

Would love to hear the forum's perspective on:

"Study: A&M Main Campus Should Limit Enrollment," and

"Comptroller Warns Texas Must Build Thousands of New Homes"

---

I was surprised when A&M said last year that they did not want to build any more on-campus housing, despite the growth. I agree the report that they should build some new on-campus housing that is no frills and affordable for students that do not have the ability to pay for the luxury high rises. I'd like to see more housing consolidate in the Northgate area, so the parking lot at Wellborn and University would be a logical place to build a residential parking garage and no frills mid-rise. I think it is also time to look at replacing FHK.

While we are discussing housing, any news on 203 Church or the old gas station lot at University and Boyett?

On A&M growth, as long as they continue to provide high quality graduates, I am okay with more growth in the engineering program. I'd also utilize the RELLIS campus more to help with the congestion on main campus.

It won't happen, but if I were king for a day, I would cap enrollment at 50,000.

I'm going to disagree that we need more housing. I'd argue that we have more housing than we need because houses are getting bigger while families are getting smaller. Most families used to live in 3 bedroom / 2 bath houses. If you had more than 2 kids, someone was sharing a room. And it worked just fine. I don't know a single kid right now that doesn't have their own room.

Until all the apartment complexes are full, you won't be able to convince me that we need more low-cost housing.
Until at least half the kids in a typical elementary school class are sharing a room with a sibling, we have plenty of affordable housing.

I like your idea.

Captn_Ag05 said:

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Bob Yancy said:

---

There are two stories in the Eagle this morning that are both very interesting. But, taken together, are a fascinating look at what's been happening in our community, and why.

Would love to hear the forum's perspective on:

"Study: A&M Main Campus Should Limit Enrollment," and

"Comptroller Warns Texas Must Build Thousands of New Homes"

---

I was surprised when A&M said last year that they did not want to build any more on-campus housing, despite the growth. I agree the report that they should build some new on-campus housing that is no frills and affordable for students that do not have the ability to pay for the luxury high rises. I'd like to see more housing consolidate in the Northgate area, so the parking lot at Wellborn and University would be a logical place to build a residential parking garage and no frills mid-rise. I think it is also time to look at replacing FHK.

While we are discussing housing, any news on 203 Church or the old gas station lot at University and Boyett?

On A&M growth, as long as they continue to provide high quality graduates, I am okay with more growth in the engineering program. I'd also utilize the RELLIS campus more to help with the congestion on main campus.

---

As long as A&M can keep up with the support of students and infrastructure. As an insider, its falling behind. The last consultant report that consolidated engineering advising was not good for student success in my opinion and I fear we will see the repercussions in the next few years. UG advising in general on campus really needs to be assessed. High turnover, long wait times and inexperienced advisors can be a detriment to student retention and success. When students are just seen as numbers and we dispense with the personal relationships to help them, trouble abounds.

I know that 10 to 15 years ago the urban planners all said fewer students would have cars by now. That wasn't true.

They also said all the dense building on Northgate would reduce traffic. I'm unsure about what the result is, but I doubt it has done much.

Result is more traffic. How does Government help traffic? Medians...because that helped. Ug. Spend millions to just make traffic flow "safer" and slow us all down.

All our infrastructure, schools, traffic, public services, etc are not as good as they once were. Yet we pay higher taxes and the cost of living is crazy.

Government officials have one answer (regardless of party). More taxes. Why? Where is the evidence it works? Show me the data!

We need two things.
1 - Lower tax rates and
2 - untie the property tax rate to home valuations.

State controls the 2nd, but local city and county officials can keep the first down. Will they? I doubt it. They havent shown they are creative leaders yet.

Lower revenue might help force creative solutions. I know everyone else has to work this way when the $ isn't just a stroke of the pen away...why not our elected conrades.l?

The jokes about classes being held in Reed Arena and Kyle Field seem less funny each passing year.

Education by Jumbotron.

maroon barchetta said:

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Bob Yancy said:

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maroon barchetta said:

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Gig 'Em City

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Indeed. Thanks for the proper Ag grammar!

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You misunderstood my post.

The name is not good.

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Maroon Barchettaville?

All of this discussion about West Campus brings to mind the 2017 TAMU master plan. 6+ new parking garages on west campus, dozens of new buildings, etc. Obviously not all happening, but it is a good visualization, and food for thought.

https://facilities.tamu.edu/_files/campus-master-plan.pdf

Specifically check out maps on page 103, 107 and 111.

BluHorseShu said:

---

Captn_Ag05 said:

---

Bob Yancy said:

---

There are two stories in the Eagle this morning that are both very interesting. But, taken together, are a fascinating look at what's been happening in our community, and why.

Would love to hear the forum's perspective on:

"Study: A&M Main Campus Should Limit Enrollment," and

"Comptroller Warns Texas Must Build Thousands of New Homes"

---

I was surprised when A&M said last year that they did not want to build any more on-campus housing, despite the growth. I agree the report that they should build some new on-campus housing that is no frills and affordable for students that do not have the ability to pay for the luxury high rises. I'd like to see more housing consolidate in the Northgate area, so the parking lot at Wellborn and University would be a logical place to build a residential parking garage and no frills mid-rise. I think it is also time to look at replacing FHK.

While we are discussing housing, any news on 203 Church or the old gas station lot at University and Boyett?

On A&M growth, as long as they continue to provide high quality graduates, I am okay with more growth in the engineering program. I'd also utilize the RELLIS campus more to help with the congestion on main campus.

---

As long as A&M can keep up with the support of students and infrastructure. As an insider, its falling behind. The last consultant report that consolidated engineering advising was not good for student success in my opinion and I fear we will see the repercussions in the next few years. UG advising in general on campus really needs to be assessed. High turnover, long wait times and inexperienced advisors can be a detriment to student retention and success. When students are just seen as numbers and we dispense with the personal relationships to help them, trouble abounds.

---

As a mom of a former current student, I agree 100 percent. My kid was supposed to get accommodations for tests and homework (my daughter is legally blind) and literally only got them her fish year. Last year was awful. None of her profs cared about her accommodations and disability services was so behind that she couldn't even get an appointment. She was supposed to have note takers. I wound up having to post on a Facebook group of Aggie Parents willing to pay for note takers for her classes. She wound up leaving A&M this year. Heartbreaking for me as her mom, but I completely I understand why. In her words, "I fell in love with the idea of A&M. The kids are great. The traditions are awesome But there are too many of us to get the services that we need." And don't get me started on weedout classes.

Crud. I hate to hear that. But am also not surprised.