Brewerytown: Greg Parker Gives Back To The Neighborhood That Raised Him
Greg Parker was born and raised in Brewerytown. As a young adult, he bought a property in his neighborhood for about $5,000 and sold it for $75,000. Parker feels he was a pioneer for the area, where he and his family usually work on flipping 15 to 20 properties at a time. But Parker’s impact […]
Social Issues: “There Is An Affordable Housing Crisis That Confronts The City In Some Real Ways.”
Kelvin Jeremiah, the president and CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority, has brought unique ideas from previous stops in Springfield, Massachusetts and New York City to help develop better living conditions for some of Philadelphia’s low-income citizens. How did you get started with the Philadelphia Housing Authority? So I came to the PHA about […]
Kensington: First Time Home Buyer Workshop Proves Valuable Resource For Locals
For many, owning a first home is a big part of the American Dream. In Philadelphia, that dream is less of a reality than other cities in the country. According to public data sources gathered by Data USA, only 52.6 percent of homes in Philadelphia were occupied by their owner in 2015, more than 10 percent […]
Social Issues: Office Of Homeless Services Strives To Transition People Off The Street
Native Philadelphian Liz Hersh is the director of the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services. Prior to working for the city, Hersh ran the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania for 14 years. Her experience has given her insight working with Philadelphia’s homeless residents. What led you to this job as the director of the Office of […]
Kensington: “It’s Not Just A Gurney Street Thing.”
Prevention Point Philadelphia has opened a year-round respite at its center in Kensington as a direct response to the City of Philadelphia’s decision to close down and clean up encampments along the Gurney Street Corridor. The organization has been doing winter respite for the past three years, but as of July 31 its doors are […]
Social Issues: “We’re Still There To Lift You Back Up And Figure Out What The Next Plan Is.”
Renee Hudson-Small has been the assistant director of Housing and Homeless Services, a division of Catholic Social Services (CSS), for just two years but she has worked in CSS for more than 25. Prior to making the move to Housing and Homeless Services, Hudson-Small worked with Family Service Centers in the community-based services division, as […]
Social Issues: Councilwoman María Quiñones-Sánchez Talks Income Inequality
María Quiñones-Sánchez took office 10 years ago representing District 7 in Philadelphia City Council. Long considered a party outsider, it is not uncommon to find her battling politically with Latino leaders in her own neighborhood, as well as other council members. Her sprawling council district is comprised of a wide area, covering all or parts […]
Social Issues: “I Felt It Was Important To Give Back To My Community As Much As I Can.”
Michael Lee is the executive director of the nonprofit organization Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Lee graduated from Central High School and was a part of the inaugural class of Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law in 2009. Following his graduation from law school he began practicing as a criminal […]
Mayfair: This Week In The News — An Eclipse Party, Singing Summer Camp Concert And A Community Facing Challenges
In case you missed it, we found a few places where people are talking about things happening in Mayfair: Mapping Progress in 55 Philadelphia Neighborhoods– Next City released a report listing Mayfair among a half dozen neighborhoods “facing the greatest challenges.” The organization used census data from 2009 through 2014. (via Next City) Eclipse shines brightly […]
Point Breeze: This Week In The News – 17th Police District Celebrates Philadelphia First Responder Appreciation Day And More
In case you missed it, we found a few places where people were talking about things happening in Point Breeze: Philadelphia First Responder Appreciation Day Celebration– In honor of Philadelphia First Responder Appreciation Day, officers and firefighters were treated to lunch and dinner at the 17th Police District station, courtesy of On Point Bistro. (via […]