Actually our plan is the opposite. To run YC with just 4 people we try to outsource everything. We don't even own our own servers. We'd never want to own apartment buildings.
The reason startups form in grad student housing is the grad students, not the housing.
The YC way seems to be working rather well.
I think grad student housing does help focus. You can get meal plan and not have to spend time going to the grocery store so much; you tend to interact much more with other people who are also focused on similar problems and random friends don't drop by and try to drag you off on some irrelevant adventure.
I have a problem with that sort of thing. I have to be a bit brutal when I'm really deep in something. The keeping-in-your-head essay really hit the nail for me.
There's a reason so many startups form in grad student housing.