The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) will host three virtual focus group sessions on Sept. 15, 16, and 17, at 11 a.m.

Focus group members, including landlords, property owners and managers, and others who’ve previously applied for a permit or license, will have the chance to share their thoughts about L&I’s performance and offer ideas about how the department can operate better.

Each session is identical, so anyone who’d like to join a focus group may pick the session they prefer.

Choose one of these free Zoom sessions and reserve your spot:

Session 1: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Register for L&I Group Session 1

Session 2: Wednesday, September 16, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Register for L&I Group Session 2

Session 3: Thursday, September 17, 2026, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Register for L&I Group Session 3

Because the National Weather Service has forecasted a heat index of 95 degrees or higher for at least three days in a row, OHS has declared a Code Red that will go into effect at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, September 1.

It will end at 11 p.m. on Thursday, September 3.

Outreach teams will continue to travel throughout Philadelphia with extra water and ice, offering people they see living on the street shelter, homelessness-related services, and transportation to cooler indoor spaces.

If you see someone who appears to be living outside, call the City’s Homeless Street Outreach Hotline, (215) 232-1984 to get them help.

Two amended City Council Bills recently passed that will strengthen protections for renters and increase landlord accountability measures. The new Safe Healthy Homes law could affect your rental business as of Nov. 1, 2026.

To learn more about the newly passed legislation, read Bills #250329 and #250330.

The application period is now open for four Office of Public Safety Grants! Those grants are the Targeted Community Investment Grant (TCIG), the Community Capacity Grant (CCG), the Community Expansion Grant (CEG), [those three are collectively known as the City’s Anti-Violence Community Partnership Grants], and the Safety Through Care grant (STC) [formerly the Overdose Prevention & Community Healing fund (OPCH)]. Organizations in Philadelphia engaged in prevention or intervention work focused on violence or substance misuse can apply for grants from $10,000 to $1 million. Funding is available through the grants at various amounts to align with organizational experience and program scope:

• TCIG ($10,000, $25,000, $40,000, $50,000) provides grants to new and growing organizations offering summer programming. Programs may be summer-long programs, single events, or a series of one-time events occurring during the grant period, June through September.
• CCG ($75,000) supports organizations that have been a TCIG grantee within the past three cohorts and are ready to expand their capacity with larger awards over a longer grant period, March through December.
• STC ($150,000) funds ten organizations that work to address substance misuse. These organizations will receive specialized technical assistance and become tertiary distributors of Narcan during the grant period, January through December.
• CEG ($100,000, $250,000, $500,000, $750,000, $1,000,000) is designed for mid-sized, established organizations with demonstrated capacity to implement larger-scale programming and achieve measurable community impact. Funded organizations must offer programming for at least nine months of the grant period, January through December.

• Individuals
• Nonprofits
• Fiscally sponsored organizations
• LLCs
• S-Corps
• B-Corps

Updates to the application and grants have been designed to improve accessibility for smaller and grassroots organizations, better align funding with organizational capacity, and provide a clear pathway for growth across all funding levels.

Additionally, this year’s funding cycle updates reflect feedback from partners and stakeholders to ensure a clear, aligned approach and consistent messaging across the application, review, and implementation process.

What are OPS grants?

The Office of Public Safety grant program funds community-based violence and substance misuse prevention and intervention programs that improve public safety, increase opportunities for self-development and care, and build a stronger sense of community throughout neighborhoods most impacted by gun violence and substance misuse.

OPS grantees use trauma-informed approaches to gun violence and substance misuse, build resiliency in their communities, mediate conflicts, and promote social or economic empowerment. Examples of past programs include, but are not limited to:

• Resource fairs
• Outreach events
• Job training and career development
• Neighborhood and community beautification
• Education events and workshops
• Community engagement

How can I apply?

The common application for all four grants opens Friday, August 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The application period closes on September 28, 2026, at 5:00 PM.

Information Sessions will be held virtually to support applicants throughout the process. Sessions will be offered on the following dates:

• Wednesday, September 2, 2026            6:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 8, 2026                  12:00 PM
• Thursday September 10, 2026               6:00 PM
• Monday, September 14, 2026                 6:00 PM
• Wednesday, September 16, 2026          12:00 PM
• Tuesday, September 22, 2026                6:00 PM
• Thursday, September 24, 2026              12:00 PM
• Monday, September 28, 2026                 12:00 PM

To learn more about the grants, you can register for an info session and apply online.

For more information about the grants, email AntiViolenceGrants@phila.gov.