--- title: "University Hill Community Improvement Plan" type: "pdf" year: "2002" canonical: "/projects/200" --- # 2002 HERMAN GOLDSTEIN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING: ENTRY/AWARD SUBMISSION # Table of Contents - [2002 HERMAN GOLDSTEIN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING: ENTRY/AWARD SUBMISSION](#2002-herman-goldstein-award-for-excellence-in-problem-oriented-policing-entryaward-submission) - [PROJECT UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN](#project-university-hill-community-improvement-plan) - [SUMMARY](#summary) - [UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN](#university-hill-community-improvement-plan) - [SCANNING](#scanning) - [RESPONSE](#response) - [ASSESSMENT](#assessment) - [UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN Boulder, Colorado 2000-2001](#university-hill-community-improvement-plan-boulder-colorado-2000-2001) - [INTRODUCTION](#introduction) - [SCANNING](#scanning) - [ANALYSIS](#analysis) - [RESPONSE](#response) - [ASSESSMENT](#assessment) - [REFERENCE LIST](#reference-list) - [AGENCY AND OFFICER INFORMATION](#agency-and-officer-information) - [Project contact information:](#project-contact-information) - [ATTACHMENT A](#attachment-a) - [PREVIOUS RESOLUTION STRATEGIES](#previous-resolution-strategies) - [ATTACHMENT B](#attachment-b) - [UNIVERSITY HILL ACTION GROUP MISSION, VISION, POLICY THEMES, RECOMMENDATIONS, STRATEGIC GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS](#university-hill-action-group-mission-vision-policy-themes-recommendations-strategic-goals-and-action-items) - [UHAG Mission](#uhag-mission) - [Project Vision](#project-vision) - [Policy Themes](#policy-themes) - [Real World Recommendations](#real-world-recommendations) - [Set standards for neighborly behavior, communicate them to newcomers and, when required, enforce them fairly and consistently](#set-standards-for-neighborly-behavior-communicate-them-to-newcomers-and-when-required-enforce-them-fairly-and-consistently) - [Promote a sense of community among University Hill neighbors](#promote-a-sense-of-community-among-university-hill-neighbors) - [ATTACHMENT C](#attachment-c) - [RESPONSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS](#response-accomplishments) - [Expanded Community Policing](#expanded-community-policing) - [Legal Changes](#legal-changes) - [Hill Cleanup](#hill-cleanup) - [Safety](#safety) - [Housing](#housing) - [Miscellaneous Considerations](#miscellaneous-considerations) - [ATTACHMENT D](#attachment-d) - [CITY OF BOULDER OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER](#city-of-boulder-office-of-the-city-manager) - [To Goldstein Award Selection Committee Members:](#to-goldstein-award-selection-committee-members) - [Trick or treat riot](#trick-or-treat-riot) - [CITY OF BOULDER](#city-of-boulder) ## PROJECT UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN ![img-0.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-0.jpeg) Working with the community to provide, Service or Safety AGENCY CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO POLICE DEPARTMENT ![img-1.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-1.jpeg) $3$ # SUMMARY ## UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN The University Hill Neighborhood (the Hill), in Boulder, Colorado, adjoins the University of Colorado and its 26,000 students. Its 200 acres consist of a mix of college students, transitory young adults, families, retired individuals, business owners, workers, expensive homes, relatively inexpensive student housing, single-family dwellings, converted multi-occupancy residences, apartments, fraternities/sororities, and a variety of businesses. ## SCANNING Over the years, the Hill experienced a noticeable decrease in its quality of life, and a corresponding increase in health and safety violations. In addition to increasing reports of graffiti, trash, abandoned property, over occupancy, noise and neglected structures, the Hill also experienced one of the highest rates of alcohol violations, sexual assaults, street level drug dealing, large out-of-control parties and aggravated assaults. This decay helped spark five riots beginning in 1997, which resulted in: 1) hundreds of thousands of dollars in property damage and fires, 2) a large number of injuries to both officers and citizens, many of which were serious/critical, 3) an outpouring of community concern, 4) national embarrassment for the entire community, and 5) a universal demand for action. This culminated in September 2000 with the City Manager empanelling the University Hill Action Group (UHAG), a truly collaborative broad based working group charged with the development of recommendations to address longstanding issues. Composed of City Council members, neighbors, University officials, business owners, students, student government/Greek Council, and landlords, UHAG began its work by listening to stakeholders and evaluating the data they presented. A national literature review was completed, reports were prepared documenting previous local efforts, other cities were contacted, University experts were consulted, surveys were completed, community meetings were held, and feedback was solicited from the countless citizens who attended the well publicized meetings. # RESPONSE UHAG's response plan encompassed 42 separate recommendations and 76 related action items. These collaborative responses included the use of restorative justice, code enforcement audits, significant changes/additions to municipal codes, adjustments to service delivery, community clean-up efforts, improved stakeholder involvement, physical enhancements/improvements, and expanded community policing efforts. ## ASSESSMENT All 42 responses have been addressed. The neighborhood is now organized into a very strong and politically active association, community events are attracting people to the revitalized area, collaborative relationships have developed, the physical appearance has improved noticeably, stakeholders feel better about the problem, and the perception of city government and interagency cooperation has been enhanced. # UNIVERSITY HILL COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN Boulder, Colorado 2000-2001 ## INTRODUCTION The University Hill Neighborhood, in the City of Boulder (I02,000 residents), adjoins the University of Colorado (C.U.) and its 26,000 students, within the larger Denver-Boulder Metropolitan Area of 2.4 million people. Its 6231 residents comprise one of the most unique neighborhoods in the entire county. The area was one of the first developed in Boulder in the 1890s. Today, this densely packed community consists of a mix of college students who continually cycle through the university, young adults who enjoy the area bars and nightlife, families in all stages of development, retired individuals who have lived in the area for decades and have watched it change, business owners who tend to cater to young people, homeless street people and runaways who panhandle the students for money, alcohol and drugs, and others who struggle to live in an expensive city. Sandwiched between the University and the picturesque foothills, the neighborhood's 200 acres are made-up of expensive homes, relatively inexpensive student housing, single family dwellings, converted multi-occupancy