When a beer can was hurled at Marina Streznewski's husband as he was walking on the street near their home, she decided to take action.
The 54-year-old Foggy Bottom resident is banding together with other University neighbors to combat what they call the "increasingly rowdy behavior" of several students living off campus – a problem she and others said has reached its worst level in years.
“We are residents that live here 52 weeks around the year and are no longer willing to tolerate this kind of behavior,” Streznewski said. “Even neighbors that have more of a ‘live and let live’ philosophy think that enough is enough and something must be done.”
Streznewski, who has lived in Foggy Bottom for the last 11 years and attended GW in the 1970s, said most students, including the group of seniors who live next door to her on New Hampshire Avenue, are not disruptive. But the disorderly student-neighbors have gotten more egregious.
“There has always been the occasional nonsense, but the frequency and intensity of parties this year are very aggressive,” she said.
In an email chain on the Foggy Bottom community listserv Monday, local residents compiled a list of townhouses rented by students in the western part of the neighborhood – between 24th and 26th streets and down I Street and New Hampshire Avenue.
They hope that by mapping out where students live and handing over the outline to the University, officials will take a more authoritative and proactive approach to quelling neighborhood disturbances.
University spokeswoman Michelle Sherrard said the off-campus townhouses are under the jurisdiction of Metropolitan Police Department – not the University Police Department – but that the forces work together when necessary.
“GWPD’s role in the surrounding neighborhood is to represent the university and to ensure students are being held accountable for their actions in compliance with the GW Code of Student Conduct,” Sherrard said in an email.
She added that the University “engages in ongoing discussions with its neighbors” and directed neighbors to share their concerns through UPD’s Community Concern Hotline, though neighbors have complained that the response rate to their calls is slow.
The department has responded to 76 neighborhood concerns, mostly noise complaints, so far this calendar year – 10 fewer than throughout 2011.
A 70-year-old resident who asked to remain anonymous said some houses in the Foggy Bottom area – a handful out of about 250 townhouses in the neighborhood – are closely watched by the community because of occupants' boisterous behavior. He said neighbors have witnessed young people vandalizing property and cursing and drinking in public, and many have complained that loud music and noises woke them up in the early morning hours.
He said he has regularly met with University officials over the last “six or seven” years, but that GW does not always continue the same preventative measures – like nightly patrols that were nixed two years ago – from year to year.
“They really are not dealing proactively with the problem,” he said. “The University police does some patrols, but not with the notions needed to minimize the problems.”
He said the group has looked into Georgetown University’s policies about off-campus student behavior, which he called “much more retroactive and proactive."
Georgetown University requires student who live off campus to attend an orientation program about proper neighbor etiquette and learn how to live “safely and responsibly off campus,” according to the school's off-campus student life office website. Students who do not participate could be held back from class registration or face student conduct violations.
A large number of townhouses surround Georgetown University – meaning that students and permanent residents more often live next door to each other than in Foggy Bottom, sometimes causing clashes.
Disgruntled Georgetown neighbors urged the city in June 2011 to draft legislation for the school to house all students in university-owned housing, either on or off campus, after a spike in off-campus related disturbances and behavior problems.
Another Foggy Bottom resident who also asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons said some neighbors give out brochures to GW students who move into off-campus townhouses. The 15-year resident added that information packets from the Office of Community Relations, detailing how to take out trash and be a respectful neighbor, have proved ineffective.
Local residents do not want to come off as an angry mob of local residents and push students away from the neighborhood, she said.
“We love living in a diverse neighborhood,” she said. “But we realize there is a problem this year, and we are coming together as a team, investigating, researching, trying to figure out how to deal with this problem.”
This article was updated Oct. 25, 2012 to reflect the following:
Due to an editing error, The Hatchet reported that a beer can hit Marina Streznewski's husband. While the can was thrown at him, he was not hit. We regret this error.
‘He said the group has looked into Georgetown University’s policies about off-campus student behavior, which he called “much more retroactive and proactive.”‘
Is this dude Clyde Frazier?
