Homeowners in Oshawa are suing the city because of rowdy student renters. They say that the neighbourhood has gone down the crapper, so to speak, because students are drinking, partying, and letting garbage pile up.

Full story here:
http://thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/748341

I think it's understandable to want a nice neighbourhood, and if students are really doing what these people claim they are doing (e.g. putting glass in someone's backyard to cut the dog's paws), then something should definately be done.
But, by the sounds of the article, the homeowners want to ban students from renting in the area and they want it back to only single-family homes like it used to be. I don't think it's fair to get rid of all students because of a few bad apples. I could be wrong, but I think that's (a type of) discrimination.

What do you think?

Hm...doesnt seem too far fetched of an idea. Imo, they should just have designated student areas where ONLY students live.

It's not because they're students, it's because it's Oshawa.

Want a nice neighborhood? Get out of the most disgusting town in Canada.

Didn't Oshawa pass a by-law limiting the number of students in a house around UOIT?

Most university students aren't obnoxious drunks. Often times it's people from other universities, university-aged people who aren't actually, or high schoolers that are the rowdiest.

The thing about student housing is that these student will leave in 4 years and some of them don't give a crap about the community around them or who they offend. I hope the residents win something out of this.

Originally Posted by xxsumz

Hm...doesnt seem too far fetched of an idea. Imo, they should just have designated student areas where ONLY students live.

Yeah student ghettos, that's just what we need.

I agree that the behavior shouldn't get out of hand and there are students who do get out of hand but honestly if you don't like living in an area with lots of students how about instead of trying to get them banned you move. There are lots of neighborhoods that are not in areas with post-secondary institutes and lots of students living in the area. Students live in that area b/c that's where they go to school.

Originally Posted by sew12

Yeah student ghettos, that's just what we need.

Lol, why not? Im pretty sure at least a few students would change their minds about the way they treat the neighbourhood if they lived in a place that like. Imagine... walking out your front door into a dump. Yup. Id def want to change that.

anyone remember W.A.D.S? aka Westdale Against Drunken Students
I havent heard too much about them in the last couple of years but they used to be pretty intense

Originally Posted by sew12

but honestly if you don't like living in an area with lots of students how about instead of trying to get them banned you move. There are lots of neighborhoods that are not in areas with post-secondary institutes and lots of students living in the area. Students live in that area b/c that's where they go to school.

Why should somebody move after paying off their mortgage because bunch of students are being drunks?

Originally Posted by jo87

Why should somebody move after paying off their mortgage because bunch of students are being drunks?

I'm pretty sure the the post-secondary institution didn't just pop up one day out of nowhere.

The only thing I'm surprised about here is that it's Oshawa, for the reasons Lawley stated. God that place is a trash heap. When I first moved to peterborough, my dad and I had to bring something to the dump. I asked him where it was, and he replied "the south end of town". I asked asked if he meant Oshawa, and he replied "Not -that- dump".

Originally Posted by sew12

I'm pretty sure the the post-secondary institution didn't just pop up one day out of nowhere.

I'm pretty sure it did, in 2002. If someone has owned a home for 20-25 years and paid off their mortgage before the school opened, why should they suffer, and risk their property value on their biggest investment dropping because of some idiots that don't know how to be respectful to the neighbourhood?

Originally Posted by sew12

I'm pretty sure the the post-secondary institution didn't just pop up one day out of nowhere.

The city isn't addressing the growing enrollement rates of students. The landlords are also breaking the law by housing more students than allowed, but the city doesn't seem to be doing anything abou that either. Im not sure why you think people who have been there for 20 years should move all of a sudden when their housing value has declined by thousands because the city hasn't dealt with the increasing students in a proper manner.

Originally Posted by jo87

The thing about student housing is that these student will leave in 4 years and some of them don't give a crap about the community around them or who they offend. I hope the residents win something out of this.

Not really in this case. UOIT and Durham College are mainly attended by people who already live pretty close. UOIT isn't like Mac where people will come from all over Ontario (or even from outside of Canada) to attend. Its not that its a bad school or anything, but its so new that it hasn't had time to build up a good reputation. I've met plenty of people at Mac who haven't even heard of it.

In general though you're probably right.

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I'd like to point out again, this is Oshawa. The people there who are actually doing some form of Post-Secondary education are not the ones who you should be worrying about.

I wrote about incidents like this a little while ago on raisethehammer.org, a Hamiltonian civic affairs blog.

This is discrimination in the most Canadian sense of the term. Anti-student bylaws are NIMBY (not in my back-yard) surface level responses to deeper problems.

Their attacks are straightforward: see drunken students, mobilize, legislate against drunken students.

There are never attempts to work with students to curb the problem, nor are there greater discussions on the reasoning behind why students are they way they are. There is no discussion, no simple logical reasoning or any attempt to seek out a new solution to problems they face.

A preferable alternative to the self-centered reactionary ideas proposed by NIBMY's would be a solution for the betterment of the neighbourhood. Such a solution would involve a joint effort between students, landlords, homeowners, local businesses, politicians and law enforcement that would not impose on the rights of students not engaging in such behaviour and would ensure children, homeowners and businesses in the area maintain a high standard of living.

This demonization of students as one massive, androgynous, Borg-like entity is basic discrimination.