A student government leader at Queen’s University says a proposed moratorium on the construction of housing additions for students is "discriminatory."

"What you’re saying is, ‘I don’t want students living on my street,’" said Francis Campbell, municipal affairs commissioner for the Alma Mater Society.

The object of Campbell’s concern is a report going to city council on Tuesday that outlines how an interim control bylaw can be used to prohibit student additions to homes in the Queen’s and St. Lawrence College neighbourhoods while a permanent policy is developed.

Sydenham District Coun. Peter Stroud has said the purpose of the bylaw is not to keep students out of neighbourhoods but to halt the creation of "monster homes."

But Campbell fears it will further restrict the amount of good housing available to students and drive up rents.

"The bylaw can change the housing supply in the near-campus neighbourhoods," he said.

Campbell attended a recent town hall meeting hosted by Stroud for Sydenham residents to express their concerns about development.

He found it "disheartening" as many of the speakers focused on the noise levels and disruptive partying of students.

"The talk about stable neighbourhoods is a thinly veiled commentary on the behaviour of students," Campbell said. "This interim control bylaw is an extension of that same idea. It’s meant to block a certain kind of person from living there. That’s inherently discriminating."

He thinks the wording of the proposed bylaw reveals a bias with its references to "undesirable development" and the need to help residents "in protecting neighbourhoods."

Campbell said the bylaw intervention also runs contrary to the city’s desire to promote infill development in the core of the city to help reduce urban sprawl.

"Now they don’t want infill because they don’t want students on their street," he said. "I don’t want to defend the actions of the few students who have erratic behaviour. But I don’t want that attitude generalized to the student body."

The Alma Mater Society will host a University District summit on Feb. 11 to brainstorm ways to solve the issues involving off-campus students.

Campbell hopes it will attract students, landlords and residents.

Part of the AMS plan is to develop an approval system whereby student representatives would inspect and review properties to ensure renters are living in suitable conditions.

"Students are vulnerable tenants," Campbell said. "We have to break the cycle and start educating our students. We’re going to help landlords work on accountability. Then we’ll work on the quality of housing in the near-campus neighbourhoods."

With nearly 18,000 Queen’s students living off-campus, Campbell’s constituency is double to triple the size of those of district councillors.

Campbell said Stroud is listening to his constituents "but only part of them."

"This doesn’t help create a good relationship between students and the city," he said.

His hope is that councillors reject the interim control bylaw next week.

"This is housing supply we actually need," Campbell said.

pschliesmann@postmedia.com