Unsolicited newspapers sit in some West U yards, oftentimes for weeks. So it is no surprise that the City of West U has been receiving complaints from residents about unsolicited newspapers thrown on their lawn. But there’s nothing the city can do to stop them from being delivered.
City Manager Michael Ross told InstantNewsWestU that residents regularly call the city to assist in stopping newspapers from being thrown on their property.
West U residents receive a variety of free publications that are delivered to their homes including Papercity, the West University Examiner and the Village News.
“There’s not a whole lot we can do right now,” Ross said. “The city would love to be able to help if we could legally do that.”
The majority of residents that the city has heard from only want to receive publications that they specifically ask for, Ross said.
Ross said the free newspaper delivery issue has been going on for a long time and the city recently responded to it because a group of residents contacted the city asking for help.
The police department sent out an alert last week saying that there wasn’t anything they could do about newspapers being left in yards.
“United States Supreme Court has ruled that newspapers are a form of free speech, even though the resident has not subscribed to receive the papers, and cannot be regulated by government,” the city said in a statement. “Therefore, the City of West University Place cannot stop these papers from being delivered.”
According to e-mails obtained through a public information request, residents appear to have two main concerns with unsolicited newspaper delivery: the newspapers pile up when homeowners are out of town, which can attract burglars and repeated attempts to stop the paper from being delivered have been unsuccessful.
City Attorney Alan Petrov said a resident could file a nuisance claim if they repeatedly received a newspaper that they asked to be stopped, but it would be hard to prove.
When contacted about their delivery policies, Papercity, the Examiner and the Village News said they honor requests to stop delivery when they are notified by residents.
To discontinue delivery of the Papercity, e-mail [email protected]
To discontinue delivery of the West University Examiner, e-mail [email protected] or call 281-674-1360.
To discontinue delivery of the Village News, e-mail [email protected] or call 713-668-9293.
Several residents have asked the city if unsolicited newspapers are considered littering or a violation of the city’s solicitation ordinance, but it doesn’t fall under either category, Ross said.
A resident once filed a littering complaint but the city’s municipal court prosecutor refused to take the case, he said.
The City of Dallas is currently looking at revising its anti-littering and home solicitation ordinance to make it harder for unwanted visitors to knock on residents doors.
They are proposing that solicitors be required to register with the city and violators would be fined up to $500.
The City of West U already has these requirements in place, but also requires that solicitors wear an identification badge and abide by the city’s “No Knock” list.
Dallas appears to be taking its littering ordinance one step further by proposing regulations that would include unsolicited newspapers as litter.
The Dallas Morning News recently reported that Dallas City Attorney Tom Perkins said that under the proposed revisions to the city’s ordinances, unsolicited newspapers could be held in violation and subject to fines.
Ross said if Dallas approves its updated solicitation and littering ordinance, West U may consider similar changes.
“I think if it was an alternative we would certainly present that to council,” he said, adding that city council has been in support of a strict solicitation ordinance.
Petrov told InstantNewsWestU that if Dallas adopts its ordinance and it doesn’t get challenged he would recommend that the city look at strengthening its ordinance.
February 9, 2012 at 4:35 pm
PICK UP YOUR PAPERS – and recycle them in your West U recycle container. Or have your nanny, maid, or your spoilt 8 year old pick them (instead of playing video games.)
Its called personal responsibility and walking 25 feet to your front lawn is not that big a deal…..really!
All over the metro Houston area the same thing happens and everyone picks them up. Poor Michael Ross – he has put up with these people who have nothing to do …but whine…..
February 8, 2012 at 9:30 pm
Money, do you work for a newspaper?
February 8, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Can’t we worry about more important things. Cars illegally parking across sidewalks. Cars parked the wrong way on a street. Flooding. Stopping the roll-a-stop that happens every day at intersections across this city. Yard crews that park their trucks 30″ off the curb.
If you don’t like the papers littering the street, pick them up. If you are out of town, ask a neighbor to watch your house and pick up the mail/papers. Simple. Has worked effectively since the human race started fencing in property.
February 8, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Ahhh, the good old days. Now a day’s almost everyone simply goes to the internet to more quickly find that assistance.
February 8, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Perhaps, but not everyone wants their job or service advertised on the Internet.
February 9, 2012 at 11:19 am
Anyone under 65 does. Only the older demographic still uses the newspaper as a resource for anything more than lining the animal cage.
February 9, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Unless they just want to reach people in a specific area.
February 8, 2012 at 1:59 pm
I always picked up my neighbors papers when they were out of town. Those local papers are great when looking for a job or someone to hire to do some work who regularly does work in the neighborhood.
February 8, 2012 at 1:11 pm
You can ask village news to stop delivery until you are blue in the face. They ignore the request.
February 8, 2012 at 5:11 pm
I agree with Steve. I can’t count the number of times I have called Village News and asked them to stop delivery to our address, to no avail.
February 8, 2012 at 12:58 pm
I appreciate the FREE paper. There’s something old-fashioned about getting the local paper, full of grammatical errors, advertisements thinly veiled as journalism, and hokey advertisements placed by my friends and neighbors. Yes, I am a digital denizen and absorb most of my information online, but the local paper adds depth and color to my local existence.
These publications should have a contact number or email address (I’ve never checked though) to allow people to opt out. The email addresses above are very useful too. Do we have to run crying to politicans every time we want something done? How about picking up your phone and calling the vendor and asking politely to exclude you from their rounds?
February 8, 2012 at 12:41 pm
If Dallas can do it, why can’t we? The unwanted weekly newspaper, including phone books that are not picked up, is definitely a signal for burglars that the homeowner is away and is safe for them to break-in. It has happened! Those newspapers and phone books can be picked up at certain locations when necessary, and there is always the computer for online reading. It is also better for the environment–think about how much paper is saved.
February 8, 2012 at 12:09 pm
L.T., if I am not home and those stupid papers pile up, that is a security concern. If I can do something to stop a potential security issue, I will. Call it whatever you want, but safety is #1 concern whatever people like you call it. Kudos to the reporter of this article and thanks for the links to write to the newspapers.
February 8, 2012 at 11:29 am
Why is it whining and elitist to try and stop unwanted, wasteful papers/advertisements from simply being thrown away? In addition, they are an advertisement for thieves to break into your house.
All we are asking for is an “opt-in” policy where, unless requested by the home owner, “Paper City”, “Val Pak” eg. would not be automatically delivered. Seems pretty straightforward to me.
February 8, 2012 at 4:22 pm
The way it is, mine will probably float down to your house anyway … ;)
February 8, 2012 at 11:27 am
Right on L.T. … like prioritizing the street flooding issue, a circumstance that is arguably worsening and beginning to encroach into our homes in some areas of our city.
That said, It’s good to see an article that both discusses an issue, then lists some solutions for which residents can avail themselves.
Once again, kudos to the reporter who would include that!
February 8, 2012 at 10:39 am
REALLY? I have lived in West U. for 40 years – I don’t recognize this place anymore. Trains too loud (even though the trains have been here before West U. was even created). Unsolicited newspapers are trash or littering? What a bunch of entitled, whining, elitist losers. Here’s a tip; try looking outside of your pitiful ME, ME, ME existence and try and solve REAL problems!