Margaret R. Seaton 
It’s easy to imagine the stereotypical college apartment: they’re quite affordable, small, and give us our first glimpse into adult life. Sometimes they can even collapse at the seams. Apartments in Blacksburg are no exception – students can often feel like they have to choose between living somewhere affordable and somewhere that is definitely worth living in.
We can all agree that The Retreat is beautiful. The bedrooms are spacious, and there is plenty of room in most homes for social gatherings – before COVID-19, of course. The Hub is luxurious; Where else could a student live that has access to hot tubs and private balconies? Other places in Blacksburg range from The Retreat space to closer to a closet.
Like many others, I live in one of the more modest complexes of a relatively small townhouse on the other side of Price Fork Road. My countertop is a weird mid-century green color, my cabinets don’t match, and the paint used on the walls may contain lead (although we’re told it’s been removed). I’m not paying a lot for it, so that’s exactly what I need; However, it leaves a lot to be desired, especially compared to some of the other accommodation in town.
Blacksburg and much of the Appalachian region benefit greatly from income generated by Virginia Tech students, and the campus is widely regarded as a major economic engine for Southwest Virginia. While the school is unquestionably good for the region in many ways, its impact is not always positive, especially for the local people of Blacksburg. For them, the housing experience may be a little different.
On paper, Blacksburg’s median income is lower than that of its neighbors, but paradoxically, its house prices are fine. upper. This is mainly due to students who live off campus. Many residents argue that Blacksburg landlords won’t hesitate to raise their rent prices if they anticipate that students are willing to pay more, which becomes problematic for local residents competing for the same accommodation.
This problem became so deep that Virginia Delegate Chris Hurst decided to introduce a bill that would limit student housing options throughout the city of Blacksbourg. It could be argued that this is not the ideal solution (and the argument would be successful given that the bill was never passed); however, the bill serves to highlight some of the major problems created by the growing development of Blacksburg.
Students and residents of Blacksburg have found themselves increasingly at odds over the future of the city. Virginia Tech plans to keep growing undergraduate enrollment for the foreseeable future. As this happens, residents will continue to be sidelined by the expanding campus and by students looking to leave the campus.
This problem is not easy to solve. However, a potential root of the problem is the owners’ insistence on building and expanding their apartments in luxury locations: Do students really need to live somewhere like The Retreat, the soon to be opened Hub, or other luxury apartments that rent from $ 1000 per month? Does a student need an Olympic-size swimming pool, hot tubs or quartz countertops? The answer is no – to thrive at Virginia Tech, all we really need is minimal furniture and a reliable internet connection. Blacksburg would benefit from building apartments that meet the needs of students without the bells and whistles. All too often people have to choose between renting a beautiful place at an unreasonable price and renting an affordable place with a mold problem; without these flashy amenities, rent would be cheaper and residents and students alike could find housing.
The Virginia Tech administration is expected to work with the city of Blacksburg to develop plans for the future that lower housing prices, benefiting both students and residents.
