In response to the overwhelming number of students in attendance at the Oct. 28 Heath Street Block Club meeting at Gloria J. Parks Community Center, University District Common Councilwoman Bonnie E. Russell held an open forum on Monday in the Student Union Theatre to discuss safety issues in the University Heights.
Mayor Byron Brown issued a statement at the Community Center meeting roughly two weeks ago, saying that while there is a perception of a rash of crimes in the Heights area, statistics show that robberies, assaults, burglaries and other crimes have instead decreased.
Regardless of what numbers have shown, the Oct. 22 Lisbon Avenue incident involving students and local teenagers was not the only violent incident involving students in the Heights this past month. On Halloween weekend, two UB students were walking down Highgate Avenue and were assaulted by a number of men who allegedly possessed brass knuckles and a possible shotgun.
Jake*, a senior international business major, along with his friend, were taken to Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital after they were assaulted shortly after midnight on Oct. 31. The incident was reported to the Buffalo Police Department and is under investigation.
According to Jake, BPD responded within two minutes, but the case was not open to investigation for another week after the incident due to a detective's absence at the local station. Jake addressed the need of increased safety in the neighborhood for students and community members alike.
"What I'd like to see happen in the [University Heights] is to heighten security," Jake said. "It's understandable that there are young adults partying and that there may be crime…but I'd like to see an increase in security and an increase in the response time of police officers. I think the [BPD] do a good job of responding and the officer we dealt with was professional [and punctual]."
Although Jake was not in attendance, his opinion was stressed by a number of other students at Monday's open forum, a majority of whom participate in Greek Life at UB.
Russell, in conjunction with Alpha Epsilon Pi President Brett Berman, hosted the forum to give students an opportunity to speak about personal experiences of living in the University Heights, the issues they have come across, and the resolutions they hope to find.
Berman, whose fraternity brothers were injured near an AEPi house on Lisbon Avenue, voiced concern for the neighborhood and the safety of its residents.
"It's time that University Heights should be more than an area that we go and party [in]," Berman said. "We put up with the risk of being robbed or mugged or having people invade our homes. I think we have the right to ask the community around us to help us…make it safe."
The two-hour long forum opened up issues regarding the safety of students living in the Heights. Members of the Minnesota Block Club, along with Mayor Brown and Chief of University Police Gerald Schoenle, were also in attendance.
Students opened up the discussion and representatives of Greek fraternities and sororities sat center stage.
"Our houses are robbed morning, noon, and night," said a representative of a UB sorority. "No one asks for these things to happen, and it's to the point that when we move into our houses – I live on Minnesota Avenue – I was not going to introduce myself to all my neighbors. We don't want [our neighbors] to know we're there. We don't want them to know where we live…because they target us."
Students offered suggestions including having a Greek row of housing that University Police would have jurisdiction over. An AEPi brother offered the example of Syracuse University and its zoned area for Greek life. In a sanctioned zone, the neighbors would also be Greeks and the campus police would be able to deal with students directly, leaving issues outside of the zone to the city police.
Local landlord Richard Park was in attendance and confirmed the fear that students face when moving into the University Heights district. Park, a landlord for a property on Minnesota Avenue, also rents properties in Boston and argued that there is a great difference in the mindset of property ownership between the two cities.
"I look around and see windows that don't even have locks on them, that don't even shut," Park said. "When was the last time you asked yourself [when your front door lock was last changed]? How many people do you think have a key to that door? How many of your bedrooms have locks on them?"
Park suggested that Russell and UB should orchestrate a meeting with a real estate lawyer and students to discuss the rights that students have as tenants to ensure the safety of their homes.
Resolutions to safety issues were thrown at Russell, who promised to "connect the dots for [students] with the city government."
"If I cannot answer your question, I will tell you who can and I will make a note to have that person come back with me, to see all of you up front," Russell said. "You can meet them one-on-one. The City of Buffalo is reaching out to you to let you know that we want you here and we want you to stay here."
Minnesota Block Club members went on to recognize the work that the Greeks have done around the neighborhood as well.
"Every time we need some help, there's a few people that we call that get the Greeks together," said Tito Malick of the Minnesota Block Club. "Don't think the community doesn't support or appreciate you guys. We appreciate you guys more than you think, and that's why we're here trying to support you today and get things straightened out."
Malick advised students not to give up on the University Heights. Russell did the same and voiced that she, in return, was not giving up on the students.
"I've been in the University District in my house for 26 years, but you know what? It's not going to get better if you don't keep trying," Russell said. "And I'm not giving up, I'll tell you right now. It may not be today, it may not be in a month, but we won't have a solution if we don't get any input."
Russell will be reporting the issues raised at the forum to Mayor Brown, the Buffalo Police Commissioner, and other city officials to come up with a resolution. Russell hopes that within three weeks, she will be able to hold a second meeting to offer resolutions to students.
*Jake withheld his last name as a safety precaution
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Photo: Breadchastick / Wikimedia Commons