homes, nonconforming residences, apartments, fraternities/sororities, and a variety of businesses. ## SCANNING Over time, the Hill experienced a slow, but very noticeable decrease in its quality of life. These indicators included: - Neglected/dilapidated structures, many of which were owned by absentee landlords, - A housing shortage that resulted in serious over occupancy issues, which included parking problems, neighbor disputes, roommate conflicts, fire/housing code violations, and students unfairly taken advantage of, - Graffiti that had reached epidemic proportions on the buildings, street signs, utility boxes, paper machines and other targets, - Trash and abandoned property, such as beer cups, liquor bottles, furniture, and broken glass, - An unwholesome reputation that resulted in people avoiding the area entirely. As an example, in 1994 C.U. was listed as a binge drinking school in a Harvard University study, and the Princeton Review lists C.U. as one of the top five party schools in the United States, - An "us vs. them" attitude that pitted neighbors, who did not know each other, against neighbors, and A decrease in sales tax base. Associated with this decrease in quality of life was a corresponding increase in health and safety violations, which involved: - Large out-of-control parties, many of which involved a thousand or more attendees, - Alcohol violations and underage drinking, including DUIs and a variety of serious injuries, - Sexual assaults, many involving juveniles who frequent the area in large numbers, - Street-level drug dealing and overdoses, several of which resulted in death, « Aggravated assaults, caused most often by a mix of immaturity, alcohol and testosterone, - Significant increases in arsons, some of which threatened occupied structures, and - Thousands of loud music complaints, often very late into the morning. As a result, the Hill has the highest crime rate of any area in the City. A series of five riots and other large-scale disturbances, that began in May of 1997, resulted in: - Hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage from broken windows, large fires, and other significant property damage, - A large number of serious injuries to both officers and citizens, several of which were serious/critical, An outpouring of community concern/outrage, - National embarrassment for the entire community, - Conflict between polarized groups, and - A universal demand for action. Although the police identified many of these problems as early as 1992 and had, since that time, devoted significant resources to the area, the riots served to bring about a more comprehensive citywide problem solving effort. There were certainly other ongoing and weighty issues at the time, however, the undisputed seriousness posed by this public order meltdown served as a wake-up call. Through a series of private and public meetings/forums, newspaper and television accounts, editorials, City Council meetings, e-mails, letters to newspaper publications, and direct contact with various public/private officials/politicians, the public mandate was quite unmistakable and uncharacteristically unanimous in its call to action. City government (including City Council, police, fire, Public Works, City Attorney's Office, Municipal Court, University Hill General Improvement District, Environmental Enforcement, and Parking Control), University officials (including the Chancellor's Office, Off-Campus Student Services, Office of Judicial Affairs, police, area experts, alumni, and parents), students, fraternities/sororities, peace organizations, neighbors, private individuals, neighborhood/business associations, consultants, landlords/property managers, and a host of special interest groups, began to talk to each other. This culminated in September 2000 with the City Manager empanelling the University Hill Action Group (UHAG), a truly collaborative, broad-based working group charged with the development of recommendations to address these long-standing issues within the very specifically defined geographic area of the Hill. Membership in this 15person group, which was augmented by staff support, encompassed City Council members, students, neighbors, University officials, business owners, and landlords. # ANALYSIS At the request of City Council, the City Manager publicly solicited volunteers to serve on UHAG. His office then selected participants from a pool of interested candidates, based on their potential contribution and the representation they brought to the project. UHAG met at least one day a week for 10 weeks of facilitated and very well publicized public meetings. All of the gatherings provided for citizen comment, which accounted for many of the responses ultimately selected. The initial meetings were spent collecting and analyzing the data relating to the underlying conditions that gave rise to the problem. Briefings were presented by Municipal Court, the City Attorney's Office, City and University Police Departments, the Director of the University's "Matter of Degree Program" (a program focused on the alcohol use/abuse by college students), and the City's University Liaison. City Staff, UHAG Members and the public provided additional data including economic and market analysis, public safety information from other university cities, police and code enforcement histories, interviews with stakeholders including input collected from a series of "speak-outs" and other public forums, an accounting of previous local efforts, crime analyses of the Hill and other areas, legal efforts from other peer cities, information obtained in a citizen survey commissioned by the police, and direct observations from a variety of resources. In addition, UHAG members shared their experiences and unique perspectives, as did members of the general public. Out of this data collection, over 100 different ideas were identified for potential use. It was this accumulation of topics that resulted in the committee's subsequent critical discussions on "...those policies and projects that will work in the real world and substantially improve conditions on the Hill." Although an objective analysis of the issues disclosed that the Hill problems have a long history, it has only been since the 1990s that the difficulties pushed their way into the forefront of community concerns. The current problems started in 1990 with the change in the state drinking age from 18 to 21 . The problem worsened between 1992 and 1995 with a number of Hill-specific, alcohol-related tragedies. In 1994, there were a number of studies on college binge drinking that applied to C.U. A steady decline in Hill tax revenues started in 1995. All of this helped to fuel the first of the riots in 1997. Data disclosed that since 1997, the Hill experienced eight separate nights of violence, accounting for at least 84 injuries (seven of which were severe/critical), a minimum of \$700,000 in losses, and approximately 100 arrests. Since 1997, there also have been roughly 3000 loud party/noise complaints, at least 5558 alcohol tickets issued, 900 assaults/disturbances, 81 sex assaults, countless independent public meetings, forums, task forces, committees, reports, and recommendations. It was discovered that the problem was more complicated than just "kids being kids." It involved a compilation