What Happened in Student Housing: May 2026 Wrap-Up - SHI 1033

🎙️Episode Summary In this May 2026 wrap-up episode, host Wesley Deese and co-host Gretta Dare cover the most significant news stories, market data, and policy developments shaping the student housing industry.The episode opens with a major $910 million portfolio acquisition by Scion Group and Ares from Harrison Street, followed by a deep dive into declining international student enrollment and its downstream effects on the US student housing market. Then Wes & Gretta analyze the current pre-leasing season, which is tracking at historic lows not seen since 2015, and explore the rising tide of student-led rent transparency initiatives like Rate My Rent UT at the University of Texas. The conversation also covers Core Spaces' landmark $1.64 billion capital raise, NAHB data on student housing construction investment, emerging ESA policy changes from HUD, and the outlook for new development leasing professionals. The episode closes with a look ahead to the Apartmentalize conference in New Orleans and upcoming industry webinars.   ⏱️Time Stamps 00:02:00 – Intro: Welcome, About the Platform & Shop Talk Overview 00:05:00 – Shop Talk Preview: BTR & Cottage Housing Legislation Warning 00:08:00 – Shop Talk: Mental Wellness Month / Hi How Are You Foundation 00:09:00 – NEWS: Scion Group & Ares Acquire Harrison Street's $910M Student Housing Portfolio 00:15:00 – Host Commentary on Scion Deal & International Student Reliance 00:16:00 – NEWS: International Student Enrollment Falls 20% Amid Visa Restrictions 00:21:00 – NEWS: Student Housing Emerges as Top Real Estate Investment in China (CBRE) 00:24:00 – NEWS: HUD Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Policy Shift – NYT Internal Memo 00:28:00 – NEWS: Core Spaces Capital Raise & Investor Confidence 00:31:00 – Pre-Leasing Data: Year-Over-Year Gap & Five-Year Trend Analysis 00:41:00 – NEWS: Student-Led Housing Advocacy at UT Austin / West Campus 00:47:00 – Operator Warning: Pre-Leasing Pressure Tactics & Legislative Backlash Risk 00:53:00 – Construction Spending: Private Fixed Investment in Student Housing Q1 2026 00:59:00 – Apartmentalize (NAA) Conference Discussion & Closing / Sponsor Outro   🤝Sponsor Spotlight: Allegion’s Campus-to-Community Student Living solution helps bridge the gap between on-campus and off-campus student living by allowing students to use a singular mobile credential experience for seamless property access. The solution 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 the Campus-to-Community Student Living solution here: https://lp.allegion.com/student-housing.html   🔗 Resources & Links Mentioned in the Episode Student Housing Insight – https://www.studenthousinginsight.com ShopTalk Monthly Webinar – https://www.shoptalk.info Student Housing Insight Events Page – https://www.studenthousinginsight.com/events NMHC – National Multifamily Housing Council – https://www.nmhc.org Walker & Dunlop – https://www.walkerdunlop.com Hi, How Are You Foundation – https://hihowareyou.org Pet Screening – https://www.petscreening.com Scion Group & Ares Management Team Up to Buy $910M in Student Housing: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-20/ares-partnership-buys-910-million-us-student-housing-portfolio Core Spaces Closes $1.64 Billion Flagship Student Housing Fund: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260513581634/en/Core-Spaces-Closes-$1.64-Billion-Flagship-Fund-Underscoring-Strong-Investor-Confidence-in-Student-Housing Fall 2026 Preleasing Rebounds After Slow Start, Hits 68.2% in April: https://www.realpage.com/analytics/april-2026-student-housing-update/ International Student Enrollment Plummets 20% Amid Visa Restrictions - https://nomadlawyer.org/international-student-enrolment-falls-visa-restrictions-may-2026 Student-led initiatives highlight housing concerns in West Campus - https://thedailytexan.com/2026/05/01/student-led-initiatives-highlight-housing-concerns-in-west-campus/