Spring Break
The Daily OrangeHousing debate shows tensions in campus area
By Eddie Jacovino
Posted: 3/2/07, 12:51 AM EST Section: News
Mike Stanton and Harry Lewis, president and treasurer of SEUNA, the primary group supporting such a law, did not directly state the association's complaints.
Instead, Lewis, former president of SEUNA, listed a number of other cities in New York that limit the number of unrelated people in a home to three, including Albany, Cortland, Poughkeepsie and New Rochelle.
Similar legislation has been flawed because there is difficulty in defining a family or related people, said David Eade, local landlord and resident.
Only 500 to 600 students will be affected, Stanton said. He also provided a history of the neighborhood, explaining that historically, more students have lived on the east side of Westcott Street.
This figure contrasted with Eade's, who said 1,200 to 1,500 students in the neighborhood will be affected.
Local residents said they feel density is definitely the issue. They said students often park on both sides of the street and don't bring their trash to the curb on collection days. Some also argued that landlords don't take proper care of their properties.
David Bennett, a history professor at SU who lives in Berkeley Park, described his neighborhood as a viable, handsome, single-family community. "But it is an island," he said.
Dan Smothergill, member of the SEUNA executive board, argued five-to-three legislature is merely bringing the old limit of five unrelated residents up to modern standards, now that every student has a car and a stereo.
One resident described the 900 block of Ackerman Avenue as "a student slum."
SU and ESF students responded that density is not the issue at hand. Instead, they offered to work with residents of the neighborhood to combat trash and parking issues. Some argued that those landlords who are irresponsible should be held more responsible.
Though he opposes legislation, he sympathizes with its supporters, said Sam Eschenbrenner, senior political science major at SU, in an interview after the meeting.
Instead, Lewis, former president of SEUNA, listed a number of other cities in New York that limit the number of unrelated people in a home to three, including Albany, Cortland, Poughkeepsie and New Rochelle.
Similar legislation has been flawed because there is difficulty in defining a family or related people, said David Eade, local landlord and resident.
Only 500 to 600 students will be affected, Stanton said. He also provided a history of the neighborhood, explaining that historically, more students have lived on the east side of Westcott Street.
This figure contrasted with Eade's, who said 1,200 to 1,500 students in the neighborhood will be affected.
Local residents said they feel density is definitely the issue. They said students often park on both sides of the street and don't bring their trash to the curb on collection days. Some also argued that landlords don't take proper care of their properties.
David Bennett, a history professor at SU who lives in Berkeley Park, described his neighborhood as a viable, handsome, single-family community. "But it is an island," he said.
Dan Smothergill, member of the SEUNA executive board, argued five-to-three legislature is merely bringing the old limit of five unrelated residents up to modern standards, now that every student has a car and a stereo.
One resident described the 900 block of Ackerman Avenue as "a student slum."
SU and ESF students responded that density is not the issue at hand. Instead, they offered to work with residents of the neighborhood to combat trash and parking issues. Some argued that those landlords who are irresponsible should be held more responsible.
Though he opposes legislation, he sympathizes with its supporters, said Sam Eschenbrenner, senior political science major at SU, in an interview after the meeting.
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Westcott Nation Denizen
posted 3/02/07 @ 10:00 AM EST
If ALL residents in the University area (not just students) regularly picked up trash in front of their homes (whether or not they put it there), regularly shoveled their sidewalks, and regularly followed the parking laws, this wouldn't be an issue. (Continued…)
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