Reps. Wenstrup, Sewell introduce Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2023

Washington, D.C. – Representative Brad Wenstrup (R-OH) and Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL) have introduced the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2023 to improve the affordability and safety of student housing. The bill updates the tax code to enable not-for-profit student housing organizations to use tax-deductible donations to build, maintain, or improve student housing.

"Congress must look at the root causes that drive the college affordability crisis, including the rise of housing costs. Arbitrary distinctions in our tax code should not make collegiate housing more expensive. This bill will help fix this while also improving the overall safety of campuses," said Representative Wenstrup. "This legislation has enjoyed wide bipartisan support in the past. It is a necessary first step while we tackle the larger overall problem of college affordability."

"We in Congress must do what we can to alleviate the crushing financial burden of receiving a higher education," said Representative Sewell. "This bipartisan bill takes critical steps to bring down the cost of college housing and provide breathing room to students and their families. I urge my colleagues to give it their full support."

"As policymakers from both parties strive to make college more affordable, we strongly encourage them to consider signing on as co-sponsors of the Collegiate Housing Infrastructure Act (CHIA). This Act would help make housing more affordable for the nearly 400,000 students who live in non-profit facilities on campuses across America, and it would also help hundreds of public institutions that currently lack the capacity to house students in state-owned accommodations. The U.S. tax code appropriately allows colleges and universities to use charitable giving to fund student-housing building and maintenance, and it is time to amend the tax code so that non-profit student housing entities can do the same," said Dani Weatherford, CEO, the National Panhellenic Conference.

"Providing safe, affordable housing to college students is critically important during these challenging economic times, and that is why we so appreciate Representatives Wenstrup and Sewell’s leadership in introducing the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act,"  said Jeff Rundle, CEO of Beta Theta Pi (Oxford, OH).

Currently, colleges and universities can use charitable contributions to construct new buildings or make safety improvements. This bill would allow certain tax-exempt charitable or educational organizations, such as fraternities or sororities, to access collegiate housing and infrastructure grants and apply the grants to their collegiate housing properties. By eliminating arbitrary distinctions, the bill enables fraternal organizations and other educational groups to install safety equipment, construct new housing, and help students lower their college costs.