Article lays bare Univ. Heights dangers

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The issue of violence and poor living conditions in the University Heights neighborhood isn't new. But the campus is buzzing about it after a comprehensive article in the student newspaper, "The Spectrum."

The article reveals a lot about potentially vulnerable students living in fear near UB's south campus.

Johnny Kim, a UB freshman from Long Island, said, "People told me it's going to be kind of shady. But I didn't know it would be like, crime-related. Nothing."

Kim found his apartment on Craigslist. It was not what he expected and there's no way he's living there again next year. Where is he going?

"North campus. It's much safer," Kim said.

UB Spectrum Lisa Khoury spent five months investigating crime and living conditions in the University Heights. She found many of the students who chose to live in the neighborhood out of naivety were not just from out of town, but from out of the country.

"Many of them are signing leases for these houses before they come to America. And so many of them don't have cars here in Buffalo," Khoury explained.

That leaves the neighborhood as an affordable option with nearby public transportation, like the Metro rail and bus station - at least on paper.

Vice Provost of International Education Steven Dunnett says they warn international students through e-mails and handouts what to look for in off-campus housing. And at orientation, students are told how to stay safe.

"You should be more careful. And you should be careful how you walk at night, and so on. But that's good advice almost anywhere," Dunnett said.

But he acknowledged the university gives no warning about the University Heights. UB's website says in the University Heights neighborhood, "more serious incidents include acts of violence, though they are rare."

But crime numbers show acts of violence twice as a frequent in University Heights than in neighborhoods surrounding the north campus.

Living in the neighborhood allowed Taylor Brundage Freedom the ability to walk to class, but now she has post traumatic stress disorder after her experiences.

"I watched them unzip the lacrosse bag and pull out a rifle with a scope laser on it," she said.

Freedom was robbed at gunpoint inside her living room on Winspear Avenue. After that incident, returning to school was difficult.

"I often feel petrified," she said. "I have nightmares that follow me to this day."

Khoury spoke to Freedom in her article, where Vice President for University Life and Services Dennis Black is quoted as saying, "We're not in the protection business."

Though university officials we spoke to acknowledge crime rates may be higher in University Heights, they won't concede students are in danger.

"Crimes occur there just as they do where your station is and throughout," Dunnett said.

But until there is some sort of improvement, Freedom strongly advises students to live elsewhere.

"I think it's a very unsafe place and if you're going to live there you need to be aware about the crimes that go on in that area. Because no one is safe from that harm," she said.