Education: Councilwoman Helen Gym, “I need a big vision for the school district that people believe in.”
Helen Gym (D) is a, at-large Philadelphia City Council member and vocal education advocate. Her goal in public office has been to to tackle widespread poverty through creating a quality public education system – the same system she taught in and put her children through. Philadelphia Neighborhoods spoke with Councilwoman Gym on the phone to discuss the […]
Point Breeze: This Week In The News – Feibush Sues Johnson, Affordable Housing Project Approved
In case you missed it, we found a few places where people were talking about things happening in Point Breeze: 33 affordable housing homes approved for Point Breeze: On the heals of Philadelphia’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) approval, two plots of land in Point Breeze will be turned into 33 affordable apartments and townhouses […]
Harrowgate: Get Your Motor Running- Reentry Roadblocks Lead To Transportation Innovation
Freddy Castro put himself into a tight spot. After a few brush-ups with the law he decided to go the straight and narrow. But trying to land a decent paying job with a criminal record is tough. And having no driver’s license can tie you up even tighter than handcuffs. “I was interviewing for a […]
Northeast: Brain Waste Drags Down Immigrants And Economy
All along Bustleton Avenue are businesses built by foreign-born people who came to the U.S. in pursuit of a better life. Yet many highly educated and skilled immigrants are underemployed in Northeast Philadelphia and the U.S. “Over 40 percent of immigrants in Philadelphia hold at least a bachelor’s degree,” said Nikki Pumphrey, director of strategic […]
Hunting Park: Esperanza Aims to Improve Neighborhood Conditions
Esperanza is a faith-based community development corporation and nonprofit organization. It was founded in 1986 by the Hispanic clergy of Philadelphia. At the time, the Hispanic clergy wanted to address some of the larger problems that the community faced – access to affordable housing, access to jobs, safe communities and an education. Philip Dawson, 29, […]
Mount Airy: Redevelopment Projects Look to Eliminate Blight, Improve Livelihood of Historic Neighborhood
Dating back to the 1680s, when it was a just small part of Germantown, the neighborhood of Mount Airy has a rich history that has shaped the diverse and tight-knit community that it is today. In 1750, William Allen, a chief justice for the province of Pennsylvania, built an estate at the corner of modern-day […]
Northwest Philadelphia: Jumpstart Germantown Looks to Revitalize the Community One Property at a Time
Jumpstart Germantown is a redevelopment program that was established in April, 2014 by Mount Airy real estate developer Ken Weinstein. The organization tackles the problems of blighted properties in the Northwest by training a new generation of developers how to invest in and revitalize real estate. “I liked taking junk, something like old buildings, and doing […]
Chinatown: Stakeholders Tackle Crucial Development Questions As Neighborhood Grows
The story of Philadelphia’s Chinatown isn’t unique. But the history of this city’s Asian immigrant- and Asian-American home is, for residents, what makes it stand out from other stories of gentrification. Historically, Chinatowns have grown in abandoned urban neighborhoods, unwanted for things other than industrial business. In Philadelphia, this part of town – called Chinatown […]
Hunting Park: Community Leaders Working Tirelessly To End Stereotypes Surrounding The Community
Cracked sidewalk pavement, dilapidated housing and trash are common sights to new visitors to the Hunting Park section of North Philadelphia and leave an impression of a community that seems to be on down times. Hunting Park has struggled to combat the crime and drug epidemics that have surrounded the community. Recently, steps have been taken to […]
Arts & Entertainment: Budget Cuts To NEA Affect Public Arts Programing In Philadelphia
Celeste DiNucci remembers exactly where she was and what she was doing during the early hours of morning when she and the rest of the public arts world found out that President Donald Trump announced his 2018 fiscal year Budget Blueprint plan, which proposed the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). “I remember […]