More than 35 City departments and agencies are working with community organizations and residents on the Philadelphia Resilience Project, our emergency response to the opioid crisis and the epidemic’s most pressing effects — like homelessness, open-air drug use, and crime in our communities.
Through this project, we’ve safely and successfully cleared four encampments while preventing new encampments from forming. And we helped more than half of the residents of those encampments access treatment and housing.
We’ve also improved public safety by creating Safe Corridor routes for students; reduced trash and litter through four major cleanups; and reduced overdoses by distributing doses of Narcan.
Kensington has seen some meaningful improvements, but we know we still have a long way to go.
That’s why Mayor Kenney called for $36 million over five years to address the epidemic in his proposed budget.
The plan includes:
- $25 million to expand short-term housing options
- $6.5 million for outreach, treatment, and recovery housing
- $3 million for neighborhood community services
These funds will help Kensington and other neighborhoods recover and sustain our progress so that our communities can thrive.
Get involved by joining our next community cleanup
You can join our Philadelphia Resilience Project team by coming to our next Kensington cleanup.
Saturday, April 06
9 a.m. – 12 noon
Hope Park, 215 E. Indiana Avenue
Parking available at 100 E. Tusculum Street and 3000 A Street (building side)
Register here!
During the March cleanup, we covered 191 blocks and cleared out 51 tons of trash and debris — and we felt good and had fun while doing it! In total, we have removed 326 tons of trash and more than 300 abandoned vehicles. This would not be possible without our dedicated volunteers.