of individuals, groups and factors that included: - Perceptions of us/neighbors vs. them/students, - A significant increase in the number of students with no corresponding increase in rental housing, - A very expensive housing market, resulting in over occupancy of homes designed for single family use, - Absentee landlords and a lack of consequences for property owners/managers of perennial trouble spots, - Nonconforming rental units with unsafe living conditions, - Students as easy prey for unscrupulous business practices, - Neglected and dirapidated structures, - Conflicting lifestyles/goals between permanent and short term residents, - High population density, - A lack of accepted social activities for the 18 to 21-year-old crowd, - A change in the drinking age, - The culture of alcohol abuse and binge drinking with loud out-of-control parties, - Students living off campus without campus sanctions for wrongdoing, - Infrequent prosecution for quality of life/criminal violations, - Deterioration of streets/sidewalks/landscaping/lighting, - Three to four year turnover in many of the student residents, - Lack of consequences for quality of life violations, - Flawed criminal statutes, - A noticeable increase in trash, weeds, graffiti, and abandoned property, - Parents left out of the loop, - Incomplete education/information for young residents on neighborliness, - Concerns for personal safety and the area's reputation as a lawless zone, - Limited/restricted business base, - Lack of coordination in ongoing efforts, - Limited sense of community, - Students who believed they did not have a voice in their own defense, - Permanent residents who did not seem accepting of young people, - Some young people who just wanted to party without consideration for others, - Nonresidents who were attracted to the area from all over the Denver Metropolitan Area, often for illegal reasons, - A liberal political climate very forgiving of youthful indiscretions and critical of aggressive enforcement, - City and University governing bodies often at odds with each other, - Understaffed enforcement, - Street level drug dealers, - Governmental responsibilities spread out over a number of different departments, - Lack of political power among residents, - Polarized viewpoints, - Readily available fuel for arsonists, some of which were unique to this area, such as upholstered furniture placed on porches, - Certain time periods when problems were magnified, such as the end of the spring semester, and - A sense that being tear gassed had become a right of passage. Previous efforts were piecemeal, usually limited to police involvement, and specific to the crisis dujour. There was very little apparent coordination among the various efforts (see Attachment A). # RESPONSE UHAG was chartered as an "action group." Following the analysis phase, UHAG began to openly discuss and consider all of the ideas, input and data received. Although they considered a broad range of responses, their mission focused on those recommendations that were practical, comprehensive, involved a range of creative solutions which would "work in the real world and substantially improve conditions on the Hill," included as many stakeholders as possible in both planning and implementation, were legal but which would also be workable/accepted by a very unique community, could be paid for without additional taxation, were cost/staff effective/efficient, involved multiple and diverse components/solutions (some of which could be implemented immediately and others that would take years), were likely to build a stronger sense of community, and would improve safety and quality of life. As such, there were three underlying problems that were not specifically addressed. First was the federally mandated 21-year-old drinking age and the much larger societal issues of underage consumption, binge drinking, cultural acceptance, and the resulting negative consequences. Second, riots were not considered as a unique phenomenon. Riots were determined to by symptomatic and, as such, it was felt that they would be addressed by this comprehensive plan. Finally, the student housing shortage, although discussed at length and a critical component in any comprehensive plan, was determined to be beyond the capabilities of UHAG. In their effort to revitalize the University Hill, UHAG identified five strategic goals, five comprehensive policy themes, seven broad recommendations, and 33 high leverage action items (see Attachment B). UHAG prepared an official report and made a formal presentation to City Council. As a result, the City Council, the community, and City staff turned all of the work from UHAG into a formal Hill Implementation Action Plan, complete with due dates, project responsibilities, and regularly scheduled updates to Council. The final tally covered 42 projects, spread among all participants, and 76 related tasks. The response was truly comprehensive. It included thousands of hours of City and University staff, student, neighbor, and other volunteer time spent in research, document preparation, attendance at meetings including City Council ordinance setting and budget allocation sessions, community building, implementation work, and the use of $\$ 100,000$ of contingency funds. Sweeping in its approach, the process was not without difficulties. Some individuals felt that their positions were not adequately represented. The initial relationship between City and University was somewhat uneasy. Many ideas were generated but not all could be acted upon. UHAG and supporting staff operated under intense public scrutiny and pressure to make things better. There was a lot of history that had to be overcome. Money had to be shifted from other uses. The effort was so extensive some individuals from other neighborhoods felt slighted. Finally, so many action items were recommended that tracking their progress became its own job. The City Manager committed to insuring that the UHAG recommendations were achieved. Specific assignments were made, due dates established and regular progress reports/updates were required. A partial listing of the successes to date, are included in Attachment C. # ASSESSMENT The City Manager has stated that out of all of the projects the City worked on in 2001, the University Hill Improvement Plan was the most successful. It was the largest and most collaborative community-wide effort anyone can remember. The City staff who helped out in this effort were awarded the "Spirit Teamwork Award" for 2001. A letter from the City Manager has been included as Attachment D. For the first time in recent memory the Hill neighbors, business owners and landlords are working together with all of the other stakeholders. They have created a number of associations, established Web sites, held public events to restore a sense of community and promote the Hill, provided free chairs to students in exchange for their outdoor couches, held countless meetings to discuss issues, developed into a powerful political bloc, volunteered their time to cleanup the Hill, engaged in walkabouts to keep the area safe, and became true partners with the police. In fact, the University Hill Neighborhood Association, UHNA, received the Police Department's "Citizenship Award" for their work in 2001. A letter from UHNA has been