Item B: Neighborhood Livability Working Group Report

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Neighborhood Livability Working Group sued for "single family" homes that are actually rental quads--ugly buildings that are erected as cheaply as possible and are incredibly ugly eyesores. We had always hoped that we would live out our retirement in our home, but noisy students and difficult ([RGXVRIORQJWHUPUHVLGHQWV While there may seem to be conflict between the younger and older neighbors, overall this reality of mixed- neighborhoods is a major benefit to the public institutions. It is not the clash of young vs. old but the impact of illegal behaviors gone unchecked that creates a climate where long-term neighbors become frustrated enough to move-out because of the on-going transition and training needed to curtail illegal behaviors with little backing by student conduct codes and city resources. Long-term neighbors their young neighbors, get tired of maintaining the community standards and move out. It is the neighborhoods with higher owner/renter ratios that show less crime per capita, whereas neighborhoods that have seen owner occupied numbers reduced, have become costly burdens to the police. High crime negatively impacts the reputation of the University. Parents want neighborhoods to be as safe as possible for their children who may be living on their own for the first time. A neighbor on the City of Eugene infill standards committee helping set standards for the city writes that "increased numbers of non-owner occupied properties in the neighborhood can have a negative and discouraging impact on owner occupants as maintenance suffers when owner-occupancy declines, neighboring properties are negatively affected by inappropriate social behaviors and the cycle perpetuates itself to the point where no one wants to live there for the long term." "This is an awesome neighborhood with stately old homes, modest family residences, and student rentals. It is already fairly dense with all the student properties. Don't allow it to be ruined by poorly conceived and regulated infill and redevelopment. We don't want or need another West University Neighborhood!!!" "I do not at all feel that the city of Eugene is managing the historic neighborhoods bordering the UO in a positive way. The West University neighborhood is now a student ghetto. If SUNA becomes overrun with student housing (usually poorly maintained, lack of respect for neighbors, safety and noise issues), then all of a sudden another close-in, walkable, ecofriendly, interesting neighborhood is gone. We are UO faculty and love this neighborhood, but also want a decent quality of life. If we are forced to move out to McMansion land because SUNA is all students, then we might as well go live/teach in Austin, Madison, or some other college town. It is a huge issue that the city of Eugene and the UO need to partner on. In the future, more people, not fewer, will want close-in homes, and our energy situation will require it. Let's plan for that future now by supporting smart development and management of these close-in neighborhoods. Thanks for listening." "When my 9 year old described the rules of beer pong to me after watching a neighborhood party, I really became concerned...I generally like the mix of owners, renters, more established folks, and younger families, although things have definitely gotten worse in terms of neighborhood behavior in the last few years." "Our neighborhood is rapidly becoming a student neighborhood just like West University neighborhood. Families and older people are leaving because the students are so disrespectful and noisy. We've lived in our home for 22 years. We don't want to leave and turn it over to students. We like a diverse neighborhood with people of all ages, but with the noise and mess they make, we're very much wanting to move." 49 Page