Established 1826 — Oldest College Newspaper West of the Alleghenies

Opinion | Family housing will help rebuild Oxford's community

Staff

According to recently-released census data, the city of Oxford has experienced a population decline in the last 10 years. New housing has outstripped demand, leading to an increase in vacancies.

The editorial board of The Miami Student supports a diverse mixture of Oxford residents and is concerned about more non-students moving into the nearby houses in places like Oxford Township and Milford Township. Having a large amount of faculty and staff in Oxford allows for them to be more accessible to students and for the faculty to commute easily to campus, especially in bad weather.

Keeping more families in town by zoning houses for a low number of residents (two to six) will help keep more families in town and more houses full. Pressure may be put on families to sell their houses to rent out to students and the board recognizes that in tight financial times, renting can be a more reliable source of money for owners. However, the importance of keeping Oxford a vibrant and diverse community is very important for both the students and other working and professional adults.

The board recommends the city of Oxford pay attention to the need of retaining non-students and their families in the Mile Square. To maintain the strong community atmosphere and keep the empty housing rate lower, the city should consider a long-term goal of more zoning for families and encourage more non-students to stay in Oxford.