The Cloisters West Homeowners Association referred to committee an amendment which could eventually prevent students from living in the Cloisters, a private residential community on Reservoir Road.
According to the association’s president, Jim Kinsella, the association decided Wednesday to defer voting on the amendment, which would prevent more than three unrelated persons from living together in a Cloister townhouse. If the amendment passes, current leaseholders will not be forced to leave, but once their leases expire, their homes will have to comply with the regulations. The amendment will also cap the number of leased properties in Cloisters West at 25 percent.
The Cloisters is divided into two adjacent developments, Cloisters East and Cloisters West. Cloisters East includes 35 homes; Cloisters West, 109. Each has its own homeowners association, and the Cloisters East Homeowners Association has had similar restrictions for 10 years.
“This is not aimed against students,”said Kinsella regarding concerns that students would be effectively excluded from the Cloisters by the amendment. Rather, he explained, the issue is financial.
According to Kinsella, the Housing Association is hoping to prevent real estate speculation in the Cloisters. Properties purchased to be later sold for profit are often leased for a few years until property values increase. When neighborhoods have especially high levels of non-homeowner-occupied housing, they can experience a drop in property values.
Kinsella did note that morgage limits due to decreases in home equity “may not be a problem” for residents of the Cloisters, where property values have climbed steadily over the past six years.
Advisory Neighborhood Comissioner Justin Kopa (CAS ‘02) described the friendly relationship that he feels has always existed between student and non-student neighbors in the Cloisters community.
“People in the Cloisters have always been very conciliatory and friendly with students,”said Kopa. Regarding the proposed amendment, he said, “My only question is: Does it comply with the Fair Housing Act?”
The Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or handicap, was a part of the 1968 Civil Rights Act. The Fair Housing Act was amended in 1988 to expand its coverage and establish new enforcement mechanisms.
In some cases, the act exempts private housing developments, such as the Cloisters.
Cloisters homeowner Nick Shumaker (CAS ‘01) said that he did not feel a sense of community between students and non-student residents within the Cloisters.
“There are certain neighbors who will get in your face and not be cordial with you,” Shumaker said. “The Cloisters in general does nothing to foster community with respect to students, but there are some residents who will go out of their way to be friendly.”
Cloisters resident Charles Brockner (GRD) described his situation with his neighbors. “We know most of our neighbors,” he said. “It’s a pretty good relationship. There are no problems.”
