Danger at Douglas Pushes Reputation to Not-So-High Heights

A popular housing complex surrounded by local food spots and bars was located in the perfect area for fun city living, but the environment inside the complex has raised eyebrows in the community once incidents started rolling in. 

Douglas Heights has been one of the top choices for off-campus housing for students since it opened in 2016, but with that, has come several safety complaints since its opening.  

It is located on Douglas Street, directly behind Champy’s, on East MLK Boulevard.

The apartment complex has made a name for itself since opening its door and not in the best way for business. Stories of shootings and disorder paint a dangerous picture of life as a resident of the complex for community and campus members. 

Channel 3 News covered a story in 2019 on the apartment and shed light on the extremity of the safety complaints. According to their investigation, the Chattanooga Police Department was called to the premises 95 times in 2019 alone. 

UTC Senior Myiah Whitley, a previous tenant of two years, described her time there as a shocking experience. Originally drawn to the marketed safety, convenience and affordability, Whitley felt comfortable leasing at Douglas due to her friends living there previously. 

After moving in, she was surprised to find there were continuous issues that made living there difficult. Having lived at the complex during the two reported shootings, Whitley was actually at home for one of them, describing the moment as unforgettable due to the sheer terror she felt. 

Amidst safety issues, Whitley said the management was continuously changing, making it hard to develop trusting relationships with the office team. She felt that the management team lacked trained professionals leading to the issues not being addressed. 

“The management team is composed of students only,” Whitley said. “In some cases, this would not be a problem, but in a complex that had as many problems as Douglas Heights has had, you would think they would have trained professionals in the field or management that would stick around longer than three months.”

Although many stories surround the issues involving Douglas Heights and their reputation, some tenants feel the complex has lived up to the promises of change and have rebuilt their management. 

UTC student Kaitlyn Thomas is currently in her second year residing at Douglas. Originally drawn to the apartments due to their list of amenities and large living space, Thomas feels more than taken care of during her time there. 

“I was a little worried about living in Douglas due to its bad reputation; however, I love living here,” Thomas said. “Due to the new management, I feel very safe living here.” 

Thomas found that Douglas gave her the ability to live near campus, which eliminates the need for a parking pass, while simultaneously giving her the luxury of living independently. 

“Don’t talk poorly about Douglas Heights until you live here,” Thomas said. “You are missing out on not living here due to opinions caused by others.” 

Regardless of which side of the opinion a person is on — it is undeniable Douglas Heights has established itself as a primary living space for students here in Chattanooga.