Pittsburgh RANT: Sour Resident Relationships in Oakland

“Some students are good and some are not” – a long-term elderly resident of Oakland, Meyran Ave. Study (GSPIA)

As a former resident of Oakland (for four proud years), I can very well understand the tensions that many are not aware exist in the small area that comprises South Oakland, home of the University of Pittsburgh. I was a college student and had been at a few gatherings of less than 10 people where barely any noise was made, but that local residents reported out of their hatred for student renters in the town (so sympathetic to the student’s plight). But, I also lived next door to a sweet old man, with whom my boyfriend (at the time) and I always had a great relationship with and who was terribly sad to see us go (most likely fearing the next terrible group of college students to move into our apartment). AND, I was constantly furious at the parties of hundreds in houses set to hold 20 max as well as the resultant street garbage, noise during finals week, and other student-bred annoyances (so I am also sympathetic to the older residents of Oakland). As a concerned citizen of Pittsburgh, I think it is important to seriously concentrate on living conditions in Oakland - and along with living conditions - with the general happiness of the populace, both young and old.

Many residents agree that not all off-campus student renters are bad, but many feel like the students do not respect Oakland or the properties in the area. One said,

“I think most students like to be off-campus because then they can have their playground. They can study during the day and then they can raise hell at night and to hell with everyone else who lives there.”

Residents feel that the mainly student population contributes to such problems as trash on the streets (and the rodents introduced into the neighborhood as a result of this), a heightened noise level late at night, damaged property, and hard to find parking.

It is a vicious cycle. Student renters are living in bad conditions, and may not do much to make this situation better. Landlords, believing that students will only destroy their properties, do not make the proper repairs when needed; hence the vicious cycle. The students now expect a low quality of housing and the landlords are willing to provide it. Now, porches and streets are lined with pizza boxes, beer cans, furniture, and other trash. Full Story »

Oakland: The Loss of a Community, Part 2

This is Part 2 of the Oakland Series. There’s so much to say about the Oakland community that you will see a number of posts devoted to Oakland, The University of Pittsburgh, and especially, bad housing conditions in Pittsburgh - one of my personal crusades for change. This entry is dedicated to the history of housing law and the older residents who have lived in Oakland for a long, long time (and who many simply have forgotten).

I would like to note that the University of Pittsburgh has done an excellent job to rebuild the bridges they broke in the late 60s and early 70s with Oakland’s long-term residents (as explained in this posting), but there is still more work to do when it comes to improving housing conditions for both the students renters and the long-term residents of Oakland.

Oakland in the 1950s: The Cathedral of Learning Mobbed by Many as the University Grows in Popularity!

Law and Housing Conditions

“Miserable and disreputable housing conditions…may indeed make living an almost insufferable burden. They may also be an ugly sore, a blight on the community which robs it of its charm; which makes it a place from which men may turn. The misery of housing may despoil a community as an open sewer may ruin a river”
~ Supreme Court Justice William O.Douglas, in Berman v.Parker. Full Story »

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Should Dave Wannstedt Stay or Go?

By: Jared, aka: the guy who doesn’t really live here

Ed Note: For you out-of-towners, Dave Wannstedt is the head football coach for the University of Pittsburgh’s football team: The Pitt Panthers

What is there to be said about Dave Wannstedt? He’s a helluva Pittsburgher and he loves the Pittsburgh area. He was born in here and attended Baldwin High School. Dude probably would get out and kiss the sidewalk in the South Side if you asked him to prove how much he loves Pittsburgh. We give him some major raves for that. But, he’s not much of an NFL head coach (Neither was Pete Carroll or the ‘ole BallCoach Steve Spurrier) and, so far, not much of a College Head Coach. Besides several top 10 recruiting classes (number 11 in 2006 and #8 in 2007) in a row, Pitt still has not done much on the football field. However, with the exception of West Virginia, no one has really blown out the Panthers since he joined the school. I think Pittsburgh is fully underrated and the aforementioned WVU will get a big surprise when it visits Pitt later this year. Let’s discuss this a little people. Please tell us whether you think Dave Wannstedt is a Pittsburgh Rant or a Pittsburgh Rave!