included as Attachment E. Enforcement has changed the way it does business. Officers have been instrumental in changes in the criminal code that plugged serious gaps identified by UHAG, modified their enforcement approach to become more proactive, worked together to avoid any disruption in service, changed their dispatch protocols to put more emphasis on quality of life complaints reducing response time to these calls from 38 minutes to 14 minutes, added staffing, participated in a large number of outreach efforts, created an education campaign focused on neighborliness, developed new protocols for information sharing, identified critical dates that require enhanced operations, been out and about on bikes, expanded the Hill Team's area of coverage to include more of the residential area, worked closer with the liquor establishments, and helped the neighbors develop a citizens on patrol program. In addition, they opened a permanently staffed and very well received Community Police Center on the Hill. The public briefings the Hill Team holds each week at the Community Police Center have become so popular that the neighbors commissioned an architect and have committed volunteer time and money to a remodel that will make the facility more user friendly. The 2001 Hill Team was awarded the prestigious Unit Citation by the Boulder Police Department. The City reallocated over \$100,00 in additional funding. The City Manager empanelled a broad based community group to work on answers and committed to carrying out those recommendations, City staff cleaned up the area, engendered a true service delivery philosophy, assigned substantial resources to help out on the Hill, committed to paving alleys, adding street lighting, and installing 911 emergency safety lights/phones, fixed sidewalks, hired auditors, planners, and consultants to independently evaluate code enforcement, police protocols, and marketing plans, instituted restorative justice, made significant improvements to previous methods of dealing with trash, weeds, graffiti, nuisance parties, noise, housing violations, zoning issues, over occupancy, rental licenses, troublesome properties/landlords and other code violations, streamlined the governmental process to improve access and to get things done, and actively worked on improving relations with students. The University, students, fraternities/sororities, and student government held students accountable for off campus criminality, worked hard on changing the party culture, educated its incoming freshman and those moving off campus on related social issues, participated in broader community efforts, and worked directly with City staff, especially in regards to enforcement/courts. The Inter Fraternity Council President was originally outspoken against the police at the beginning of 2001. Just a few months later, he had become a valuable ally and supporter of the police. All 42 recommendations from the University Hill Action Group have been addressed. There were a number of statistical measures indicating success, but most measures are ongoing and qualitative in nature. The outcomes are: - A community and neighborhood that is more united and organized than any other in the city - a complete turn-around from just two years ago, - A very noticeable improvement to the health and physical environment on the Hill, - A significant upturn in the attitude of all the Hill residents and visitors who now feel more safe on the Hill, - A proven collaboration among the many stakeholders, - A perception of city government and interagency cooperation at an all time high, - Excellent relationships that developed between enforcement and the neighbors, and - A significant improvement in quality of life and safety issues. For example, the neighbors report that the last $4^{\text {h }}$ of July was the quietest in memory. Though a great success, there were problems in developing/implementing this plan. The problems have not been eliminated, and based on the totality of the circumstances, they are unlikely to ever completely go away. It is clear that although the City still has a long way to go, the situation is definitely improving. As a result of this plan, the City went 15 months without a riot (from September, 2000 to December, 2001). This was the longest such period since May 1997. However, following the University of Colorado's victory in the Big 12 Football Championship on December 1, 2001, the city experienced a single night of rioting. But even this one night of anomalous violence was an indicator that the plan was working. The entire community condemned this violence. Students and others helped to identify rioters whose photos were placed on the City's Web site. Based on improvements in police tactics, there were no serious injuries and arrests/prosecutions were at an all time high. The working relationships recently put in place eased recovery efforts, resulted in smooth follow-up, and significantly lessened the negative fall-out. What had previously been an issue for months was dealt with in a matter of days this time. Although some may see this most recent night of violence as a failure, most see the aftermath of this night of isolated sports violence, unfortunately fairly common in this country, as one more confirmation that the plan is working. In addition to the fact that problems will not completely go away, there are other issues as well. Stakeholders are still becoming comfortable with each other. Although the Hill neighborhood is unique, there are other neighborhoods that have similar issues, but with less intensity. These neighborhoods have been invited to attend some of the Hill meetings and are working with the City on their own issues. At this point, there are no displacement issues. The City Manager put together a staff implementation team composed of the Deputy City Manager, Deputy City Attorney, Deputy Police Chief, Director of Public Works, Planning Director, Court Administrator, and Director of the Downtown and University Hill Management Office, to make certain that all recommendations were addressed. This group ensures that someone is responsible for monitoring the future of these efforts, modifications are made as necessary, and all stakeholders have a point of contact for issues that will develop in the future. Short of throwing more dollars at the problem, based on budget and staffing considerations, the response plan seems to have been a measured and appropriate response. # REFERENCE LIST Boulder Police Department. 2000. 1999 Boulder Police Department, A nmal Report. Boulder Police Department. 2001. 2000 Boulder Police Department, Annual Report. Boulder, Colorado. 2000. University Hill Action Group report to City Council. Reviving University Hill, a Report from University Hill Action Group to Boulder City Council. Boulder City Council Study Session, November 28, 2000. Goldsmith, Stephen. 1999. The Twenty-First Century City, Resurrecting Urban America. Washington, D.C.: Regnery Publishing, Inc. Kelling, George L, and Catherine M Coles. 