An SOS Sent on Behalf of University Hill Neighbors
The following letter was sent from the University Hill Neighborhood Association Executive Committee on behalf of the concerned neighbors of University Hill.
Dear Mayor Weaver and Members of Boulder City Council,
On behalf of the residents of the University Hill neighborhood, we are writing to reiterate the concerns of neighbors with the return of CU students this month and the spread of COVID-19, and again to express our ongoing concerns with nuisance houses in our neighborhood. We ask for your immediate attention to this pending crisis and help with long term strategies to stem the conversion of University Hill to an overpopulated student ghetto.
We have been encouraged by the work of the Hill Revitalization Working Group (HRWG) and our work with CU's Office of Off-Campus Housing & Neighborhood Relations, the CU's Dean of Students Office and the city's recent enforcement efforts with nuisance houses. But, this isn't enough for the crisis we face. We need action by City Council NOW!
Our Immediate Concerns:
Large parties and gatherings on the Hill that are especially dangerous due to the potential spread of COVID-19.
Amplified music and noise that is in violation of Boulder noise ordinances.
Illegal shooting off of fireworks.
Lack of compliance by CU students with health orders requiring wearing masks and practicing social distancing, potentially leading to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the neighborhood and commercial area.
CU not requiring any quarantines or testing of students who live off campus, even those from states and cities with a high incidence of the virus.
Trash and disregard for property by student renters, often resulting in an additional expense and effort to homeowners and to Boulder taxpayers.
College students from out-of-state colleges that are not resuming in-person instruction who are moving to Boulder for the semester due to Boulder's party reputation. (Airbnb owners and property managers have been contacted by this demographic of college-age persons.)
Transients camping on the Hill in groups with total disregard to property, health orders, safety, and sanitation. The homeless camps along Boulder Creek also are troublesome and impact our neighborhood.
To date, the responses by the Boulder Police Department (BPD) and City Code Enforcement personnel have not been effective. The approach of BPD, the city, CUPD and CU to "warn and educate" is not working.
Our Requests:
We ask that you immediately enact emergency orders to shut down the party houses on the Hill (and perhaps other neighborhoods that have this same issue.) Other cities have addressed these concerns with a range of solutions and we ask that you consider these and our other suggestions:
Cut off utilities to nuisance houses which violate health orders.
If rentals, suspend rental licenses of these properties.
Enact an emergency "quiet zone" (no amplification) and "no party" rules (outlawing lawn games, gatherings, etc.) on the Hill. (This is especially needed given the many families who are working and their children attending school from home during the pandemic.)
Increase police and code enforcement patrols.
Allow anonymous reporting of social gatherings and violations.
Increase enforcement and penalties of Hill businesses not requiring masks.
Crack down on minor-in-possession and other alcohol-related offenses.
Demand that CU implement a testing regime for off-campus students, and consider quarantines for those coming to CU Boulder from virus hot spots.
And most importantly, please walk around the Hill neighborhood at night and observe what we live through 24/7.
We thank you for your attention to our concerns and look forward to working with you to keep our historic, diverse neighborhood safe.
Best regards,
UNIVERSITY HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Nancy Blackwood, Co-President
Linda Sparn, Co-President
Stacy Silverstein Apple
Andrea Clark
Stephen Clark
Lori Lucas
Jyotsna Raj
Lisa Spalding
Scott Thomas