Increased enrollment at Brigham Young University–Idaho is driving new student housing development near campus as the city works to meet growing demand.

City planners will remove homes near West First South and South First West to make way for higher-density housing close to campus.

“The houses that are on W First S and S First W are scheduled to be torn down in the next few months,” wrote Alan Parkinson, Rexburg’s Planning and Zoning Administrator, in an email to Scroll. “A new housing project will begin construction in the spring.”

The new housingproject will sit within walking distance of BYUI, an area city planners have identified as a priority for student housing expansion.

City officials are discussing additional housing projects, but details remain limited.

“There are many other projects in the process but have not submitted plans yet, so we cannot share that data with you,” Parkinson wrote.

City officials say they will continue focusing on housing development near campus as enrollment remains high.