planphilly.com
- Plan Philly explores both sides of the debate over the proposed North Central Neighborhood Improvement District (NCNID). Council President Darrell Clarke was in attendance, reiterating once more that the bill has been misinterpreted as more powerful than it actually is, as it wouldn’t tax one “owner-occupied, single-family dwelling” within the NID’s borders. The concentration of power is also a pertinent aspect of the proposed district says landlord Tarik Nasir. “The problem is that this hierarchical, old-white-guys-running-these-black-neighborhoods just doesn’t sit well. Period.”
- The Pew Charitable Trusts released a report yesterday, “The Library in the City,” providing some new numbers that show, generally speaking, Philadelphia’s libraries are underused. Yet the recession has ironically also brought specific types of increased foot traffic to the Free Library’s Central Branch, becoming a community resource center of sorts, as internet usage rose 80% from 2005 to 2011. For The Atlantic Cities’ coverage of this issue, click HERE.
- As the School Reform Commission considers shuttering and consolidating some schools, the City Paper asks if enough thought was given to neighborhood politics in redrawing catchment areas. “It’s just neighborhoods. It’s just territorial. It’s how it’s always been,” said James Wright, whose child attends E.M Stanton School at 17th & Christian.
- NEast Philly looks at Councilman Bobby Henon and State Representative Kevin Boyle’s mission to combat blight in the Northeast, targeting, among other culprits, out-of-state landlords who fail to maintain their properties.
- The University City Review reminds its readers that vacant homes don’t just lower property values and encourage drug use and prostitution—they invite raccoons. The paper visits the 5100 block of Reno Street in Mill Creek, where residents have long had to deal with the nuisances.
About the author
Stephen Currall recently received his BA in history from Arcadia University. Before beginning doctoral studies, he is pursuing his interest in local history, specifically just how Philadelphians engage their vibrant past. Besides skimming through 18th century letters, Steve is also interested in music and travel.
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