Student residents at the Cottages of New Mexico said they are unhappy with recent changes made by the property’s management.
Residents of the housing development, which is marketed to college students, received an email over the weekend stating that each resident will be allowed to invite one guest at a time, and parties will no longer be permitted. Previously, residents could invite up to five guests and register a party with management that could run until 2 a.m.
Brianna Gallegos, a junior multimedia journalism major, said living at the Cottages is different than she thought it would be since the implementation of the new rules.
“I feel like they’re babysitting us and we’re all adults here,” she said. “They’re dictating our social life.”
After living at Lobo Village for the last three years, Matt Quintana, a senior English and history major, said he moved to the Cottages because of its image as something more exciting. Quintana said management overreacted by instituting the new rules — that they should have communicated better with residents about the reasons behind the changes. He said the rules also go too far in policing issues, and easily get in the way of other activities.
“There are certain circumstances where (the one guest rule) doesn’t make much sense,” Quintana said, “like if you want both of your parents to come over.”
The changes in policy were announced in the wake of an alcohol-fueled party at the beginning of the semester. The Albuquerque Police Department estimated an attendance of some 600 people at the Aug. 23 event. Early on Aug. 24, two men fired guns while still on Cottages property. No one was hurt, but police arrested Tyvon Green and Shanoah Cauley for the shooting, as well as a traffic incident, later that day. Neither man appears in the UNM directory.
Alexandria Perea, a CNM freshman double major in physical fitness and theatrical arts, said she attended the party even though she is not a resident and does not know anyone who lives there.
“It was a popping thing that was going on,” she said. “Everyone was just going.”
Perea said she had never been to the complex before then, and does not plan on returning. “There were just too many opportunities for something to go down,” she said. “Sometimes a random person would invite us in (to their apartment). There were too many different crowds.”
According to an email from Cottages property manager Lindsey Maestas, the complex has hired a new security team to implement their policies, rules and regulations. They are currently checking names at the gate in the evening and “as things get a bit more active.”
The email also stated that APD now has permission to take action against any illegal activity at the complex, even though it is private property. Chris Vallejos, vice president of UNM’s Institutional Support Services staff, which is the campus department that oversees student housing, said UNM has no affiliation with the Cottages. Vallejos said the Cottages is a private housing development that markets to UNM students.
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Capstone Collegiate Communities, the Alabama-based development company that owns the Cottages, has built more than a dozen similar complexes in college towns around the country.
A representative for Capstone said the Aug. 24 shooting was a new occurrence for them. However, a search on Twitter of the hashtag #TheCottages revealed dozens of tweets about raucous parties, fights and poor maintenance of apartments.
Ronnie Harper, an Appalachian State student who lived at the Cottages in Boone, North Carolina, said the complex was plagued with problems from the start.
Harper said there were large parties throughout the first month during which people were “roaming the streets,” and the local sheriff’s department was eventually called. Harper said permanent security guards eventually began patrolling.
In addition, Harper said many of the residents had to be moved into hotels for weeks while management attempted to repair severe plumbing damage.
“I regret moving in, and I would never go back,” Harper said. “As soon as my lease was up, I was gone.”
Erika Eddy is a freelance writer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at news@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @erika_eddy.
