Living in a college apartment seems like a dream, until a relative is calling to do a wellness check. Students pay less money to live off-campus, but their safety is one of the rights they sign away. According to the lease at Student Quarters on Rutherford, “Each resident or invitees is responsible for protecting his or her own person or property.” Other apartments like East Main Quarters and Aspen Heights share a similar, if not the same phrase. Safety is not a concern or responsibility of an apartment complex or manager. 

            Laura Heringlake, property manager of East Main Quarters Apartments, says this is due to the Fair Housing Act laws. “The best way to find out about crime in your apartment complex is to contact the police department ask for crime reports.” Under the law, a property manager cannot discuss the crime rate or safety of their complex. Although safety assurance is not one hundred percent guaranteed, well-lit parking areas, parking passes, cameras, and security patrol are amenities provided to bring a sense of peace to certain complexes. 

            Crime still occurs though. “It was five in the morning and I woke up to a loud BOOM coming from outside my door. My roommate and I jumped out of bed and right outside our window, we saw bounty hunters bursting through our neighbor’s front door,” says Desiree Jones, a former resident of the University Ridge Apartments. It took a week for management to come repair the door, but not before that tenant was robbed of his belongings. The Blue continues to struggle with crime, just this past summer a visiting man was shot and dumped in the complex. To change their image, University Ridge has changed its name to The Blue and installed gates at each entrance to monitor property activity.