Item B: Neighborhood Livability Working Group Report

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Neighborhood Livability Working Group unrepaired, and graffiti is left scrawled, disrespectful and/or criminal behavior is more likely to occur in or around Graffiti tagging seems to be surging and is on the rise particularly in our West University neighborhood where it isn't being quickly abated and properly removed. here were hoards of young people (probably students) out late last night making noise and roaming in bands around the neighborhood. One of the groups removed the stop sign (the entire post) at our corner. We only discovered this in the am today, when, after returning from an early morning class, we saw a car whiz through the intersection without stopping. I honked and then realized that there was no stop sign. Eugene City public works department was glad when I called because they had found the stop sign at Hilyard and 20th and had no idea where it came from. (This has happened before, although in the past, the sign was left lying on the ground at the site.) This is the kind of vandalism that could literally cause someone to be killed or maimed. How can we g c. Trespass Trespass seems to be on the rise particularly in neighborhoods where a lot of returnable bottles and items of value are thrown in the trash. Trespass may start out as "looking for returnables" but end up with a bike stolen or some other vandalism occurring. "I rode home late at night after being in studio to find 3 men standing in my driveway near my bike shed. I was too scared to say anything so instead of putting my bike away I went into the house with my bike. I didn't call the police because I was afraid these people might retaliate. They eventually went away. When I've seen individuals here before they were looking for returnables in the neighbors recycling, perhaps that's what they were doing that night." "I was awoken at 3 a.m. by a man crying in my yard who had set up his 'camp' under my bedroom window. I called the police who came to tell the individual to leave--when I said that I wasn't willing to press charges (I didn't want the guy to go to jail or have to fill anything out), the police left and the man stayed for at least another half an hour, drinking beer and crying. It was awful and I feel unsafe." "Drunken students are showing up everywhere, broken bottles in the streets and on the sidewalks, trash thrown in our yard, people urinating and defecating in our yard." 4. Related to Traffic & Safety (speeding, unsafe driving, DUII) Many neighbors have indicated that speeding and failure to obey stop signs and even traffic lights is becoming more prevalent in the neighborhood. As density is increased these behaviors are more acutely felt by long-term residents who are asking for more traffic calming through police presence or physical devices in order to feel safe. People driving to or from parties or after games have always been a safety issue in the neighborhoods throughout Eugene. This is especially problematic with young people experimenting with alcohol and limits. "With the traffic increasing because of the many new multi-level student complexes, and the way many of the students drive (running stop signs, driving too fast, etc.), taking unnecessary risks, blowing horns, etc. we need something to be done." "Agate Street has a significant speeding problem. The speed limit is 25 and cars regularly drive 35- 40mph. It is dangerous to cyclists on the street and to anyone trying to cross the street." "Being a pedestrian and driver is becoming dangerous on our streets. Come and observe!" 46 Page