Councilman's Bill Takes Aim At Unruly Behavior By Temple U. Students
By Mike Dunn
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Long-running tensions between North Philadelphia residents and Temple University students who live off-campus was the subject of new legislation introduced today in City Council.
Council president Darrell Clarke, who represents the area around Temple University, says the vast majority of students living off-campus behave themselves. But, he says, neighbors still face public drunkenness and related issues on a regular basis.
"It has gotten to a point where, in some sense, it is unbearable for the existing residents," Clarke said today. "There is this core group that comes in every semester that essentially wreaks all kinds of havoc, disrespecting neighbors. And we have to rein them in and make sure that they're going to be good neighbors."
Over the years of representing the 5th District, Clarke has tried with mixed success to hold students and their parents responsible.
Now he has a new mechanism: a bill that designates the area as an "Educational Housing District," with ten pages of strict standards for conduct.
"It holds the student responsible for certain activities that they conduct, but it also holds the parents of those children (responsible)," Clarke explained.
Landlords of unruly student could also risk losing their rental license, according to Clarke:
"If a property owner receives a certain level of code violations related to activities as a result of unruly activity of students, we can actually suspend the (rental) license of the property owner."
And Temple would be required to keep a register of off-campus students, where they live, and what vehicles they have. The school would also be required to strengthen its guidelines on student conduct.
Educational Housing Districts already exist in the areas around St. Joseph's University and LaSalle University.
The measure will be debated in committee.