Yardi Matrix has launched a student housing platform toprovide analysis for this housing sector. Reports, whichare scheduled to be released quarterly, will be available startingthis summer.

The research comes at an opportune time as universities acrossthe country are making final decisions on what campus life willlook like in the fall. The market coverage from Matrix will includeover 2,000 universities and colleges nationwide. Reports will alsoinclude shadow markets, aka housing close to campus that may not betraditional student housing but is often rented by students, thecompany said.

Amidst the pandemic, housing providers have been anxious abouttheir revenue streams and investment health, Matrix said. Accordingto the New York Times, most universitiesplan to open in the fall. But many reports have varyingoutlooks on what student housing occupancy will looklike. GlobeSt.com previouslyreported that Fred Pierce of Pierce EducationProperties believes that at the very least, enrollmentwill be flat at some universities this year. And that withadded social distancing requirements, 20-50% of bed capacity couldbe vacant on campus, which he believes will feed into the studenthousing section.