Street Level: Hey, City Hall, can you enforce trash laws?

About the RCO Project:

We all love living in Philadelphia. However, there are so many little, absurd things – crosswalks blocked by cars, garbage that doesn't get picked up on scheduled dates, parks that resemble Amazonian jungles – that add up and grind us residents to the ground. It's great the mayoral candidates are talking about big issues like crime and poverty and public schools. But realistically, shouldn't we expect the mayor to tackle the little problems too, if not moreso?

So, we've reached out to civic associations (known as RCOs, or registered community organizations, in city government-ese) to find out about the little things that seemingly never get solved, and we'll be talking to RCO leaders once or twice a week while voters wrestle with who ultimately should be elected the next mayor in November. If your RCO would like to participate in the project, email gregg_gethard@yahoo.com or call (215)854-2267. Above is the second video in our series. Here's some details:

RCO: Lower Moyamensing Civic Association, which covers from Broad to Seventh Streets and Snyder to Oregon Avenues. Members tout the area's old-school South Philly charm, along with its easy access to Center City, the Sports Complex and the nearby East Passyunk restaurant scene.

RCO member: President Todd Schwartz

At issue: Trash. Garbage that blows through our city streets is something pervasive and sadly universal to the Philadelphia experience. But there is more than just the type of litter that blows through the streets like in "American Beauty." In many cases, irresponsible neighbors leave trash open on their stoops or in front of their properties, creating a gross eyesore. However, getting city officials to enforce any regulations related to garbage is a near impossibility.

Previously:

Street Level: Living with a refinery in South Philly