Community-Related Consequences of High-Risk Drinking: Chapel Hill, NC

This report details qualitative interviews of residents in two historic neighborhoods, Northside Historic District and Cameron-McCauley Historic District, near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and downtown Chapel Hill. The Northside neighborhood is historically the largest African American community in Chapel Hill and has been experiencing a loss of homeownership for several decades and an increasing demand for student rentals, while Cameron-McCauley residents indicate that they are aware they are moving into a student-dense area when choosing to live there. Residents from both neighborhoods reported negative impacts of UNC-CH student drinking, such as vandalism, noise disturbances, and property damage. While both neighborhoods faced similar negative impacts, there were differences in residents’ perceptions. Cameron-McCauley residents generally had positive feelings toward student neighbors, while Northside residents felt disrespected, especially by white students, raising concerns about racial disparities in how drinking behaviors are addressed. Despite these issues, residents expressed a desire to address problems internally, suggesting the importance of community-level interventions to reduce alcohol-related consequences and financial burdens on the town.