Immigration: Councilman Mark Squilla Helps Serve Immigrant Communities
Councilman Mark Squilla is the councilman for the First District in Philadelphia City Council. Squilla is the representative for several Philadelphia neighborhoods such as Chinatown, Kensington, Bella Vista, Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Port Richmond. A native of South Philadelphia, Squilla has been engaged in public service for close to 30 years, serving on the Philadelphia Democratic […]
Chinatown: Activist Worked With Obama, Advocates For Immigrant Children With Disabilities
Chinatown resident Anna Perng is an advocate for both immigrant communities and for people with disabilities. Perng, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, has been an activist and organizer since her time studying at Swarthmore College, she said. After graduating, she also spent time working at Community Legal Services and in 2017 became a local community organizer […]
East Kensington: Neighbors Work To Preserve Letterly Green
Stephanie Koenig, 36, moved to the East Kensington area with her husband, Lewis Colburn, in 2009. The couple, both sculptors who found studio space in Philadelphia, bought a house across the street from Letterly Green, an empty plot of land that spans half a block long, two years later. Along with their next-door neighbors, Onais […]
East Kensington: Green Spaces Foster Sense Of Community
Even in the increasingly solitary digital age, people still often feel the need for community in their lives. In Philadelphia and cities across the country, green spaces of all shapes and sizes can fulfill that need. “People like a place to congregate,” said City Councilman Mark Squilla, whose District 1 encompasses East Kensington. “If you […]
Port Richmond: Fate Of Nativity BVM Lies In The Hands Of The State Supreme Court
Members of the Port Richmond community continue to pray a verdict will soon be reached on a proposal to convert the abandoned Nativity BVM School into senior housing. The school closed its doors in 2008. No ruling from the State Supreme Court has been announced and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia is looking to secure an […]
Port Richmond: A $640,000 Renovation Providing More Than Just A Facelift
For more than 60 years, the Stokley playground has been a neighborhood hub at the corner of East Thompson and Indiana streets in Port Richmond. This fall, the playground is set to undergo a $640,000 renovation project funded by the city of Philadelphia. This plan of restoration has taken Betsy Berkery, president of The Stokley […]
Pennsport: Neighbors React to Actual Value Initiative
[vimeo 81139347] With the reassessment of property values due to the Actual Value Initiative, some lifelong residents are seeing their property taxes go up. Several assessments have tripled the property value, and some residents are worried they may have to leave their homes. The Actual Value Initiative (AVI) is a program which is supposed to […]
Pennsport: AVI Assessments Take a Toll on Homeowners
[vimeo 81167389] With the Actual Value Initiative (AVI) raising property taxes throughout the city, many Philadelphia homeowners are wondering exactly why and how this is happening. The main goal of AVI was supposed to be a reassessment of all the properties in the city at their current market value. The Actual Value Initiative reflects the […]
Fishtown: Residents and Businesses Affected by Residential Permit Parking
[vimeo 65441496] The revitalization of Fishtown in recent years, bringing in an influx of new residents has aggravated an old problem: parking – specifically too few parking spaces on the narrow streets that contribute to the area’s distinct character. “People want to kill each other half the time over parking,” said First District City Councilman Mark […]