Health and Safety

Off Campus Safety Tips

  • Register your property with the University’s Project Protect – this increases the chances of retrieving your belongings.
  • Always lock your door. You have the right to ask your landlord to change the locks before you move in.
  • Make sure your front door has a peephole and dead bolt lock. Keep windows and doors secured with working locks at all times.
  • Secure sliding glass doors with a safety bar in the door track to prevent them from being forced open.
  • Never hide a key under the doormat, flowerpot or other easily accessible place - crooks know where to look.
  • At night, close your curtains and shades to prevent people from seeing any valuables, or whether you are alone in the house. 
  • Ask your landlord to trim trees and bushes near your entrances to maximize visibility.
  • Ask for proper ID from maintenance people, landlords or strangers. Don’t be afraid to ask - legitimate staff carry them!
  • Don't loan your key out. And don’t loan your key to repair or delivery people, or allow any service person to enter your home when nobody is there.  
  • Don't let strangers into the building or allow them to follow you in.
  • Develop a “buddy” system with neighbors. Be alert for suspicious people or activity in your neighborhood.
  • Never leave a note on the door saying you are away. Do leave a light on when you are away so it looks occupied.

Housing Code Checklist

Under the state sanitary code, the violations listed on the Housing Code Checklist checklist are considered conditions that may “materially endanger” your. If you or the local board of health has notified your landlord of these violations, you may legally withhold all or a portion of your rent.

Rental units in Amherst must have a town-issued permit, renewed each year, and owners must at the very least complete a self-inspection checklist for the town. Owners must also provide a sheet to tenants each year outlining key local regulations. 

Basic health and safety requirements for your apartment include:

  • Working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Working locks on all exterior doors
  • Handrails on all stairways
  • All exits must be kept free from obstruction
  • Compliance with unit occupancy limits. 
    • The limit for Amherst is four people and the Hadley limit is five

It is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure their units are in compliance with all codes at all times. If you feel your apartment does not comply with local safety codes, reach out to your local Amherst Board of Health and ask for an inspection. All units are subject to town inspection upon request by a tenant. Your landlord must begin repairs or contract workers within five days of notification from an enforcement agency.

UMass Amherst Emergency Alerts

The University of Massachusetts considers the safety of its students, employees and visitors to be paramount. To keep you informed about emergency situations or conditions that could disrupt campus activities, the university has developed a comprehensive Emergency Notification System. 

Our goal is to efficiently communicate emergency information in different ways to as many people as possible.  We hope that you will sign up to receive our text alerts to help us ensure that you receive notification quickly.

Click here to sign up for emergency text messages.

UMass Police Department

The UMass Police Department (UMPD) operates 24 hours per day, seven days a week, providing all patrol, investigative, specialized, and emergency response, as well as crime prevention and educational services at the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus. 

For emergencies, call 413-545-3111 (UMPD emergency) for the quickest response. From campus landline phones, dial 911 (auto connects to UMPD), or use a Help Phone.

For non-emergencies, call 413-545-2121.

For confidential tips, leave a message on the Tips Line at 413-577-TIPS (8477) or use our Anonymous Witness Form.

Fire/Flood Crisis Assistance

View or download the Fire Flood Crisis Assistance guide for information on what university staff can do when UMass students need temporary relocation and what landlords/property managers can do to initiate university assistance.

Contact Off Campus Student Life if you have questions or ideas to add to this list of suggestions.
Email: ocsc@sacl.umass.edu
Phone: 413-577-1005.

Fire Safety Checklist

Use this Fire Safety Checklist from the Amherst Fire Department to make sure your home passes safety standards. If you have any questions, call 413-259-3082.

UMass Amherst COVID-19 Information

Click here for information on UMass Amherst COVID-19 safety protocols, testing sites, news, and vaccine clinics.

Amherst Board of Health

The Amherst Board of Health is responsible for the protection and promotion of public health, the control of disease, and the promotion of sanitary living conditions for the Town of Amherst. The Board of Health oversees health regulations for the Town of Amherst including creating new regulations, reviewing existing regulations, and reviewing and determining on variance requests.

Located in Town Hall
4 Boltwood Avenue
Amherst, MA 01002
Phone: 413-259-3333
Email: info@amherstma.gov

Bed Bugs - Mass Legal Help

Click here for instructions on what to do if you think you may have bed bugs, courtesy of the Massachusetts Justice Project. 

For more information on working with an exterminator, click here.