Ahead of a Sept. 25 hearing on amendments for the University Neighborhood Overlay, students, parents and community members said a greater emphasis should be placed on increasing physical safety measures in West Campus.
First adopted in 2004 to promote the development of high-density student housing and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, the University Neighborhood Overlay, known as UNO, has grown to house over 28,000 residents, according to the Austin Planning Department. Proposed revisions would increase the current maximum building heights allowed in specific neighborhood subdistricts. Some areas, like Guadalupe Street, would see an increase upwards of 500 feet. While the updates primarily seek to improve affordability, bolster student tenants’ rights and discourage above-ground parking, public safety is on the community’s minds.
At night, economics senior Alex Tamez said she carries pepper spray and will always call someone while walking back to her West Campus apartment.
During her freshman year, Tamez said that when the electronic key to access her building was not functioning, the exterior gate was open to all.
Exterior safety concerns were some of the issues public safety advocates, including the parent-led group SafeHorns, brought before the Planning Commission in April following multiple assault incidents on Guadalupe Street that led to the repeated arrests of a former student.
Now, SafeHorns President Joell McNew said she hopes city leaders will consider adopting Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design principles as part of the already proposed improvements to the West Campus streetscape. Among other goals, CPTED aims to reduce crime by designing public spaces to maximize visibility and encourage natural surveillance.
“We want to make sure that rather than just building density, we’re building community, and in doing so, CPTED is ensuring that we prioritize public health and safety for residents,” McNew said. “Many residents in this area and the city talk about using UNO as a model for other parts of the city, so we think it’s very important and a critical time for us to be asking for these things.”
Council Member Zohaib “Zo” Qadri, who represents District 9, which covers most of the University and West Campus, authored the resolution that directed the planning department to begin the UNO code revision last April. In addition to receiving student concerns about housing access and quality of life, Qadri said he understood the need for street-level safety, such as securing gates for student housing ahead of the September vote.
“We’re looking to push for clear guidance and enforcement around locking mechanisms and for perimeter safety both future new developments and existing properties,” Qadri said.
In 2020, the UT System made an $8 million investment to support public safety in West Campus, which created a West Campus district for the UT Police Department, installed additional security cameras and supported the hiring of additional UTPD officers.
University Spokesperson Mike Rosen said increasing housing density by raising building heights similar to that of downtown creates concerns about future safety and mobility for the students, faculty and staff who commute to and from campus.
“The introduction of tens of thousands more residential car owners will magnify safety risks for our students as they make their way to and from the campus and add new, privately owned parking structures that demand more robust patrol presence by APD and UTPD to safeguard our student residents,” Rosen said.
Originally published July 31, 2025, in The Daily Texan
By Catharine Li
Photo by Josh Rush