“It will be a Killa and a Thrilla and a Chilla, when I get that gorilla in Manila”
Residents want to map out where off-campus students live, but don’t want to have their names published in a school newspaper because of privacy reasons? Hypocritical, unfair.
If this involved any other group than GW students, it would be discrimination, and result in “outrage” from “community leaders” and “groups”.
Students move off campus to have their own lives, not to be policed by both society (expected) and the University Stasi (not OK).
That’s right, college students really are the most persecuted group. It’s so unfair, but I’m glad that civil rights luminaries like you are here to end this injustice.
Btw, Dick Head George, you too need a fact check. The whole point of the article is that the University ‘Stasi’ aren’t doing anything, despite the fact that students living off-campus still must abide by the Student Code of Conduct.
I do not find the attitude toward unruly students remotely discriminatory. Other identifiable groups, of whatever identity, do not think that getting drunk and being loud is the focus of their existence from Thursday night to early Sunday morning. It’s not the group itself – neighbors mention that most students are not the problem – but the bad and often illegal behavior that needs to be addressed.
Interesting how you only use your initials. Hypocritical much?
Kids will be kids, right? Wrong.
As young adults, most of whom can vote and die for their country, these students must play their part in society. That includes respectful behavior towards their neighbors. Making a choice to live off-campus is making the choice to accept greater civic responsibility.
I suggest that the local residents also coordinate with the owners of the rental properties to strengthen the leases, if possible, and insert appropriate language dealing with public disturbance and non-renewal. These rental properties are businesses. And the renting students (or their parents) are customers, sometimes out of control.
Lastly, I believe that calling the MPD for rowdy behavior and noise disturbances sends the proper message as a couple of visits and citations from the police sends the proper message and hopefully will catalyze students to police themselves — ultimately the most desirable solution.
Be careful, as some of that may run afoul of District and Federal fair housing laws.
Enforcing existing laws on renters and tenants isn’t a violation of fair housing standards, it is what needs to be done to ensure the neighbors’ quality of life.
But then, you’re just talking out of your ass anyways so that throwaway line wasn’t really supposed to mean anything, right?
I need to correct the record. I told the reporter that a beer can had been thrown at my husband. I did not say the beer can hit him. In fact, it did not.
Sorry, next time we’ll toss a grenade and not miss. OK?
Seen plenty of grenades go into and out of the de-facto frat house on the weekends. Good luck with them, guys.
That’s a horrible thing to say.
This is what happens when the university has a witch hunt to go after greek life and bust on-campus parties. Locations that would normally be safer for students if they need to be emerged and away from these old-timers are fading away. Student’s paranoia is driving them to the outskirts to maintain their partying levels.
If anyone should shoulder the blame it is Gabe Slifka: judge, juror and executioner of fun.
Fuck these people. It’s a college. There are students that live there 52 weeks a year. A private residence is a private residence. They can’t just tell people to be quiet for no reason. Noise complaints are all MPD has as well. You can’t just tell someone to calm down, unless they are being loud after a certain time of day. GWPD will rarely go to a private residence. MPD usually handles that. These people are idiots, they don’t realize that the townhouses they are talking about are not on GW property and are therefore, not GWPD’s problem…
You’re quite vulgar for someone who doesn’t have a clue what they’re talking about. You say that “it’s a college” in your second sentence and then say that it’s “not on GW property” in your last. Make up your mind, sweetheart.
Let me help you out: You can tell them to be quiet, because making unreasonably loud noises after 10pm is a violation of District law. That’s what these people are complaining about. GWPD has a role because, even though they can’t “bust” parties off-campus, they can accompany MPD to the scene and take down students’ info for an internal judicial process at a later date.
So here’s the plan: Grow up, act like an adult, take some responsibility for your behavior, and have a little empathy for the older people, professionals, and families who are your neighbors and don’t live the same lifestyle you do.
So here’s the plan: Drink box wine and eat junk food and then whine about the freshman 15.
