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Village Residents Association Blog

From the Archives: VRA has been fighting rent hikes since 2002!

2/11/2021

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 11/05/2002

After three months of intensive collaboration with the VRA, the UC Village residents have challenged the University to address its failure to attract and retain students with families. For months, we've been asking: Who does the University want to live in graduate student housing, and what will it do to keep our families here? Countless families have been forced to move out of the village due to recent rent hikes. Many more have to plan to leave by next year. It is time to stop waiting for an answer that never comes. The University is not taking our interest in affordable housing seriously.

Hence, the petition drive. As a result of your efforts, we have collected over 500 signatures from the residents of UC Village and Smythe-Fernwald! We have presented these signatures along with a letter to the UC Regents and UCB administration.

Our demands are simple. The University must adopt the following measures to provide for and maintain affordable housing for its students in a fair and equitable manner by

  • Confirming in writing that the current year's rental price will not exceed 2% from previous year's rental rates.
  • Confirming in writing that future rental price adjustments will not occur before September 1 of each year.
  • Providing a separate housing rentals billing account from CARS for each student affected by U.C. Housing rental policy such that funds will not be encumbered from students' educational funds unless students are over 30 days 'past due' on rental payments.
  • Providing a long-term plan prior to any future rent increases that provides for maintaining affordable student housing in concert with the State and Federal definition of affordable housing and such that the funding provides that the rental price of student housing does not exceed 50% of student household income.

To date, none of these demands have been met. Some of you will say, "I told you so…" Others want to know why we can't just stop paying rent. Let's be patient, strategic, and smart.

A very large and visible event is being planned for spring 2003 that will bring political support, media attention, and financial leverage to our cause. In the meantime, we suggest that

    1. You continue putting pressure on U.C.B. and U.C. offices by writing on their rent checks - PAID IN PROTEST - until these above demands are met by U.C.B.
    2. You consider a "Yes" Vote for Prop. 4 that has provisions (read $$$) that can be set aside to provide affordable student housing.
    3. You contact VRA representative Joanne Manson about getting involved in the direct action planned for early spring.

Committee for Affordable Student Housing and Responsible Fiscal Planning

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6th Street Gate Closure

1/20/2021

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View document.
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Having Trouble with Slow Internet in the Village?

7/28/2020

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Village resident Graciela Serratos created this helpful checklist for troubleshooting your internet connection. Many thanks to Graciela for sharing this resource! 
sts_outreach_and_troubleshoot_flyer_.pdf
File Size: 68 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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VRA Security Survey Results

7/6/2020

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The results of the security survey we conducted in 2019 are now available. This anonymous data shows the incidence of theft in the Village and residents' ideas about how to improve security. We hope to discuss these ideas at a future community meeting. Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section!
View slideshow.
safety_survey_summary_6.14.20.pdf
File Size: 135 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

uva_map-of-stolen-items-v2.pdf
File Size: 3204 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

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Community Meeting 3/21

3/21/2019

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Thank you to all who came out to our community meeting this past Thursday! We really appreciate that you took the time to come out and talk about the issues that are occurring within the village. If you were unable to come, here is a recap of our meeting: 
 
Academic Center
The East Village Study Center will have its locks changed during the construction - previously scheduled programs will still be occurring 
Another study space option is in the community center from 6pm-10:30pm 
Joonie will try to open Crossroads room during the day for those who especially need it 
West village center will be opened again in 10 days, by April 1st 
New plan for W. village center is that it will have desktops with a copy room - that room will be open from 9am-9pm; however, this was upsetting because it was replacing a space that was well liked 
The E. Village center is currently packed; this is concerning because it is not finals yet - problem is that there is not enough space for everyone 
The plan to replace the academic center is not in the current plans - trying to find alternative spaces, but not sufficient 

How was it decided that study spaces were changing dramatically? Why weren’t students involved?
Old trailer was supposed to be replaced; however it was not approved because of construction codes
FRC was a space that was supposed to be a space for families, outreach, and connection - was approved by past VRA; yet this was during a time when study spaces were available, now that there are none, there should be a priority on academic study spaces
Needs to be better communication so residents can discuss
Tom and Glenn will be bringing these issues back to their teams and supervisors

Parking Revenue
Projected revenue was ~$200k, but it is now only expected to generate $60k-70k
Residents were upset because the projected revenue was so high - feel like they are paying half of the revenue
With limited funds, can't fund the security programs - looking for alternatives

Overarching theme - residents are upset because they don't have a say in what is being decided by the admins and directors. They are asking to have discussions before programs are implemented.

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