Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

As a student at Colorado State University or as a community member in Fort Collins, you have likely heard of the housing occupancy rule known as U+2, which restricts occupancy limits in houses to three unrelated persons, except in certain zoning districts. 

U+2 has long been under scrutiny from students at CSU, a community of around 27,000 students that positively contributes to the city of Fort Collins. The work of past ASCSU administrations and our many community partners have brought us to a point where we may finally be able to give voters the final say on U+2. 

There is currently a petition circulating that would repeal U+2 and instead put forth a responsible housing policy that fills bedrooms without overcrowding homes. This proposal would set occupancy to square footage of bedrooms within the home, creating a responsible occupancy rule. 

Now is the best chance for us to get rid of U+2, but we need your help — we cannot do it alone. 

“Think of what housing could mean for you and your friends without U+2. Maybe rent is cheaper and you can save a little more because you are able to fill that extra bedroom. Maybe you and your roommates are able to move out of an apartment and into a house because it is finally affordable.”

We have until June 20 to turn the petition in to the City of Fort Collins. You are eligible to sign the petition if you are registered to vote in Fort Collins. If you are not registered to vote in Fort Collins but live here for nine out of the 12 months in the year, you can change your voting location on the Colorado Secretary of State website. 

If you are interested in signing the petition or you want to help gather signatures, please check out our partners at YIMBY Fort Collins or follow the Responsible Occupancy Collaborative on Facebook. You can even email us @ascsu_housing_security@mail.colostate.edu, and we will be happy to point you in the right direction. 

I understand that it is summer and many of our students have headed home, but just because you may not be in Fort Collins does not mean you cannot help accomplish our petition signature goal. 

Contacting friends who are still in Fort Collins and asking them to sign the petition is a great way to get us closer to our goal. With every signature, we are filling an empty bedroom. U+2 has long been seen as a student issue, and while it certainly impacts students, it affects the Fort Collins community as well. 

Violators of U+2 are not just students. The latest community survey, discussed by The Coloradoan, actually found that students make up less than half of all U+2 violations in Fort Collins. U+2 is not just a student issue; it is a community issue. By remedying the occupancy limits in Fort Collins, we are helping everyone.

We understand that community members, especially homeowners and families, are concerned with packed houses full of students. This petition, if passed by voters at the next municipal election, will simply allow property owners to fill every bedroom in a house because that is what bedrooms are for. 

Think of what housing could mean for you and your friends without U+2. Maybe rent is cheaper and you can save a little more because you are able to fill that extra bedroom. Maybe you and your roommates are able to move out of an apartment and into a house because it is finally affordable.

The student population at CSU are not just seasonal visitors to Fort Collins; we are an integral part of the community. We want U+2 to be revised so we can afford to live and so we can feel like we belong in the Fort Collins community. 

Now is our chance to make a difference, and with you, we will. 

Hard at work for you, 

Michael Stella 

Director of Governmental Affairs, ASCSU

Send letters to letters@collegian.com. When submitting letters, please abide by the guidelines listed at collegian.com.