Well played, ‘Fat Chick’.
@Flat Chuck, awwwwwwww. It’s adorable how you privileged rich suburban kids think you’re hardcore because you decide to be dipshits in close proximity to people who have actual lives.
Spending mommy and daddy’s money to get trashed isn’t rebellious. That’s been done for decades, but when we did it we lived on-campus and didn’t piss off people who did nothing to bring this stuff on themselves.
First of all, I drink only the finest liquor and smoke the finest tobacco out of a wooden pipe. I’m not a undergrad. I’m a graduate student. So if you are gauging people on if they have a full time job or something? I don’t understand where the hierarchy is coming from but okay.
And, my point is that you have no legal basis to do anything. Your business is with MPD, not GWPD. Don’t expect them to do anything because they do not care and they don’t deal with off campus activity.
They patrol GW property, not GW students, you condescending pompous freak. There are GW students that commute from U st, but it is not GWPD’s legal responsibility to worry about their behavior or their jurisdiction, so they don’t go there. It doesn’t matter that your precious fucking townhouse is 5 feet off campus. OFF CAMPUS=NOT GW=CALL MPD. Stop crying because you got hit by a beer can…pussy. Throw one back? Read a law book or something?
I don’t know. Just because you go to bed early and work the 9-5 and pay bills does not mean that you’re life is like INSANE. You don’t have it rough… You’re fine. You’re not busting your ass 80 hours a week just to put food on your table, working in a factory with horrible working conditions. You chose the neighborhood you chose. Live with it or leave, the college isnt going anywhere and neither are the kids. Some dude getting hit by a beer can doesn’t mean that everyone in the neighborhood is a fuck head.
No amount of bitching or complaining will make a difference. Kid’s aren’t going to stop having more fun because you’re old and whining about shit. We are all adults under united states law, your word doesn’t mean more then a college student’s and neither does your vote. So if I could advise you. Suck one.
@dude2: Give it a rest, the sequel is no better than the original and the fact that this incoherent wall of text supposedly came from a graduate student is quite unsettling.
1. Like I said, as a GW student, you’re subject to the Student Code of Conduct. Off-campus activities can violate the code of conduct, and will subject you to disciplinary action from the University if they’re enforcing their own rules. That’s why UPD is present during MPD calls.
2. As adorable as your self-righteousness is, you’re right: I don’t have it rough. But I did work for what I have, as did many other people in the neighborhood, and the Rugrats with no obligations in life have zero right to throw their drunken tantrums at 3am.
3. I’m willing to bet that you and your friends don’t vote in D.C., therefore yes: My vote does mean more than yours here and now that the neighbors are actually working to hold shitty tenants and their deadbeat landlords accountable, you can expect some consequences.
GW isn’t going anywhere, but neither am I. I’ve lived here for a number of years and have had many pleasant student neighbors, but I will outlast the good and the bad ones both.
In the meantime, the bad ones can expect to be held accountable for their dumb behavior.
I’m sorry that “youths nowadays” are more rebellious and fun loving than you were, back in your “old college days” of raccoon coats, goldfish swallowing, phone booth stuffing and doing the Lindy.
1) You realize these “oh my word so horrible, so loud, so rude GW students” consist of maybe 5% of the student population (ie drunk, idiotic frat boys with anger issues and a drinking problem). A LOT of students are extremely hard-working and hardly even have time to go out due to the amount of work we have between studying for classes and starting our professional careers.
2) “Make up your mind, sweetheart.” Are you serious? Tone down the misogynistic meets holier-than-thou attitude and maybe the student population will be more sympathetic.
First of all, undergrad ain’t that hard “Actual GW Student”, real life is. You know, the real life that people living in the neighborhood exist in where people get up at a reasonable hour and don’t act like discourteous jackasses at 3am.
Secondly, I’d love to have the extremely hard-working students starting their careers with no time to go out as neighbors. They’re not the ones causing the problems.
