Oct 3, 2015 1 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Officials in Pittsburgh say they are doing away with a policy that banned block parties on some streets due to past neighborhood disruptions.

A Pittsburgh newspaper said the city will devise new rules that might include restrictions based on previous bad behavior, but won’t include a blanket blacklist.

Mayoral spokeswoman Katie O’Malley said “This is not a process that we want to be continuing.” She said “We want communities to come together.”

The paper had reported last week that the city for years maintained a blacklist in its Public Works Department that employees used to deny residents permits for on-street events.

City officials said they were unaware of the list, which included 19 streets in the West End, North Side, East End and South Hills neighborhoods.