University Impact Aid Law

City Council Testimony – July 11, 2012

I am here today to request the Pittsburgh City Council take action to enact a University Impact Aid law that will compel universities to provide greater financial assistance to the residential communities they burden with their presence.

The University of Pittsburgh has benefitted tremendously by its presence in Oakland. The University owns almost 100 buildings throughout Oakland, 27,000 students attend classes there, there are close to 8,000 dormitory beds within our community, it has amassed an endowment of $2.5 billion dollars, and its businesses have earned hundreds of millions of dollars in profit.

On the other hand, the lives of long-time Oakland residents have been negatively impacted by the University’s presence. Student population has dramatically increased while the long-time residential population has declined severely. It is well documented that our community has one of the worst trash and litter problems in the city, and residents have on occasion paid for private police to protect their families and properties because of problems with student binge drinking. Numerous other problems are well-documented at the website oaklanddignity.com.

Our grassroots movement in South Oakland started over five years ago with a simple request that the University of Pittsburgh provide our residential community with funding for an environmental program known as SOUL (South Oakland Urban Litter). The University administrators refused our plea for assistance, and callously remarked that we should start a Neighborhood Improvement District if we want to have a cleaner neighborhood. It may well be that nowhere in our country has a University taken so much from a community and given back so little in direct funding.

Despite our efforts, we cannot force Pitt administrators to care more deeply for our community. That is why we are requesting Councilman Bruce Kraus spearhead efforts for the enactment of a University Impact Aid law.

Our grassroots movement has taken the high road to accomplish our visions. We are once again letting Pitt administrators know that they will never take away our dignity, diminish our intensity, shackle our freedom or break our spirit. They will never silence the voices of the descendents of the preuniversity settlers and their supporters who seek social justice.

Carlino Giampolo

Note: Pittsburgh City Council has taken no action to initiate a University Impact Aid Law.