Two hours later NU students lit fireworks near City Council President Mike Ross’s home.
“What’s occurring in Mission Hill and other neighborhoods is unsustainable,” Ross said. “Boston can have rich and vibrant residential neighborhoods and be the college Mecca of the U.S.”
Police sent a message in Allston-Brighton this weekend, arresting 17 college-aged individuals for underage drinking and loud parties — including a Boston College bash on Radnor Road.
“That’s the only thing that penetrates, it’s a lesson hard learned,” said 30-year Radnor Road resident Bruce Kline.
Many say the problem will never be solved until universities make good on promises to house the majority of their students on campus.
In the meantime, schools have ramped up neighborhood security details and are doing more to clean up residential neighborhoods and educate students.
“It’s about proper communication but also about action,” said John Tobin, NU’s new vice president of City and Community Affairs. “If there are repeated instances of misbehavior and it’s not taken care of immediately we might as well go home.”
The former city councilor is no doubt an asset to city officials but Ross said the problem is larger than one person.
Ross also said it’s difficult to combat landlords catering to students over families.
“Eventually the market is going to drop out,” Ross said. “These people are going to lose their shirt and I can’t say I feel bad for them.”
