Utah Valley is home to two of the largest universities in Utah: Brigham Young University and Utah Valley University. Both of these schools have large student bodies that create a large demand for housing. However, this demand for housing is condensed into a small area---mostly in Provo, just south of BYU campus. This high demand for housing in a small area causes the price of rent to be very high for the quality of apartment compared to other places in Utah. Although the demand for housing naturally drives the price of rent up, either rent should be artificially lowered, or the overall quality of apartments in Provo should be raised.
If the apartment managers in Provo do not want to raise the quality of apartment to the standard typical to the modern age, they should lower their rent prices. The demand for living arrangements here in Provo is artificial. If it weren't for the universities, the number of people living in the area would drastically decrease. Because of this, the managers really can charge whatever they want because the students will have to pay it in order to go to school. But this is also true of a monopoly, which is why the government doesn't allow monopolies. If that is the reason monopolies are banned, then there should also be regulation on what the housing managers can charge students so rent can be kept reasonably low.
If the housing managers don't want to lower rent and no one wants to support the students by forcing lower rental rates, then the quality of apartments should be improved. If students have to pay a lot, they should get an apartment built to the quality they are paying for. A good apartment in a nicer area in Utah costs $800 a month. Between all the roommates, most students in Provo are paying $2,100 or more for poorly built apartments from the 1980's. This is not fair nor is it appropriate.
To finish, students are being forced to pay large rates for poorly built apartments here in Provo. Elsewhere, they would be getting much more for what they are paying. It is just and right to either lower rent or raise the quality of apartments in Provo.
I completely agree with you, my wife and I have been gouged by high rental prices for two and a half years now. A lot of the time half of the kitchen appliances barely work, the furniture in furnished apartments is extremely outdated and used, and the price per square foot is ridiculous. I have had many discussions about this with my wife, and both of us have wondered what can be done.
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