By the time landlords clean up, much of the material will have been dispersed by wind and rain, to become a permanent part of the streetscape. Because both student tenants and their landlords appear to be shirking their responsibilities, I submit that the University has an obligation to take action. The current illegal and irresponsible behavior is a slap in the face to the other residents of the neighborhood. We do not serve our students well by turning a blind eye to this activity and sending the culprits the message that, because they are affiliated with an elite university, they needn't behave with basic decency. This problem can be prevented.
Landlords are responsible for controlling the trash around their premises.
They can include strict clauses in leases forbidding improper trash disposal and use security deposits to finance prompt cleanup. The University should make it clear to landlords that illegal dumping will no longer be tolerated, and use its influence with the City to ensure that scofflaws are fined. The recent heavy-handed attempts by the University to regulate street vendors demonstrates that Penn is not shy of entering the political arena when it perceives a threat to its interests. It is most obvious to all of us that our cooperative efforts have improved the cleanliness of the area to a certain degree. However, we recognize that more needs to be done.