Hackberry Lane Expands Student Housing Portfolio to 4,000 Beds
Hackberry Lane acquired roughly 1,650 beds near University of Florida and University of Alabama, pushing its total portfolio to approximately 4,000 beds.
Hackberry Lane, a vertically integrated student housing investment and operating firm based in New York, has closed multiple acquisitions near the University of Florida and the University of Alabama, the company announced Nov. 6, 2026. The deals add approximately 1,650 beds across two of what the firm designates as its core SEC conference markets.
The transactions bring Hackberry Lane's total portfolio to roughly 4,000 beds, marking a significant expansion for the firm in the off-campus, or shadow-market, segment of student housing. The company said the acquisitions reflect its continued conviction in demand for privately owned student housing situated near major state universities in the Southeastern United States.
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The student housing shadow market — properties not owned or operated by universities themselves — has drawn growing institutional interest in recent years as enrollment at flagship public universities has remained resilient. Hackberry Lane's focus on SEC-affiliated campuses positions the firm within a subset of that market where athletic culture and strong enrollment trends have historically supported occupancy and rent growth.
By concentrating holdings near large state universities with established brand identities, Hackberry Lane is pursuing a strategy that many student housing specialists regard as lower-volatility relative to smaller or less prominent institutions. The firm did not disclose financial terms of the individual transactions.
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