Item B: Neighborhood Livability Working Group Report

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Neighborhood Livability Working Group onto campus. The event helps students find housing options and become more knowledgeable, responsible and engaged neighbors and tenants. Neighborhood, city and nonprofit partners will provide resources and workshops to support students as they transition into off-campus community living. City of Eugene Neighborhood Services, Rental Housing Program, Transportation Options, EPD and Fire and EMS are all partners in this effort. Student attendance has been much higher than predicted at the first two events, with estimates around 1,500 2,000. Move Out Event (A Green Goodbye): CommUniversity Assistants coordinate an event at the end of the school year as part of an effort to reduce landfill waste from abandoned household items and furniture as students vacate their school-year residences in neighborhoods surrounding the community. The program promotes the safe, sustainable and accessible exchange of used furniture and household items in campus neighborhoods while educating students about redusing, reusing, and recyling waste. The objectives of the program are to improve community relations with the neighborhoods surrounding the university by reducing negative student move-out impacts within the neighborhoods; reduce landfill waste from students moving out; encourage ecologically responsible behavior among University of Oregon students; and promote student /community volunteerism. This small scale event has been moderately successful. Plans are underway to re-envision this event and partner with UO recycling and city sustainability colleagues for a more effective program. Neighbor Led Neighborhood Livability Summit: On March 17, 2010, a group of about 45 people met in the Long House at the University of Oregon to discuss the growing problems of student behavior in the near campus neighborhoods. The meeting was organized by the South University Neighbors Association and included participants from the West University and Fairmount neighborhoods, as well as officials from the City of Eugene, Eugene Police Department, University of Oregon and various property management companies. The participants discussed the problems and possible general solutions and recommended further work. The meeting gave rise to the Neighborhood Livability Working Group, which has been meeting regularly and has prepared this Progress Report. South University Neighbors Association (SUNA) Livability Committee: For the past two years, SUNA Livability Committee has met to formulate strategies for dealing with student behavioral disruptions. The committee runs an e-mail list which informs residents of behavioral incidents and disseminates information to students regarding fines for various behavior offenses. Amazon Neighbors initiatives: On an informal basis, neighbors organize litter pick up and graffiti removal and ce enforcement program. Groups of neighbors also have formal and informal neighborhood watch groups. West University Neighbors (WUN) initiatives: Neighbors reach out to invite students and representatives from White Bird and EPD to monthly meetings to discuss issues of mutual interest. Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE) applications are discussed and voted on by WUN participants on a regular basis. Students have served on the WUN board for at least the last three years, and student Jackson Hite chaired the association for a year. The neighbors were instrumental in the development of West University Park, a frequent gathering place for neighborhood association activities that promote neighborhood cohesiveness. Fairmount Neighbors Association (FNA) initiatives: The impacts of increased multi-unit housing development in the Walnut Mixed Use area, proposed residential zoning changes and increased student occupation of single family homes has caused the Fairmount Neighbors Board to identify neighborhood livability as a priority for the coming year. Neighbors also continue to be active participants in the monitoring of impacts related to the 16 Page