Homes on East 14th Avenue in the University District that house longtime renters, owners, and short-term students alike. Credit: Carly Damon | Assist. Photo Editor
Rising concerns regarding University District safety have sparked widespread discussion in recent weeks, as just last month, two shootings occurred in the area within the span of three days.
For longtime University District residents, however, brushes with crime are far from uncommon.
Doreen Uhaus Sauer, a resident of the University District since 1965, attributes the decades of crime she has witnessed in the area to the phenomenon’s cyclical nature. Notably, she said resources like Buckeye Alerts can help keep residents more informed.
“I think the perception of crime being up is because communication has improved,” Uhaus Sauer said. “But what we’re seeing are cycles, and cycles don’t necessarily get better or worse; they are part of what change is about.”
Uhaus Sauer, who initially lived on Neil and Oakland avenues before moving to the Iuka Ravine, said that newcomers to the University District may not yet recognize these cycles.
“There are times I am absolutely amazed at the stability of the area,” Uhaus Sauer said. “But if I were only living here for five or six years, I would see change within that time period and think it’s always changing.”
Xenia Palus, a Northwood Historic Area resident since 1980, said she believes the ebb and flow of crime is not distinct to the University District, but instead aligns with larger trends nationwide.
“I think that the Columbus metropolitan area is just a reflection of what’s happening across our country,” Palus said. “Certainly, some of the more serious crimes are reported with the advent of technology that we’ve had at our fingertips, and the seriousness of some of the crimes have been more serious than 40, 50 years ago. But it’s not surprising.”
Palus said she considers the presence of the Short North Posse — a street gang of cocaine dealers that operated adjacently to the University District in the late ‘80s and ‘90s — to be a memorable wave of the crime cycle.
“[The neighborhood] was wrought with shootings and problems because of [the Short North Posse],” Palus said. “The posse went away, but the crimes didn’t — because it’s just a reflection of what’s going on in our country, which is unfortunate.”
In periods of high crime, Palus and Uhaus Sauer said they agree that community bonds are crucial, as they encourage longtime residents and students alike to reach out to one another for support.
“The more eyes you have in the community, where you don’t feel that you’re alone and that you know your neighbor, you do feel safer,” Uhaus Sauer said. “I did as a student, and it was the same thing.”
Palus added that simple measures, like introducing oneself to neighbors or just leaving a porch light on, are key to maintaining community ties and a sense of security.
“Find out who lives next door to you,” Palus said. “Make friends with them because when you come home, you want to feel safe.”