1997. Fixing Broken Windows. New York: Simon \& Schuster # AGENCY AND OFFICER INFORMATION This project involved all levels of the Boulder Police Department. The City Manager and Chief of Police were intimately involved with the high profile community meetings/interaction, and regularly met with and acted as advisors for their staffs. The Operations Deputy Chief attended all meetings and served as an advisor for UH AG, coordinated the department's efforts, and acted as a member of the City Manager's implementation team. Police Commanders in charge of the Hill Unit and the Communications Center coordinated the efforts and recommendations of their employees. The Hill Unit of the Police Department (eight dedicated officers and one sergeant), dispatchers, Community Police Center members, environmental enforcement officers, parking control, and other line level members attended numerous meetings, actively participated in the problem solving process, developed their own recommendations, evaluated the various proposals, provided input back to the larger group, and coordinated their efforts as they successfully carried out the tasks as identified. No additional incentives were given to any officer for his or her participation in the process. City employees were as frustrated as anyone in dealing with these longstanding issues. They embraced the benefits this type of fresh, aggressive and coordinated effort could bring. All commissioned members of the Boulder Police Department have received a minimum of eight hours training in problem solving. Problem solving is a required component of yearly performance agreements. Officers are fairly experienced in this practice and have embraced its value. The only real problem the Department encountered in this effort, other than previously mentioned, was one of scope. The Department has been involved in a number of very large scale, high-profile multi-year projects over the years. However, this undertaking dwarfed any of those previous efforts. Conceptually, it took time to get used to the scale at which they were working. The Department eventually discovered that the basic problem solving principles applied regardless of sheer size or complexity. Although not a problem as such, the Department was surprised by the level of resistance to change and experimentation encountered in the other governmental representatives. Cops being cops, they tended to think of themselves as the conservative arm of government. However, due to their problem solving training and experience, the Department found itself leading the charge and, in many instances, acting as interpreters/advocates on behalf of the citizens when dealing with other departments. Members of the Department committed hundreds of hours of staff time to the development of this proposal. They committed considerably more resources to carrying out the resulting goals. These included: realigning resources, shifting funding to pay for increases in services, changing long-standing protocols, opening a new permanently staffed Community Police Center, increasing community interaction, improving enforcement tactics, altering former practices to more closely align with community interests/quality of life issues, and a host of other significant commitments (see Attachment C). # Project contact information: James (Jim) C. Hughes Deputy Chief of Police $180533^{-4}$ Street Boulder, Colorado 80301 303-441-3311 303-441-4465 (FAX) hughes@ciboulder.co. us # ATTACHMENT A ## PREVIOUS RESOLUTION STRATEGIES These included (partial listing only): - September 1992 the police began a foot patrol study on the Hill, - April 1993 the police instituted walking foot patrols on the Hill, - July 1993 the police opened a part-time annex on the Hill, - January 1994 the police assigned four officers and one sergeant full time to the Hill Team, - February 1994 an interdisciplinary alcohol task force was formed, - April 1994 a new Greek alcohol policy was adopted, - October 1994 the first alcohol grant obtained by the police resulted in proactive enforcement and education, - 1994 the City/University hired a shared liaison position, - June 1995 began a series of interdisciplinary Boulder County Summits on alcohol, held to address the multifaceted problem of alcohol abuse (one outcome of these meetings was more focus on enforcement), - September 1995 a national meeting was held with the executive directors of the fraternities and sororities, - January 1996 police began a new experimental Alcohol Diversion Program, - March 1996 the Standing Committee on Substance Abuse (SCOSA) was established, - September 1996 the "Matter of Degree" grant was awarded to the University (which focused on alcohol issues and binge drinking of college students), - Fall 1996 the University banned the sale of beer at football games and restricted tailgate parties, - March 1997 the University passed a resolution changing its off campus alcohol policy, - Summer/Fall 1997 the University's Office of Judicial Affairs became actively involved in offcampus student problems, - Fall 1997 following the first two nights of serious rioting the police changed its enforcement approach to parties and alcohol violations on the Hill (a softer approach was put into place), - January 1998 the police increased Hill Team staffing from four to six, - Spring 1998 special planning sessions between the police, University and campus/city leaders were held prior to final exams, - Fall 1998 resulted in a complete ban on fraternity and sorority alcohol parties, - November 1999 City Council interest resulted in a workshop held to discuss Hill issues, - January 2000 police started an "adopt-a-frat" program (and other outreach efforts) and increased staffing on the Hill Team from six to eight, and - August 2000 the University adopted a new "thrcc-strikes" strategy for students with repeat offenses. Most, if not all of these efforts (and many others) met with at least some measure of success. However, even with all of these individual efforts, in the fall of 2000 the community was rocked by two more nights of violence. It was at this point that the entire community came together and decided that enough was enough. # ATTACHMENT B ## UNIVERSITY HILL ACTION GROUP MISSION, VISION, POLICY THEMES, RECOMMENDATIONS, STRATEGIC GOALS AND ACTION ITEMS ## UHAG Mission - To recommend actions to City Council to improve the quality of life and sense of community for all in the University Hill neighborhood. ## Project Vision - The Hill-a beautiful and diverse neighborhood where people are proud to live, work and relax. ## Policy Themes - Lead the revival. University Hill can be revived but City Council must lead the way. The Council must make a clear unequivocal and enduring commitment to restoring University Hill to a prized neighborhood. I Invest More Resources on the Hill. More investment, both public and private, is needed to revive the Hill. After a period of relative neglect, the area now deserved Council's priority attention and support. - Enforce our laws fairly and consistently. Council must make clear the city will enforce our laws fairly and consistently. Wrongdoers who break laws and threaten the neighborhood should expect punishment that is "swift and sure." - Intervene early to "Fix Broken Windows." Disorders, including trash, noise, drugs, and property neglect are all contributing to the Hill's decline. Council should encourage enforcement strategies and tactics that emphasize early intervention before marginal conduct or conditions deteriorate into neighborhood problems. $\pm$ Promote more housing for the University market. The