High rent prices open discussion about rent control and policy change in Raleigh

Jacob Henderson Correspondent

Many NC State students and alumni have enjoyed off-campus living, but high rent prices around the city of Raleigh makes it increasingly difficult to find affordable housing.

Julia Mattox, a fourth-year studying environmental engineering, said her experience trying to find an affordable apartment to move into after graduation has not been easy.

“Raleigh has definitely gotten really expensive, and it’s definitely a lot more expensive than Cary by comparison,” Mattox said. “A lot of the places that would be most convenient for me to live in in Raleigh would either be downtown or close to Glenwood, and even something that’s small, like 550 square feet, is still $1,400 which is absolutely insane.”

Mattox said she is optimistic about rent control but believes there just aren’t enough apartments available in general.

“Rent control would help, but we also just need more housing in Raleigh,” Mattox said. “There are so many buildings that could be renovated.”

Steven Greene, professor of public and international affairs, said rent control isn’t likely to come about in Raleigh any time soon.

“[Rent control] is where local government sets caps on rent in certain locations,” Greene said. “Since it has not even been part of North Carolina politics … this is something that would be more likely to pass with a Democratic trifecta, which, who knows when we’ll ever see that again.”