The voluntary party moratorium put in place by student fraternity leaders at San Diego State University expired just before Halloween weekend, one of the busiest party times of the year.
The dean's office at SDSU placed seven fraternity chapters under interim suspensions, pausing their organizational activities while the school investigated alleged student code of conduct violations, the university announced on Oct. 4.
The other seven chapters, which were not being investigated, decided to voluntarily stop partying until Oct. 25, just six days before Halloween.
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Investors bought many of the homes in the College Area and turned them into multi-unit and additional dwelling units, also known as granny flats. Neighbors say that many of those units have become satellite fraternity homes, which has changed the neighborhood's dynamic.
“This used to be a family neighborhood. Kids running around here, trick-or-treating. There is none of that anymore,” said neighbor John Russell.
Neighbors say it's not just about the number of people living in those units but also about the activities happening in the nighttime.
“I‘ve got to hose off vomit in my yard,” neighbor Debra Maxie said. “It's two, three in the morning — it doesn’t matter. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom."
“Lots of loud music until like three o’clock in the morning,” Russell said. “We had to call the cops several times. We have guys urinating right here. They open the gate and urinate right here. I’m like, 'Really?'”
The moratorium helped the area return to the old days, neighbors said.
But after it expired on Wednesday, some families said they instantly lost that peace and quiet. In less than 24 hours, some neighbors said they had to call the police.
"It was so crowded out here," Maxie said. "At one point, nobody could drive up or down the hill because there were so many cars out here."
In previous years, the chaos has escalated to more serious incidents during the time around Halloween.
Last year, a 22-year-old man was shot in the arm on Pembroke Drive in the College Area. A week later, a 21-year-old man was shot in the shoulder while walking his girlfriend after a Halloween party.
Neighbors said they are hoping for a safer and family-friendly Halloween.
“It was so quiet, the way it used to be,” Russell said.
