South Oak Park Court Neighborhood Watch

There is a limit of 600 words but I was curious to some of the specific problems that people were having with students in the neighborhood. My soon to be wife is vice-president of the Neighborhood Association and we have taken some actions to resolve our problems with the students that live arround us. Perhaps with some documentation we can present our issues to the Alderman and the like to get them resolved as well as share stories of what has been successful in mitigating our grief.

On the flip side...

Eric- While I understand and sympathize with your headache, I think you should realize that the situation can and does go both ways; renters receive grief in this neighborhood as well. Granted, you can walk outside any weekend night and hear and see an excessive number of inconsiderate students disrespecting the neighborhood. Until recently, I placed all the blame on the selfish inmaturity of the kids, but I recently had an experience that changed this. I live at 3018 Murray and had the police inexplicably summoned to my house the other week. One roommate was sleeping, another playing a computer game, two friends downstairs playing online poker, two friends watching Braveheart, and one individual playing darts somehow managed to cause a ''noise violation.'' The police showed up and told us that they heard no noise, but had no choice to write us a ticket because of the ''complaint.''

At 8 AM the next day a nearby resident decided he should come POUND on our doors and scream at us about our ''obsecene'' party without even introducing himself or asking what happened. I had to run after the indivudal and do my best to explain that we had done nothing wrong, but he wanted nothing to do with it.

We've made a great effort to be concientious neighbors and have met and exchanged phone numbers with the homes adjacent our own. Neither have ever had a problem with us.

Additionally, the nearby resident complained that an individual was on our top balcony purposly setting off his car alarm. The doorway/hallway to that balcony is INACCESSIBLE because there is a television on a table directly in front of it since we wanted an extra den type room.

Now, we're stuck with a noise violation that we in no way deserve and an angry resident that wants nothing to do with us. We have to go to court to get this dropped. What if they only offer to reduce the rate? Now we owe 150 dollars just for living in a blue house that is the only student house at the south end of the block on the west side?

Yes there were people walking by our house all night, but tehre were people walking by EVERY house on the road all night. They weren't coming to my house or leaving my house. They are not my responsibility. Apparently, somebody threw a bottle of Jack Daniels in this man's yard. As I said to him, that is unacceptable and unfortunate, but it wasn't me or anybody from my house. I guess that's not good enough.

Now I'm hesitant to even talk when I'm outisde because another violation means possible eviction. Initially, I was excited about living in this neighborhood and making a difference. Our yard is clean, our house is quiet, and we're amiable people. I feel embarrassed by the absurd actions of so many students around here who disregard the neighbors, but now I feel like that hasn't gotten me anywhere. I feel like maybe the kids who all whine and cry about the intolerant neighbors might have a point.

My most recent trouble

On Monday I emailed two absentee landlords for properties across the street from me. My complaint is major trash and broken glass. No answer came so Wednesday I talked to Sam Rowen at Alderman D'Amato's office and asked that they call in the inspectors.

Incredible tidbit: On Sunday night I went over to one of these properties to quiet down a party. There was a broken bottle on their front step. It was explained to me as... ''oh that was an accident last night'' (Saturday). The glass is stil on their front step today (Friday).