March bark

The Bark

March 2015

Connecting the Communities North of 45th

Spring Into Safety It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. As you jet away to a spring break destination or prepare to enjoy the local scenery for a stay-cation in the city, if you are thinking  about drinking, consider some safety tips as you plan your perfect vacation.

Keep yourself hydrated.

Events and Info North of 45th Meeting—April 7th HUB 238

Alcohol is a diuretic (meaning it dehydrates you), and if you're going to a warm setting, dehydration can introduce a series of problems (nausea, diarrhea, headaches) that could  University Hill Project: reduce the fun you're having.

A proposed land use Know what you're getting. action! To find out more

info please visit: One drink has more to do with ethyl alcohol content than the size of the container it comes in. This means one bottle of beer elsewhere (including Canada, where beer has a https:// higher ethyl alcohol content) might be more potent than one bottle of beer in the universityhill.wordpress.com/getUS. This can sneak up on you. This also means not to accept a drink if you don't know involved/ what is in it.

Don't leave your drink unattended.

Be mindful of where your drink is at all times. If you leave it unattended, it's not your drink anymore. There can be concerns about something being slipped into your drink, including more alcohol.

Know the local laws.

That thing you can do here in Seattle? Might be illegal elsewhere. Represent yourself, your state, your college, and know that there could be strings attached for things you choose to say or do.

Be aware of the role of environment.

Research shows that tolerance is extraordinarily impacted by cues in our environment. If we always drink around the same cues or setting, those cues or setting will signal to the body that alcohol is coming, and the body will prepare to receive what we are about to drink. This is how tolerance can develop. Go to a new setting (with new cues)? The body won't know to receive alcohol, and tolerance will actually "fail" to follow you to that new environment. If you think you have tolerance, the same amount you've previously handled could hit you much harder in a new environment.

Save the Date! University District Spring Clean Join the North of 45th, UW, and University District communities on May 9th for the annual Spring Clean! This event brings neighbors, students, families, churches, local businesses, youth groups, and non-profits together to give the U-District extra shine just in time for the U-District Street Fair. The day will include a community breakfast, clean-up, and the ever popular trash contest! You don’t want to miss it!

https://www.facebook.com/N45Community

Ten Tips to Consider when Renting 1. Use the city’s Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) checklist at the website listed below to make sure the unit meets key safety and maintenance standards, such as proper ventilation, room size, electrical standards, plumbing, sanitation, heating, security, and fire safety.

2. Always read and understand the rental contract, make sure all promises made by the landlord are in writing, and keep a copy of the lease. UW Student Legal Services offers free contract reviews.

3. Verify damage deposits, security deposits, or cleaning fees listed in the lease and ask for receipts. Be sure to check which fees are refundable and which are non-refundable.

4.

Know your tenant responsibilities: paying rent/utilities on time, keeping the unit clean, following rules and restrictions listed in the rental contract, & using appliances provided by landlord in a proper manner.

5. Know your landlord’s responsibilities: maintaining structural components and appliances (electrical, heating, plumbing) of unit, controlling pests, providing lock and keys, providing garbage pick-up service, & providing functional smoke detectors.

6. A landlord is authorized to enter the rental unit without consent only when there is an emergency or the tenant has abandoned the premises. Otherwise the landlord cannot enter without prior consent.

7. Landlords of rental housing are required by RRIO to register their properties with the city and pass a periodic inspection.

8. RRIO inspections began in 2015, and tenants can request a unit be inspected if they are concerned it doesn’t meet standard requirements. Inspections are paid for by landlords.

9. If a landlord fails to register their property or complete an inspection, they will be subject to a series of enforcement measures that can result in legal action.

10. The only legal way a landlord can evict a tenant is through a lawsuit brought before a judge. If a landlord attempts eviction without a lawsuit, contact the City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development.

Night Walk: Reflection A very successful Night Walk was hosted on February 10th, with a show-up of 23 volunteers. People split into 10 teams and tackled 45th Street—Ravenna Boulevard, and 16th Avenue—22nd Avenue. The walk took around an hour, and the teams were able to identify 13 blown out street lights, 6 lights covered by overgrowth, in addition to pointing out areas in severe need of a lighting source in general.

If you were unable to attend, you can help us identify/reinforce these issues via an app hosted bye the city, Find it, Fix it. It takes seconds to download and is extremely useful for identifying and submitting problems you see in the city’s infrastructure.

While this was successful, lighting is an ongoing issue within the community and a project within HNI and ASUW Safety committee. The team is looking to networki with fraternity and sorority chapters in order to initiate solutions towards the qualms people have with the current set-up, and the crime it fosters.

Please stay tuned on our Facebook page for more information. Thanks for your support, everyone!

https://www.facebook.com/N45Community