chronic shortage of housing for staff, faculty and, most importantly, students is a major aggravating factor in many of the University Hill's problems. The Action Group urges City Council to continue efforts to encourage the University and private sector to build additional housing for the university market. ## Real World Recommendations - Review and reform Environmental and Code Enforcement organizations - Encourage new businesses on the Hill - Expand the City's trash ordinance - Adopt a civil nuisance abatement ordinance - Require landlords to provide regular trash removal - Educate university students about responsibilities as good neighbors - Promote more social activities involving students and neighbors Strategic Goals (and recommendedUHAG action items) Clean up the Hill and keep it clean + Create a community service program + Expand the trash ordinance - Require landlords to provide regular trash removal service - Adopt an indoor furniture ordinance - Adopt a graffiti ordinance - Relocate collection of recyclables from street fronts # Set standards for neighborly behavior, communicate them to newcomers and, when required, enforce them fairly and consistently - Adopt a civil nuisance abatement ordinance - Adopt a nuisance party ordinance - Communicate standards to tenants in the lease - Notify parents and the University of Colorado of wrongdoers - Inform property owners why they fail to meet city standards - Review and reform the enforcement organizations - Strengthen community policing efforts Improve the physical conditions on the Hill on both public and private properties Private Property - Focus on problem properties - Re-evaluate the land use priorities previously identified in the University Hill Plan Public Property - Increase street sweeping in the residential area of the Hill - Improve commercial and residential alleys - Trim trees and shrubs in the right-of-way more often - Improve neighborhood collector streets - Complete missing links of sidewalk - Improve residential street lighting - Extend the blue light 911 system - Install decorative entry signs to the Hill Neighborhood - Improve parking issues/signage Broaden the commercial mix to better serve the community - Support events that appeal to students and other young people - Encourage and facilitate the development of new businesses on the Hill - Support Hill events to attract people from surrounding areas - Encourage creation of two new Hill property owners associations - Create a Hill business improvement district - Re-energize the Hill Bar Operations Group ## Promote a sense of community among University Hill neighbors - Provide more social activities involving students and neighbors - Educate University students about their responsibilities as good neighbors # ATTACHMENT C ## RESPONSE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ## Expanded Community Policing - Police began assigning overtime officers periodically to the Hill at nights (with the addition of \$70,000 in overtime). Underage drinking tickets have steadily increased, more than doubling between 1997 and 2001 (602 vs. 1232). - Full operations plans, with significantly enhanced staffing, have been put in place for identified critical days (e.g. end of semester). The police operations plan for the start of the Fall semester (2001), which included significant student outreach efforts, resulted in 481 summonses (of various types), and 23 arrests (and no riots). - Hill officers are now all bicycle certified (they are required to be out-and-about and visible on the bikes at least $25 \%$ of the time). - Police are now working with Parking Enforcement to fill in service gaps that occur after hours on the Hill. - The Hill Team's area of responsibility has been expanded well into the surrounding residential areas. - The Hill Team was diversified. - Police protocols have changed in responding to loud parties, which have significantly improved phone responsiveness to the caller as well as the actual response time. The City's Audit and Evaluation Unit completed an independent evaluation of the effectiveness of this change in protocols, with very favorable results. - The Traffic Unit has added the Hill as one of its enforcement projects. - The Hill Team (and entire department) is working very hard on outreach efforts to the neighbors (regularly attending meetings and being available) and hold public briefings every Thursday on the Hill (which have been well attended by many community members and are now utilized by other city departments). - Police are working much closer with the University's Office of Judicial Affairs and code enforcement. A new and very successful information sharing plan was put in place. - When violations are reported, or observed, police are initiating action earlier and, when appropriate, issuing summonses or making arrests (instead of multiple warnings). Officers have become more proactive on noise and loud party issues. [fit appears to be a potential problem, the officers will contact the participants prior to any complaints being received and work with them to avoid complaints. Open container tickets have increased from259in 1997 to 316 in 2001. - Officers are involved in a number of Hill specific problem solving efforts (e.g. raves). They are continuing with successful efforts identified since 1997 (e.g., walk-abouts, Hill stops, adopt-a-frat, Greek liaisons). - Based on recent concerns expressed by Hill neighbors, the police have added fireworks, graffiti, and street level drug dealing to their list of special projects. - A brand new Hill Community Police Center has been opened, which is more centrally located and staffed seven days a week. - A change has occurred in the delivery of police services. The police are now involved in all order maintenance complaints/issues. - Officers began working closer with liquor establishments on the Hill (e.g., the LESS program, Licensed Establishment Server and Seller) and helped form the Responsible Hospitality Group. - The police improved their tactics, equipment, capabilities, and expertise in responding to large out-of-control incidents. - A Boulder Citizens on Patrol Program (BCOP) is currently under development. These residents (including students) are being trained as walking teams to monitor criminal activity on the Hill. - Officers utilized the Boulder County Alcohol Diversion Board (1678 referred cases in 2001). ## Legal Changes - Adopted an innovative nuisance party ordinance (which has been very very effective for enforcement personnel). - Amended the graffiti ordinance to include requirements for prompt removal (which has been very successful in removing graffiti in a timely fashion). - Amended the trash ordinance to require all residential properties to have trash service. + Amended the noise ordinance to simplify the warning process (which has been very effective for enforcement personnel). - Adopted a lease disclosure ordinance that requires landlords to provide tenants with a written document that discloses specific applicable nuisance type city regulations. - Researched and drafted a new ordinance related to civil nuisance abatement (currently being reviewed by a study group set up by the City Manager). - Researched and drafted an amendment to the ordinance related to administrative remedies reference to rental housing