Partiers should know rules

By BETH BAUMGARDNER
Collegian Staff Writer

When having an apartment party, many tenants must inform people they do not want to see at the festivities -- their apartment owners. Many landlords want to know about parties in their buildings, and they may even try to put a stop to it.

John Hanna, property owner and manager of Continental Real Estate Management Inc., 256 E. Beaver Ave., asks his tenants to register any gathering of more than five people. Registering the party has nothing to do with whether Continental Real Estate reports the party to the police and does not mean Continental will monitor any drinking.

"We can't tell tenants what to do inside their apartment. That's their business," Hanna said. "In reality, we know nine times out of 10 there is alcohol involved, but we don't get involved."

Though deciding whether alcohol will be served at a party is up to the tenant, Continental does mandate the manner in which alcohol is provided.

"No kegs. We don't allow them. Period," Hanna said.

Paula Swickline (junior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management), a resident of Continental's Penn Tower, 255 E. Beaver Ave., said she disagrees with the company's policy.

"We're not allowed to have any party kegs or balls," she said, adding tenants over 21 years old should be able to host keg parties in their apartments.

Laurie Smith, property manager of Falk Realty, 532 E. College Ave., also does not allow kegs in the apartment buildings she manages.

"I've never really had problems (with parties)," she said. "I tell tenants we're not a party building, and if you want to party, don't live with us. I stress that strongly."

She screens her potential tenants and explains her stance on parties from the start.

Hanna said neighbors of partiers become more upset than landlords do when parties get out of hand.

"We rarely, if ever, call the cops," he said, adding neighbors usually report parties instead.

Nina Woskob, owner of GN Associates, 119 S. Burrowes St., said when neighbors repeatedly complain about tenants' parties, GN Associates may not allow problem tenants to register their parties anymore. Very rarely is it necessary to suspend party privileges, Woskob said, adding only a small handful of residents are under such restrictions.

Smith said she hears other apartment owners talking about partying in the buildings and knows it is a concern for them.

"Unfortunately, in any college town, you're going to have problems," she said.

With understanding and a working relationship among tenants, landlords and the police, these problems can usually be solved, Smith said, but added the police and landlords are intolerant of underage partying.

"If you're underage and partying," Smith said, "you're probably going to get busted."

• Police can confiscate kegs