In the other places in the US that I've visited or lived in, similar situations happened (e.g. University owned housing vs private student housing in the exact

In the other places in the US that I've visited or lived in, similar situations happened (e.g. University owned housing vs private student housing in the exact same building treated very differently). Perhaps one of the causes is that every place gets to make its own regulations, classifications etc. -- not just how to zone, but what zoning means, what categories there are, etc.