licenses, which would include expanded administrative remedies for code violations and the ability to place conditions on rental licenses (currently being reviewed by a study group set up by the City Manager). - Adopted code changes needed to implement an enhanced rental housing inspection and licensing program. - Adopted a new ordinance that would prohibit the placement of upholstered furniture in outdoor areas. - Code modifications are being worked on to clarify property owner responsibilities and procedures for tree and shrub trimming within the right-of-way. - Adopted a code change that will strengthen the vehicle tow and impound language to help with issues on the Hill. # Hill Cleanup - Stakeholders worked on new provisions for restaurants and taverns on the Hill, and submitted these recommendations to the Planning Board. - The Landmarks Board initiated a re-survey of the residential area around the University Hill. - Cost estimates for improvements to neighborhood collector streets were prepared and Council supported evaluating this data as part of the Transportation Master Plan. - Sidewalk missing links have been inventoried and prioritized. The proposed 2002/2003 budget identified sidewalk construction on the University Hill as a priority. A sidewalk obstruction hotline and database are in place for responding to complaints (daily). - Stakeholders assessed the alley system on the Hill and began working on these issues (including paving). - The Forestry Division did trimming and pruning on the University Hill in the spring. - In keeping with the new law, the City and private property owners have begun actively removing graffiti. - Stakeholders began working with a local trash disposal service to start a pilot project to assess the feasibility of picking-up recyclables in the alleys. - Community Service Program clean-ups are now held on the third Saturday of each month (a great mix of staff, neighbors, students and those assigned to assist through restorative justice efforts). UHNA picked up 15,800 gallons of trash and recyclables during nine Restorative Justice Hill Cleanups in 2001. - The City completed a six-month pilot program of street sweeping. . 25 cubic yards of debris were removed from each of the 25 blocks in the pilot program every month (at a cost of $\$ 31,237$ ). City Council approved the budget to fund additional once a year travel lane sweeping for all neighborhoods and community service workers to provide additional hand cleaning in two special Hill areas. - The Aloha Boulder Program, a Hill clean-up program made up of all stakeholders, was piloted in 2001. It resulted in the collection of 266 sofas, 32 appliances, 105 other pieces of furniture, and 770 cubic yards of trash. This program also offered free plastic chairs in exchange for sofas left outside ( 72 exchanges). ## Safety - The University Hill Neighborhood Association is working with the city and Xcel Energy to install private additional lighting along alleys. - A consulting firm was hired to do a thorough audit of the City of Boulder Code Enforcement related services. The audit is now complete and made a number of recommendations that are currently under review. - The City refined the environn ntal enforcement citation procedures and procedures for referring cases to the municipal prosecutor's office. - The City held public meetings and internal organizational forums on the restorative justice model of dispute resolution being tried in Municipal Court. UHNA has worked with approximately 110 Restorative Justice offenders. - A new officer was added to the Environmental Enforcement Office. - The City completed 117 upgrades to enhance street lighting and additional upgrade requests are currently being evaluated. - Emergency 911 public access call boxes (Blue Light Emergency Phones) will be placed strategically on the Hill. - Stakeholders are re-energizing the Hill Bar Owner Association (they created a new taxi stand to divert drunk drivers). - Staggered bar closing was arranged for "critical days," which helped ease tensions at bar closing time. # Housing - A working group has assessed the rental licensing program and recommended follow-up actions. + Information was provided to the Planning Board on legal nonconforming structures and the allowed occupancy of these buildings (with the possibility of adding medium density zoning to the Hill). Options included creating zoning that recognize the actual land use and amending the nonconforming code to permit some expansion. - Housing inspections are underway and owners are contacted, or notices are sent, for violations. A system is being designed to better track these letters. - Environmental Enforcement Officers are now using Personal Data Assistants in the field to assist in keeping information current. - Protocols for over-occupancy, trash, noise and weeds are currently being clarified. - Web access is being provided for information concerning rental licensing and occupancy data. ## Miscellaneous Considerations - A student "Welcome Back" campaign is completed. It included ads in local papers, "flyering" of cars, door-todoor conversations, information packets distributed to the fraternities/sororities, and information presented at freshman orientation. - A neighborhood association was developed and significantly strengthened. - Special events have been conducted on the Hill and more are planned in the future (e.g., Uni Hill Downhill Footrace, Homecoming Parade and Back to Boulder Alumni Event, Happy Hillidays, Beach Park Festival, block parties, Hill Neighborhood Film Series). - The Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan has been modified to reflect the policy themes recommended by UHAG. - Neighborhood Web sites were developed. - The Police Department, City Attorney's Office, Environmental Enforcement Office, Municipal Court, the University of Colorado's Office of Judicial Affairs, and many others now working collaboratively on Hill related issues. - Regular neighborhood meetings and special events are being scheduled. - A two-year marketing plan is underway for the Hill (including a new logo, advertising, and Planning Board changes). - Signs were made and placed outside each bar "To Respect the Neighborhood." - An outside consultant has been hired as a Hill Area Planner. He is actively involved in land use matters on the Hill. - A conceptual design has been completed for new Hill Neighborhood entry signs. - A collaborative group (including the police) formed the Women and Alcohol Related Topics group to deal with women's issues related to alcohol use and over consumption. - A fraternity summit was held in September 2001. This summit, which was attended by all fraternities and many neighbors had presentations, panel discussions (including the police, fraternities, City/University officials, student government, and UHNA), and a positive question and answer period. # ATTACHMENT D # CITY OF BOULDER OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER **Support Services / City Clerk's Division** City Clerk · Licensing · Central Records · Citizens Services · Municipal Elections · Boards & Commissions April 22, 2002 Herman Goldstein Award Selection Committee Police Executive Research Forum 1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930 Washington, DC 20036 Dear Committee Members: I am pleased to join in and support the nomination of the "University Hill Community Improvement Plan" for the prestigious Herman Goldstein Award. The impressive efforts in the Boulder University Hill neighborhood have been the result of creative and far reaching collaboration between community residents and the government they have elected to serve them. I have been extremely proud to both be a part of this organization-wide initiative and to observe the many fine men and women of the Boulder Police Department who have excelled and fully committed themselves to community problem solving efforts. The impact of their work is significant and sustainable. