Thinking Out Of The Box

We were thinking about how UC Merced planned to house its students in years to come.  And  we heard Chancellor  Dorothy Leland speak to the Rotary clubs in the district about the lack of state of financing for our university. 

We wondered, “Why not team up with private investors?”

Land is at such a premium on the UC Merced campus as Dr. Leland mentioned.  Why not build student housing on the land already developed for housing?

There are several sites like the one at the corner of Lake Road and Yosemite on Bellevue Road near the campus and Bellevue and  G Street.

All the infrastructure is in. The land is for sale.

Local housing developers are available because there are few housing developments being built.  Home builders need work. Carpenters, plumbers, roofers and sheet rock hangers are all available locally. It could be a win, win situation.

Private entrepreneurs would be asked to put up the capital for a normal return on their investment. At a time when banks are paying little or nothing in return, this would be a win.

UC Merced would agree to lease the property for whatever time it would take to pay off the loans.

The houses or dorms could be built at the local wage and therefore save a great deal of money. Local workers would be put back to work, saving the state and federal government money.

The city would start earning taxes off of the occupied property.

Student safety could be insured by having the homes built as a gated community and to the university’s requirements.

These homes could even act as the start of the university’s fraternity and the sorority system.

It’s the kind of help that local real estate developers and builders could sink their teeth into. A joint venture with UC Merced to bring quality, safe housing for the students.

Even the local banking community might be interested in the loans. Their money return would almost be guaranteed. And what a positive way to see our community grow.