HOUSING anguish. It's that time of year again. The Housing Division sent notifications for Phase III applicants in late February. These letters informed many anxious first-year students of their housing assignment for the upcoming school year -- or lack thereof. Though the University can be faulted to a certain extent for the dearth of available or appealing upper-class housing, no short-term solutions to the problem exist. However, there are serious safety concerns associated with the off-Grounds housing situation and students should educate themselves about these issues and work to solve them.
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The problem is clear. The limited supply of University housing results in a large number of students who are forced to seek an off-Grounds alternative. While this is desirable for many people who want to live off-Grounds, there are underlying issues that cause problems to students, their parents and administrators of the University alike. We are all familiar with the process: A few short months after coming to the University and living in Charlottesville, first-year students are faced with a daunting decision. Should they join the stampede and rush to find an apartment or house off-Grounds? Do they sign a lease that they may not fully understand with a group of people they have just met?
The alternative is to wait out the process and apply for University housing. It is commonly known there is a limited chance that first-year students will get their first or second choice; the more likely outcome is that they will be assigned to an apartment that they may not even know the location of. But students are forced to accept the off-Grounds situation because no other living situation is available in Charlottesville by the end of December, let alone the middle of March.
The safety concern arises because when students are faced with such alternatives, most opt to play it safe by signing a lease. They feel this ensures a convenient and appealing housing environment for the next year. However, because there is such a demand for housing off-Grounds, landlords and rental agencies enjoy the upper hand in the business transaction. This "seller's-market" ensures that the supply they offer does not exceed the demand from students. With such an advantage, these dealers do not have to present housing in an attractive manner to students; merely having a product to present is adequate enough for any student desperate for a place to live. The choice proves, in fact, to be unsafe for students.
As a result, University students are forced to live in apartments and houses that are astonishingly insecure and vulnerable to penetration by criminals. Loose door bolts, unlatched windows, insecure locks and the lack of even a simple peephole are just a few of the housing deficiencies the University Police Department has observed in walk-throughs of off-Grounds housing. Students can take all the precautions possible to be safe walking at night, but if the homes they are walking to are unsafe themselves, this is what needs to be fixed.
Both the University and City of Charlottesville Police Departments conduct free "security surveys" for students. The University Police, in conjunction with the Parent's Program, is in the process of creating a safety checklist so that students may easily assess the conditions of their residence. Chief Michael Sheffield noted in a personal interview that "if an area is more concentrated with students, they tend to become less conscious of safety concerns." This is a problem that students must work to combat. City Police Department official Patricia Wolferd recommended in a personal interview that "students check out an area 'after hours,' in the dark, to get a better idea of the neighborhood." The City Police also can provide students with crime statistics on different areas of the city.
Another proactive step to take is for students to speak directly with their landlords. According to local rental agencies, the early fall lease signing date set by most agencies is arbitrary; they set it that soon because they can. Help out the administrators with this fight: Students are the most personal and important instruments for changing the system. Without our business, the rental properties sit empty. The next time you drop off your rent check, ask the agent why you had to sign your lease so early in the academic year. Tell them that you would appreciate a later date so that you have more time to sort through your options. If they realize that students are unhappy with their living situation, they will be more likely to respond.
Demand that the necessary repairs and improvements are made in your apartment or house if you feel that it is insecure. As Chief Sheffield remarked, "Landlords are receptive to students' concerns." As a tenant, it is your right to live safely. The Police Department can tell you what your landlord is legally required to provide for you. They can help you take a look at your home in a different light. Not only is it an important duty of any tenant, it is vital to your safety as a student at the University.
(Katherine Martini's column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily.)
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