Thirdly, I’m neither a misogynist nor holier-than-thou; I’m patronizing. And I will continue to be patronizing to the children living in the neighborhood and the apologists who enable their stupidity.
Why’d you have to throw the word “frat boys” in there? Not discounting what you’re saying, but most people in the Greek community are as hard-working, polite and motivated as everyone else.
no they aren’t you fucking idiot. they are loud, insecure jackasses who join their pathetic little bands of brothers in order to feel manly and accepted.
oh and the fratboys at gw would never make it into a frat at a school with hardcore frats.
Someone didn’t get a bid…..
DOOOONNNTTTT CAAARRREEEE
yolo
Why live near a college if you don’t like living near college students? GW has been in Foggy Bottom since 1912 and a part of DC since 1821 – so whiners should deal with it or move.
Time for a fact check, Luther: No one is saying they don’t like living near college students. They’re saying they don’t like living near college students that act like selfish assholes.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of GW students that aren’t selfish assholes. They should be the ones living in the historic district, not the frat douches.
I plan on leading students in a battle royale against the neighbors. Saturday at 4pm. Neighbors meet us in Washington Circle. Winner takes Foggy Bottom. One rule: No touching of the hair or face. GW ladies wear your spandex as you’ll be more mobile. GW men bring a 30 each. Projectiles are sometimes necessary, and drinking beer is just a good time.
If we win, you all get mandatory life sentences in Thurston.
This article was great the first time I read it. In 1996.
It is curious that non-students who move to a campus-adjacent neighborhhod are shocked that idiot college students sometime act like idiot college students.
Back in my day we would steal some old Foggy Bottom codger’s mail, spread it all over their front lawn and proceed to have sex on top of it and drink beer. No I am not kidding. Go into The Hatchet archives circa 1995-1996.
Laughed way harder than usual at this article.
Would make all the difference if GWPD had concurrent jurisdiction. Unfortunately their jurisdiction is limited to GW Property and when responding to off campus locations, it limits their roles. Simply taking down names is fine but if MPD doesn’t communicate their responses and doesn’t let them know what action (if any) they’ve taken, then the University doesn’t find out through the normal channels. 76 Off Campus noise complaints and not one of the usual “Liquor Law Violation” you see on campus in the crime logs? Same noise complaint if GWPD responded to my dorm would instantly turn in to a busted party and some discipline.
Ask a PR rep from GW to ask an MPD official what actions they take to students in off campus locations and they’ll say “We told GWPD” and GWPD will say “We told MPD”. Endless cycle of back and forth and passing the buck. Either that or the official will laugh at you. I do believe that the Foggy Bottom community (non-GW) played a key role in shutting down GWPD’s proposal for concurrency back when they had the consulting firm come in and take a look at their responses. Amend it perhaps?
Back when I was looking for housing, the choice between dorm life and off campus life was a no-brainer. A lot of students don’t enjoy the crowded, stuffy feeling of being in a dorm. Off campus housing is usually cheaper, cleaner, less crowded, more beneficial for study space and above all else, it keeps you away from the prying eyes of GW. Responsible adults make these decisions to live off campus, not children. Sorry that it’s rowdy; you live in a college community. God forbid if GW had a football team. Jesus that would be sweet…
Another thing: have you ever went out and knocked on their doors at 3am to tell them to shut the hell up? I hated calling the cops to anything I didn’t think I could handle. My neighbors having a party at 2am and I want them to shut up? Knock on their door, do some broski slapping and usually they apologize, grumble about anonymous noise complaints (the effing worst when you invited the entire floor and know damn well it was an RA who made the complaint) and all is well. These aren’t little demons beset with the will of a drunken Charlie Sheen on SNL (weak zinger), they’re human beings. Stop treating the students like animals and show a bit of pride that you live in one of the most elite neighborhoods in the D.C. area and welcome the new faces every year because let me tell you, as GW grows, so will your neighborhood. As you neighbors move out, get old and move on or die, new ones will move in. Most of them will probably be students.