What Happened in Student Housing: March & April 2026 Wrap-Up - SHI 1031

🎙️Episode Summary In this combined March and April News Wrap-Up episode of the Student Housing Insight podcast, host Wes Deese and co-host Gretta Dare recap some of the biggest conversations shaping the student housing industry heading into the summer leasing season. Recorded on May 12, the episode covers insights and takeaways from Interface, national pre-leasing trends, operator sentiment around occupancy and renewals, and how different markets are responding to changing leasing timelines. The conversation also explores new student housing development activity, including the continued evolution of cottage-style communities, capital markets activity from major industry players, and broader concerns around affordability, supply, and operational strategy. Wes and Gretta also discuss industry events, networking opportunities, and the growing role of AI and technology across student housing operations.   ⏱️Time Stamps 00:01:22 – Intro: Welcome to the Student Housing Insight podcast and introduction to ShopTalk and Student Housing Insight resources 00:02:36 – Why the March and April episodes were combined and discussion about the Interface conference in Austin 00:04:55 – ShopTalk Link Ups, networking events, and upcoming Raleigh and Scottsdale industry gatherings 00:09:21 – Discussion around Yardi Matrix and RealPage data trends and what operators are seeing in the market 00:10:55 – Renewals, legislative discussions, and concerns around leasing velocity in certain markets 00:11:53 – Operator sentiment and concerns heading into the summer leasing season 00:14:01 – Late leasing markets versus traditional leasing cycles and operational pressure points 00:15:55 – New cottage-style student housing developments and evolving design trends 00:20:00 – Student preferences, pets, and the appeal of lower-density housing formats 00:22:00 – Development pipeline conversations and market-by-market considerations 00:25:10 – Capital markets activity and Landmark’s major sponsor fund announcement 00:26:00 – Discussion around the scale of development pipelines among major student housing firms 00:28:45 – Operations Deep Dive: Managing Onsite Talent & Turn Challenges 00:42:10 – Legislative & Policy Updates Impacting Student Accommodations 00:55:25 – Outro & Upcoming Industry Events Preview   🤝Sponsor Spotlight Allegion’s Resident Key in Wallet technology helps bridge the gap between on-campus and off-campus student living by allowing students to use mobile credentials for seamless property access. The technology is designed to improve the resident experience while also reducing lockouts, improving turnover efficiency, and supporting stronger operational performance for property teams. Learn more about Allegion and Resident Key in Wallet here: https://www.allegion.com   🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode Student Housing Insight Official Website: https://studenthousinginsight.com ShopTalk Monthly student housing webinar and industry updates: https://shoptalk.info Student Housing Business Industry news and reporting referenced during the episode https://studenthousingbusiness.com NMHC Student Housing Conference Conference discussed during the episode: https://www.nmhc.org/meetings/calendar/shc/2026-nmhc-student-housing-conference/ The Hi, How Are You Project Mental health nonprofit referenced in the discussion: https://hihowareyou.org