In the midst of a perceived boiling point between students and community members, a previously low-profile group of residents of West Somerville, known as the C-3 Neighborhood Association, may be able to provide a solution.
The group, whose name refers to three streets in the area - Conwell, Curtis and Chetwynd - aims to foster a peaceful and cooperative internal community of residents and students and keep outside intervention - like the police - to a minimum.
Though it has strengthened and evolved recently, this organization of community members is not a new development.
Edward Beuchert, a member of the association's board of directors and one of two official Tufts community liaisons, said an e-mail list among residents had been in use for approximately six years, but the group became more organized after several incidents in September 2005.
"Some students got pretty drunk late at night and threw furniture out of a second-story window," said Beuchert, who has lived on Conwell for eight years. "They dragged mattresses into the street and set them on fire."
This incident took place on Curtis Ave. and "really upset a lot of people," he said.
The group coalesced in an effort to increase communication in the neighborhood and prevent the recurrence of such incidents, Beuchert said.
This communication can follow very simple lines. "I think it's really worthwhile for students and neighbors to introduce themselves to each other, exchanging names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses," he said.
The hope is that in the presence of a tighter community, everybody will benefit and less police interaction will be necessary.
"If you have a loud party and have not made arrangements with your neighbors, they will call the police," Beuchert said.
To this end, the group produced a brochure requesting that students inform neighbors before upcoming parties and leave a telephone number to call if the gathering gets too loud.
In such situations, the problem is usually only noise, not the fact that the party exists, Beuchert said.
"The focus is mainly the noise," said Beuchert. "No one cares what you do as long as you're not too loud."
To promote such cooperation, the association has embarked on a neighborhood-wide effort to build a strong community.
Beuchert said the initiative dates back to the organization of the September community barbecue, which was open to both students and residents and was organized with help from both the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate and C-3.
"While organizing the community barbecue, [TCU] Mitch Robinson and I discussed a plan where some student and neighbor volunteers would serve as community liaisons to meet with students who were having problems adjusting to neighborhood living," Beuchert said. "I'm hopeful that we can move forward with that plan."
Other initiatives are also on the horizon.
Though in the past the organization has worked with Alderman Bob Trane, Mayor Joe Curtatone and the Somerville Police Department, this year members are teaming up directly with Tufts administration as well as student volunteers from the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service.
Beuchert also suggested the creation of a "sort of mandatory orientation course for undergrads who will be living on their own for the first time."
Reactions to the group's efforts to date are mixed.
Beuchert said that it has been successful. "I count a number of current and former students as friends of mine," he said.
Still, junior Dina Rezvani, a resident of Curtis Ave., said she has not felt much of a community atmosphere since members of C-3 came over and introduced themselves at the beginning of the year.
"I'm from a small town where everyone at least smiles at you when they pass, even if they don't know you," she said. "But my neighbors actually just turn their heads."
Junior Ben Levine, who also lives on Curtis, offered a measured response.
"We get the feeling that the general community around us is very nice, but the only interactions we have with our neighbors are negative," he said.
As for other residents, many are still put off by what they see as a lack of respect by the students.
"There's no respect for other people's property," Cheryl McGovern, a life-long resident of Curtis Ave, said. She does not perceive the endeavor as a success.
She cited incidents of vandalism and theft as the reason for this sentiment. "I've had chairs stolen off of my porch."
Students are often equally unhappy with their landlords, a problem that Beuchert recognized.
He faulted landlords for "aggressively marketing their properties towards undergraduates as 'party houses.'"
"A lot of times it's the same houses that have problems year after year," he said.
Still, Beuchert feels that the spirit of communication can solve such problems. "It's much easier just to get along with your neighbors, and we've had tremendous success with getting along," he said.
