TCU Student Government Association plans to organize a specialized committee for the potential TCU Overlay, the organization’s vice president said.

The committee would be responsible for attending Fort Worth City Council and Zoning Commission meetings to voice concerns with the TCU Overlay, said Alex Cohen, SGA speaker of the house.

“The Overlay is killing the TCU housing market,” Cohen said. “If this goes through, then it will jack up prices. Students still need a place to live.”

SGA Vice President Maddie Reddick said city council will make the final decision on the Overlay in November.

“The city council will vote based in part by the upcoming Zoning Commission’s recommendation,” Reddick said. “Students and people living around TCU will not be able to vote.”

Reddick said her main concern is that students—especially first and second-year students—don’t know about the issue. She said she has posted a petition for people who are against the TCU Overlay.

“The survey will help tell how many students are being affected and how many people are against the Overlay,” Reddick said.

Reddick said she would write an SGA resolution after the data has been collected to show that SGA does not support the Overlay.

Zoning issues are not unique to TCU.

“This situation has happened at other colleges like the University of Arkansas, the University of Texas at Austin and Northwestern University,” Student Body President Cody Westphal said. “These areas have passed Overlays.”

Reddick said SGA is trying to voice its concerns to Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and city council members by going to the council’s meetings and inviting the council members to SGA meetings.

“I think we should invite as many city council members as possible to hear us because they are the ones who make the decision in the end,” SGA member Mitch Titsworth said.

Cohen said the best way for SGA to make an impact is for SGA members to attend upcoming city council meetings and to spread awareness.

“We need to represent not just our current students but the students for years to come,” Cohen said.