An Open Letter to Binghamton University Students Who Live in our Residential Neighborhoods

Welcome ! We are pleased that you have chosen Binghamton as your educational home and that you have chosen to be our neighbor. The West and South sides have been students’ homes for decades and we are proud the tradition continues.

Binghamton is an economically challenged city and we must work together to maintain property values and quality of life — home owners, property investors, businesses, city government, the university — all share self interest and responsibility in supporting residential neighborhoods — both their safety and aesthetics.

We ask students for a few things:

– Care for your home — keep garbage and recycling items in their designated containers — no one wants to live with roaches and rodents. Put bags and bins at the curb the night before collection on your block. Retrieve those bins the same day and store out of sight of the street. When going to and from your home, please pick up any litter in your yard that has blown in during your absence.

– Use your porch for quiet, peaceful socializing and relaxing — they are a beautiful feature of Binghamton’s architecture and a major factor in creating community. Use porch furniture, not discarded couches and, please, don’t use porches for storage of unwanted items. Is there anything less charming than a front porch with an old mattress ?

– If you have a dog, abide by local laws. Licensing requires proof of appropriate inoculations and dogs that are outdoors must be on leashes. The Postal Service recently sent a notice to all addresses about controlling pets and preventing mail carriers from being bitten. This is an extremely serious issue.

– Finally, we all understand the need to blow off steam and we all enjoy a good party. However, we also need to be respectful and considerate of our neighbors. Red cups and garbage strewn streets are an affront to the community, so be a good neighbor — have fun but clean up.

Enjoy your life here — work hard, succeed. Make Binghamton proud that you began your illustrious careers in our community. And, remember, chances are good that you will be a homeowner in the future. Start building those skills now.

Peggy Benz

October 26, 2016