Philly gives out tickets for trashy blocks. Why isn’t it working?

A handful of blocks in Philadelphia get fined again and again for trash, but it doesn't seem to be stopping the litter.

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The 1900 block of North Gratz Street in North Philadelphia, home of the most ticketed sidewalks in the city. (Max Marin/Billy Penn)

The 1900 block of North Gratz Street in North Philadelphia, home of the most ticketed sidewalks in the city. (Max Marin/Billy Penn)

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Ticketing for litter on sidewalks is the No. 1 code violation in Philadelphia. The city handed out about 20,000 tickets to property owners for that one offense last year — but half of them didn’t get paid. So why do it at all? Max Marin of WHYY’s Billy Penn breaks down which neighborhoods are hit the hardest.

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