By Abra DeGeareSenior Staff Writer
For 35-year College Area resident Boyd Malm, the disrespect ofcollege students renting in his neighborhood has gone too far.
"The neighborhood is not complaining because they are juststudents, these are extenuating circumstances," Boyd Malm, who liveson 55th Place, said.
College students have urinated, defecated and stolen from hisproperty, Boyd 0Malm said. They hide from the cops on his front porchand will keep the parties going until two or three in the morning.
"We can get along if they were nice," Cherri Malm said. "It's the'in your face' attitude and the threats to physically harm us thatcause us grief."
Some students feel they are stereotyped because of neighbors' pastexperiences.
Pre-business sophomore Corrigan Haugen has lived in his house onCollier Street for about six weeks and feels that because he and hisroommates are students, they are automatically stereotyped.
In the short time Haugen has lived in his house, police havealready stopped by, even though they weren't having a party, he said.
Haugen said the neighbors didn't like the previous tenants andbecause of previous complaints the police keep tabs on the house.
The police came and told Haugen and his roommates they were doinga routine check on the house. They said it's not against the law tohave a party or to have people over; it's against the law to havenoise projecting from a television or stereo that disrupts theneighborhood.
In Haugen's lease, there is a condition that says they will beevicted if the cops come to their house one time because of a noisecomplaint.
However, not all resident and student relationships arenightmares.
Mechanical engineering senior Marc Fernandez said he has lived inhis house on Catoctin Drive since the summer of 2000.
"We don't rage, we don't mess up the place, we don't mess up theneighborhood, we're pretty respectful and we always keep it down," hesaid.
The neighbors next door are our good friends, Fernandez said.
"The people on the other side don't really talk to us or have anycomplaints with us," he said.
Steve Morin and his family, Fernandez's neighbors, have lived onCatoctin Drive for about a year.
Morin said he hasn't encountered many problems except for a fewrowdy nights.
"There are fights out in the street, guys throwing beer bottles inthe yard and breaking bottles in the driveway," he said.
Morin understands that there will be parties in the area so hehasn't called the cops to comp.lain.
College kids do try to get along with their neighbors, CommunityRelations Officer Bill Taitano said. Many students will pass outtheir phone number to their neighbors if they are having a party andthat helps, he said.
"The community doesn't mind parties as long as (students) areconsiderate," Taitano said.
However, if college students don't show consideration, theirneighbors can take action.
Steve Laub, president of the College Area Community Council, saidthe council receives complaints from College Area residents abouttrash, noise and traffic.
Laub said CACC, which is made up of local College Area homeowners,refers residents with problems to the police department because thoseresidences are subject to the Community Assisted Party Program.
The San Diego Police Department CAPP program, headed by Taitano,is designed to identify consistently loud houses within the CollegeArea.
The program began in 1996 as a collaborative effort with the CACC.
There are three ways a house can be CAPP'ed, he said.
If the police respond to a noise complaint two times in a 30-dayperiod, the house is CAPP'ed.
If the community feels the house is a problem, five residents inthe area can sign and send a petition to Taitano. After receiving thepetition, Taitano checks to see if calls match the address on thepetition. If there is a match, the house is CAPP'ed.
Lastly, a house is CAPP'ed on the spot if police respond to a calland they are met with violence, Taitano said.
Once the location is CAPP'ed, Taitano makes personal contact withthe residents and explains the CAPP program. Also, Taitano notifiesthe property owner the house has been CAPP'ed.
If police respond to a complaint at a CAPP'ed house, typically thehost of the party is taken into custody and issued a citation,Taitano said. At court, if the person is found guilty they can befined $400, imprisoned for up to 90 days and the City of San DiegoCost Recovery Program can administer an additional $500 fee forpolice services to each resident of the property.
In the SDSU area, there are currently about 32 houses CAPP'ed forone year, Taitano said.
"Most people in the College Area don't care if students haveparties, they start complaining when the parties last until one, twoand three in the morning," he said.
Taitano said he gets other complaints, like trash in theneighborhood and partygoers urinating on people's property, butpolice can only take action if they physically catch someone in theact.
University Police Cpl. Michael Frawley said SDSU also has a CAPPprogram that pertains to fraternities and sororities and anyuniversity property.
A fraternity or sorority can be CAPP'ed if police are called outthree times in a 30-day period, he said. As of now there are nofraternity or sorority houses CAPP'ed, he said.
The SDSU CAPP lasts 16 weeks, Frawley said.
Be the first to comment on this article!