Over the past year, the University Heights has experienced a spike in crime that has horrified and angered the residents. What has been our councilmember’s response to this?

While neighbors deal with armed robberies, burglaries, beatings, murder and attempted murder, Ms. Russell proposes platitudes such as training in how to live off-campus for UB college students, block clubs and, my personal favorite, legislation to stop hair-dressers from doing “grill work.”

In the meantime, residents of this community have worked together to try and get crime-prone abandoned railroad property converted to a bike trail/public space, organized training to watch and patrol the neighborhoods, worked with UB officials to develop a call-in procedure that involves UB police in quality-of-life issues, written grants for security cameras, and much more. I would like to urge Ms. Russell to stop hiding from many of her constituents, start meeting with them on a regular basis, and work proactively to reduce crime and violence in the Heights.

Beth Bradley

Buffalo

Artvoice reserves the right to edit letters for content and length. Shorter letters have a better chance at being published in their entirety. Please include your name, hometown, and contact number. E-mail letters to: editorial@artvoice.com or write to: Artvoice Letters, 810 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14202