According to Philbin, Harvard has a respectable record since it houses the bulk of its students, while other area universities do not. He says some colleges have facilities that are inadequate for their student populations, forcing thousands to live off campus.

"Harvard has been pretty good in this respect," he says.

"Boston College has done an utterly poor job," Philbin continues. "Boston University and Northeastern are improving. They are both building new dorms that should help alleviate the problem."

Lenicheck agrees that some colleges need more dormitory space for students to minimize their effect on the housing crunch. He says that Capuano, when he was mayor of Somerville, successfully lobbied Tufts to erect more living space for its undergraduates.

"More dormitory space is one option, [and] it is a good one," Lenicheck says.

As long as Boston continues to attract recent-graduates, professionals and suburban families, demand will remain high for housing in and around the city.

"Boston's increased popularity is drawing those from outside the city, students and graduates who want to raise a family here," Philbin says.

"As long as that stays high and the students continue to pay up, the housing crisis will continue."