Third-year College student Lena Witek and fourth-year College student Colin Hood were selected as two of 90 university students across the nation to lobby on Capitol Hill April 9-13 for the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act, a bill that would allow not-for-profit student housing to use charitable donations for updates and additions.
After their day of lobbying, Witek, campaign and party coordinator for the University Democrats, and Hood, former Student Council president, picked up 24 new House sponsors and five Senate sponsors. The bill currently is sponsored by more than 130 members of Congress and 24 Senators, and many more sponsor announcements should come after recess, Witek said.
"We are trying to acquire as many sponsors as we can before it hits the floor," she said. "It is a small bill and cannot stand alone." As a result, proponents are trying to incorporate CHIA into a larger tax bill.
Lobbying firm Patton Boggs spearheaded the student training and materials coordination, Witek said. A majority of the student-lobbyists were from public institutions, since these universities are facing state budget cuts as a result of the recession. Most lobbyists represented student government organizations and Greek councils.
Opponents' primary concern is that this bill only would benefit the Greek community, the largest not-for-profit student landlord which owns and manages $3 billion in student housing. CHIA would benefit all not-for-profit housing, however, such as ethnic, academic and religious group housing, which would include Hillel and Evans Scholars here in Charlottesville. Nationwide, 250,000 students live in not-for-profit housing provided by fraternities and sororities.
The bill would cost taxpayers $148 million during the course of 10 years, which translates to $14.8 million per year and $60 per student. "It is an investment in the kids and safety," Witek said.\nDangers arise when so many students live in rundown housing units because of the lack of incentive for donors to contribute to improved housing. For example, funding could provide for the installation of fire sprinklers, which are currently absent in 61 percent of Greek housing across the nation. Every week throughout the country, two off-campus fires arise, but no deaths ever have been reported in fires at Greek housing locations where a sprinkler system has been installed.
Contributions made directly to the University, as opposed to the not-for-profit housing group, are 100 percent tax deductible. "There is not a substantial reason for this differentiation," Witek said, adding that greater charitable donations would increase college affordability. "We're having to put first years in Hereford and Gooch and Dillard. This has put a lot of pressure on not-for-profit housing. We can't expand, we can't grow."
Although the bill has not passed, Rep. Gerald Connolly, D-Va., has signed on to sponsor the bill. Rep. Robert Hurt, R-Va., will review the legislation.
"Robert appreciated talking with U.Va. students and getting their input about this issue," Hurt spokesperson Amanda Henneberg said. "He is currently reviewing the details of the legislation."
The House and Senate went into recess yesterday and will return for session after May 1.
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