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this valuable process. If I can provide and insightful information, please let me know. Sincerely, Ronald A. Secrist City Manager Pa Box 791 · Boulder, Colorado 80306-0791 · (303) 441-3090 · Fax (303) 441-4478 · www.ci.boulder.co.us Printed on 100% Post Consumer Waste Paper Is. # To Goldstein Award Selection Committee Members: In December 2000, riots, squalor, and distrust amongst residents was commonplace in Boulder's University Hill neighborhood. After only 12 months, the remarkable vision, focus, and execution of the Boulder Police Department (BPD) has dramatically improved the quality-of-life for all residents of "The Hill" and restored a true sense of community. A highly involved, visible, and dedicated BPD has become a bridge for communication and problem-solving between diverse residents. We are forever indebted to these community heroes. It is with the utmost conviction that we, the 350 members of the University Hill Neighbors Association, support the Boulder Police Department to be the recipient of the Herman Goldstein Problem Solving Award. Please contact our executive committee if you would like additional details on how the BPD has delivered "above and beyond the call of duty." University Hill Neighbors Association exec@hillneighbors.com www.hillnei ghbors.com | Prentiss Donohue | Gregg DeBoever | Steven Walsh | Neil King | Terry Rodrigue | | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | :--: | | Jane Stoyva | Dee Andrews | John Voorhees | Otto Verdoner | Priscilla Corielle | | Maureen Fraser | Dean DeHart | Kim Voorhees | Silvia Kjolseth | Allison Platt | | Torn Fraser | Evelyn Hu-DeHart | Claire Lindgren | Marilyn Rothman | Michael Platt | | Stephen Muir | Markus Waldorf | Sara Mitton | Sandy Rothman | Brett Conrad | | Suzie Muir | Bill Flinchbaugh | Beth Rogers | Cosima Cunningham | Rudolf Ehret | | Christine Andersen | Corinna Flinchblaugh | Terry Rogers | Kirk Cunningham | Elene Strates | | Sarah Hollowell | Dennis Dresselhaus | Geneva "Swiss" Reichert | Beth Smith | Tom Mooney | | Lea Scriggins | Charles Squier | Robert T. Frost | Randy Smith | Marlyn Spelman | | Meryem Ersoz | Jan Squier | Brooke Alt | Arno Niemand | Andy Kayner | | Dorthy Rupert | Eugene Vervalin | William Huffer | Brenda Niemand | Jenny Wrenn | | Luanne Austin | Lorene Joyce | Nina Johnson | George Coffee | Andy Kayner | | Nina Cassidy | Tom Thoetokatos | Orval Johnson | Sharon "Tuke" Tuke | Jenny Wrenn | | Annie Fox | Sybil Moschetti | Brian Robertson | Steven Walsh | Amy Hodge | | James Fox | Paula Sewall | Jenny Robertson | David Raduziner | Maggie Reyes | | Kathy Brien | Raymond Snead | Craig Kontny | Diana Raduziner | Suzanne Brown | | Joan Trapp Bennett | Bill Curtis | Anne Heam | Diana Verrilli | Meredith Richards | | Caroline Haines | Mag Curtis | George Heam | Althea Pearlman | Joseph Weaver | | Howard Demuth | Jeanne Adams | Elissa Guralnick | Elihu Pearlman | LeRoy Leach | | Joan Pilgram | Alice Yates | Stanley Guralnidk | Charles DePuy | Orley Paxton | | Bill DeLaCruz | Alice Yates | Betty Ball | Eleanor DePuy | Sheila Paxton | | Nii Armah Sowah | Terry Coleman | Mark Heinritz | Jennifer Haney | Matthew deCaussin | | Marianne Pfaff | Carmen Epstein | Tiffany Heinritz | Robert Haney | Constance Peck | | Aura Lee Wymore | Steven Frank | Betty Hoye | Keith Kohnen | | | JP Marshall | Surne Hobart | Anne Goodnow | Keith Kohnen | | | Sue Sheerin | Rose Crowley | Henry Goodnow | Libby Kohnen | Libby Kohnen | | Dana Robinson | Grant Branstator | Anneliese Rix | Carolanne McKiman | Kathy Tucker | | Bill Sheerin | Robin Branstator | Bill Bennett | Ann Kibbey | Deborah Rylander | | Devorah Dettloff | Anne Toslosky | Robert Thomas | Ewald Fuchs | Jim Rylander | | Edwin "Ted" Stein | Jay Toslosky | Madge Kistner | Wendy Fuchs | Karen Scarelli | | Gerda Norvig | Greg Schultz | Pat Ruttenberg | Amy Hanaughan | Vincent Scarelli | | Mami Rachmiel | David Gottlieb | David Budz | Catherine Williams | Amy-Beth Fischoff | | Kara McDowell | Pearl Gottlieb | Edmund Brown | Euphemia G.Williams | Amy Fischoff | | Kara McDowell | Steve Goering | Rhodora Brown | Larry Minks | Daniel Barth | | Mike McDowell | Susan Ortman Goering | Bill Baughn | John Truhiar | Lynne Albert | | David Bartlett | Cindy Lair | David McNutt | Jill Deckard | Mary Neglee Street | | Roxana Bartlett | Catherine Greenstein | Holly McNutt | Kenneth Wilson | Laura Osborn Richard Katz | Students riot on University Hill Attachment F ![img-2.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-2.jpeg) # Trick or treat riot ![img-3.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-3.jpeg) Hailoween parties turn scary on University Hill a, maw... 123 ![img-4.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-4.jpeg) Monday, Aqua 28, 2000 $\cdot$ 25c Another student riot ![img-5.jpeg](https://popdatasets.blob.core.windows.net/popdatasetmdimgs/02-02/img-5.jpeg) # CITY OF BOULDER **Mark R. Beckner** **DEPARTMENT OF POLICE** **Chief of Police** --- April 22, 2002 Herman Goldstein Award Selection Committee Police Executive Research Forum 1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930 Washington, DC 20036 --- Dear Committee Members: It is with great professional pride and personal satisfaction that I nominate the "University Hill Community Improvement Plan" for the Herman Goldstein Award. As a former problem-solving instructor, working in an agency that takes great pride in its innovative POP projects, this is by far the most wide-ranging, demanding effort in the history of this agency. It represents the very best in collaboration between a community and its government. Because of its scope, I was closely involved in this undertaking from the beginning, and can attest to the results that are described in this document and verify the accuracy of this submission. And because of its magnitude, it was difficult to completely capture the truly collaborative work that has been accomplished. I only wish the selection committee could walk the Hill, see the improvements, and talk to those who live and frequent the area to see, firsthand, the impact that has been made and that will undoubtedly continue to be made for many years to come. I am very proud of the members of this organization, the citizens of Boulder, and others, who put aside their personal interests for the betterment of the community. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in this process. If I can be of any assistance in this evaluation, do not hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, Mark R. Beckner Chief of Police --- 1805 - 33RD STREET BOULDER, COLORADO 80301 TELEPHONE (303) 441-3310