The Boys (and Girls) are Back in Town

Just in time for fall, Boston magazine’s Joe Keohane, formerly the editor of the Weekly Dig, has an insightful, in-depth piece on the conflict between Boston’s college students and residents here.

When I was a reporter for The Boston Courant, I witnessed the fights that erupted whenever colleges wanted to build more student housing further into residential areas. As local universities increase their enrollment and continue to expand into neighborhoods while students continue to increase their partying, I see this problem only becoming worse and worse.

(In my opinion, the universities usually, if not always, win these housing battles because they are sure to obtain the backing of the city and the Boston Redevelopment Authority prior to unveiling their plans, and any public process is a token one to placate the residents. This seems to be the rule for most Boston developments as well. Someday I’ll write an entry on these issues.)