| Tuscaloosa's Historic Districts examples of the signs posted around town |
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| The 7th Street Historic District is just two blocks back of the University "Strip" (AL 215 as it runs through campus) between University Blvd and Paul Bryant Drive. The area is densely populated with students and is a source of almost constant conflict between long-time residents and transient students, many of whom are fraternity and sorority members seeking a place to drink it up off campus, away from the University's stringent liquor control regulations. Recent manifestations of the ongoing war between residential and student mentalities include the passage of an ordinance banning couches from the front porch of dwellings in town and the restriction of hours of operation for bars. It has been openly stated that college students are the primary concern of local lawmakers who pased these ordinances. The general idea over the last decade or more has been to downplay the University of Alabama's party image and do a makeover on Tuscaloosa, making the city more attractive to conferences and such. Two blocks up 7th Street from this sign lies Queen City Avenue and downtown Tuscaloosa proper. |
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| Although only about four or five blocks away from the 7th Street District and edge of campus, fewer homes in the Dearing Place neighborhood are rentals and the few apartments and homes which do rent out are not as well suited to the keggers which occur each weekend on 13th Street, Reed, and other roads right off the Strip. |
| Tuscaloosa's situation is not entirely unique. This fall, quite a battle is brewing in Athens, GA, home of the University of Georgia, as students attempt to make housing affordable near to campus while local residents battle parking and party problems. In both towns, city ordinances exist restricting the number of unrelated persons who can occupy a single-family dwelling. However, how and how stringently and on whom such laws will be enforced are not issues set in stone by any means. |