“It’s very difficult living there. Very difficult,” said one of the residents complained of 30 Eastchester at the Off-Campus Town Hall Meeting. “I’m moving as soon as I retire.”

Off-Campus Housing holds a Town Hall Meeting twice every semester in an effort to encourage open communication between Iona and the surrounding community. Residents of the neighborhood associations, New Rochelle Police Officers, and building inspectors attend the meeting, along with Director of Off-Campus Housing Michele Sampson, and other representatives of the Iona community. The meeting dates for this semester are Sept. 22 and Nov. 17.

“It’s a way for the community to come together and talk about lots of things concerning Iona and the surrounding neighborhoods. It’s a way for them to discuss their concerns and problems in a positive way,” Sampson said.

Currently, 30 Eastchester is the biggest concern for off-campus housing. Late night parties, drinking, and excessive noise top the list of problems at Eastchester.

One member of the neighborhood association suggested that Iona set up a peer council so that students would use peer pressure to solve the problems. He said that self-policing might solve the problems.

Sampson pointed out that since Eastchester is not part of the college, the college can only work with the management to solve the problems. She said that Off-Campus Housing is considering having an RA-type student in the apartments to keep things in order, but this would have to be through management, not the school.

Also at Eastchester is the concern with students climbing the fire escape to the roof of the building. Off-Campus Housing is again working with management to prevent and discourage this, and management has been encouraged to prosecute students if this continues to happen.

Other issues include traffic problems, particularly between the Eastchester Apartments and the other residential halls, excessive garbage on the street, particularly plastic bottles filled with urine, and students urinating on properties. There have already been two summonses of public indecency this school year.

In addition to focusing on concerns of off-campus housing, the meeting addressed many of the policies and programs that Iona has instituted to reconcile the tension between local residents and students. Residents agreed that many issues have been resolved, and that the off-campus housing situation has greatly improved thanks to these measures.

Over the past summer, Off-Campus Housing threw block parties for two of the neighborhood associations. The parties were very successful, and the residents were thankful to Iona for holding them.

One of the biggest issues has been illegal parking on the street surrounding the campus. Iona is taking active steps to ensure that residential freshmen and sophomores are not bringing cars to school and illegally parking them on nearby streets.

Coordinator of Iona in Mission Tiffany DiNome and Sampson talked in particular about the Go New Ro program that began just this summer. They emphasized their passion for getting new students involved in community service around New Rochelle and for the students to explore their community. Both said that the program was a success and that they plan to offer it in future years.

Student Government Association President Kyle Harry and Commuter Student Association President Stephanie Oquendo were also present at the meeting to hear the concerns and speak for the students.