You know, the "house competition" seems to have caused a big slowdown in expansion. Obviously, a new chapter on a campus with big houses will have to spend gazillions and there's also a problem when all the old houses are on an established Greek Row with no property left on it.
My oldest daughter said that one sorority at her university is unhoused (although they have property) and they had a really rough time in rush, taking very few pledges. I hope they'll be able to build soon or their future doesn't look great.
I've even seen "housing competition" affect established chapters. At one school I attended, the frats were housed but the sororities shared 2 Panhellenic dorms with a floor for each and all the chapter rooms were in the basement. Then one sorority, tired of having the other sororities listen in on their rituals through the walls, claimed the housing situation was sexist, bought property, and dared the school to stop them from building. When their house went up, the other groups had to follow suit or die and several groups just opted to deactivate.
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