Good neighbors go door-to-door

Longtime Northside resident Velma Perry said she doesn’t expect her student neighbors to keep quiet all the time.

“We’ve got sense enough to know there will be a little noise,” she said. “But when you’re having a party, it’s your party – not ours. Don’t make it our party.”

On Monday, Chapel Hill police, University officials, UNC student government members and representatives from Empowerment Inc. went door-to-door giving information to student residents about how to be better neighbors to the residents who live around them. Empowerment is a community development group.

The fourth annual Good Neighbor Initiative group set off from the Hargraves Community Center armed with information for student residents.

“All we’re trying to do is reach folks who might not be aware of town ordinances,” Lt. Kevin Gunter said. Gunter is with the police department’s community services department, which helps organize the initiative. “We’re just trying to be there for them. It’s nice to know what they’re going to be faced with.”

Officers and volunteers delivered packets with information regarding town noise ordinances, recycling information, transit information, alcohol laws, garbage collection times and area services. About 400 packets were prepared for delivery this year.

Targeted areas were close to the University and included the Northside, Pine Knolls and Cameron-McCauley neighborhoods.

Many of the initiative’s efforts are designed to help students who might be living off campus for the first time.

“A lot of those kids haven’t been on their own yet,” Gunter said.

The initiative also aims to reach nonstudent residents. Gunter said residents shouldn’t be reluctant to call 911 if there are noise disturbances. Calling 911 makes police aware of the problem, he said.

Lori Patino, a community services police officer who works out of the police department’s Northside substation, was one of the officers who went door-to-door to talk to students.

“We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood,” she said to senior Whitney Seward, who lives on Mitchell Lane with two other students.

Seward, who is living in her house for the second year, said she appreciates the police presence in the neighborhood.

“It’s nice to see them around,” she said.

Student Body President Eve Carson was one of the volunteers walking the streets. She and Student Body Vice President Mike Tarrant helped deliver 80 packets.

“It’s a nice gesture to help facilitate students’ transition to the neighborhood,” she said. “A lot of the services I wasn’t even familiar with. Probably a lot of kids have not seen this information.”

Carson said the partnership between University leaders and the town groups is a good example of how the two bodies can work together.

“Students need to know about these things,” she said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.