Hey, there! Log in / Register

Mission Hill residents, city councilor fed up with Northeastern

The Huntington News reports four suits from Northeastern couldn't even finish a presentation to a Mission Hill gathering before being interrupted by Mission Hill residents, who accused them of breaking a variety of promises to the community. City Council President Mike Ross - a Mission Hill resident - and state Rep. Jeffrey Sanchez sided with the residents.

Neighborhoods: 
Topics: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

Similar issues with Northeastern over on Fort Hill. A unsanctioned fraternity house has been established by a bunch of Northeastern students who have rented out an entire brownstone apartment building, 1 unit at a time since last summer. Northeastern has been reluctant at best to help monitor the situation. The Roxbury BPD on the other hand, do not mind policing them at all.

up
Voting closed 0

While I agree the influx of students from neighboring universities to Mission Hill have pushed out local residents, increased rent unfairly, and increased the amount of empty beer cans that line the streets, there unfortunately remains serious risks to living on Mission Hill (re Rebecca Payne). Granted, violent crime can occur in every neighborhood in Boston. When Northeastern provides affordable and comfortable housing without the disciplinary board breathing down the necks of residents, more students will choose to live on campus. Until then, students who depend on loans or co-op jobs to cover living expenses will choose to live in affordable neighborhoods near campus.

up
Voting closed 0

As a recent Northeastern alum, I'm just going to throw these thoughts out there:

a) on-campus housing is EXTREMELY expensive at Northeastern, and the rates have increased a ridiculous amount year to year since my freshman year. It's now actually cheaper to live in some places in Back Bay than it is to live on campus.

b) yes, they should've got the plan finished sooner. But keep in mind that Northeastern just finished International Village (nee Parcel 18), and that caused a whole shitstorm in the "community."

c) the "community" can't have it both ways - they want Northeastern to keep more students on campus, but when NU goes to build more residence halls, they have a hissy fit bitching about expansion of the university. Not the most eloquent way to put it, but I'm so sick of hearing nothing but complaints about students. I put "community" in quotes because the people who complain about NU are missing the fact that students - not just Northeastern ones! - are part of the surrounding community. Despite what Mike Ross would like the public to think, just because one happens to attend school or is under 25, that doesn't mean that we deserve to be treated like second-class citizens.

Can't have it both ways.

up
Voting closed 0

Northeastern is building high-end dorms to attract students with money. That's why it's so expensive to live there. Higher education is in the business to make money.

up
Voting closed 0

and still remember the huge fuss the local community created over the University's plans to (gasp!) build a pedestrian bridge over Huntington Avenue to connect the main campus "quad" with the residence halls on the other side of the street. Their "argument" was that building the crossing was somehow inappropriate because it would encourage drivers on Huntington Avenue to speed (which they were doing anyway).

After many meetings and discussions, Northeastern eventually dropped the plan. So the foundations and some of the support piers, which were installed my freshman year, were removed just before I graduated.

Nice to know that after thirty years, some things haven't changed - like NIMBYism and neighborhood politics.

up
Voting closed 0

I'm so sick of hearing nothing but complaints about students. I put "community" in quotes because the people who complain about NU are missing the fact that students - not just Northeastern ones! - are part of the surrounding community.

Paying rent for a year or two doesn't automatically make you part of a community. In my experience, there are some few student residents who will bother to introduce themselves to their neighbors, maybe attend a community meeting or event, volunteer for a cleanup project or so on. The vast majority, though, just pass through, never taking the time to say hello, with no interest in the life and fabric of the place the rest of us call home.

That's fine, that's how it goes for most students; as long as there's a modicum of effort to co-exist respectfully, to pick up after yourself, to monitor your own and your guests' late-night behavior, to go about your affairs without disrupting others, no problem. But every self-centered, inconsiderate action -- trust me, we see them, big and little, every day -- says nothing less than "f*ck you, I don't care".

You're right, you can't have it both ways. Want to claim the mantle of "community"? Please act like you know what the word means. (The fact that you're posting on UHub is a start, btw.)

up
Voting closed 0

It doesn't matter if student residents get involved or not, we'll never be considered part of the community. I consider Boston my home, I take great pride in that. The vast majority of students aren't having crazy parties every weekend. Most of us ARE considerate. Hell, I don't even have my tv on loudly after 11pm. We're just not the ones you here about.

I'm fairly certain I know the meaning of community. In this context, it denotes a sense of exclusivity, that no matter what, any student/person under the age of 25 is just assumed not to be a part of.

And I see a lot of self-centered, "I don't care" activity from my neighbors - who are most definitely not students - as well.

The bottom line is: yes, younger residents - whether you consider them community or not - do need to get more involved, in general. But just because someone is a student, that doesn't mean that they don't care.

up
Voting closed 0