Community in Action

On Saturday, February 10, over 90 people spent five hours talking about their vision for the Harambee Neighborhood.





Left, Alderman Michael McGee, Jr. addresses the crowd, and encourages the residents to get involved and work together.

Right, Facilitator J. Otis Smith from Philadelphia lays the groundrules for engagement. The poster behind him says: "Communication - Can we talk with each other about everything and not protect each other from the truth (as we know it)."








Left, Sharon Mays Ferguson asks how residents can know that the effort they put in to planning (again) will actually produce results.


Residents can make a difference. The seriousness with which investors, funders and policy makers treat this plan depends on each and every person who attended on February 10 to invite at least three more people they know to get involved.

At the end of the day, participants were invited to sign up for any of ten work groups, focused on Seniors, Housing, Youth and Recreation, Greening and Environment, Economic Development, and Workforce Development, to name a few. Watch the blog for updates on these groups. And if you know anyone else who can play a role in devising strategies, building connections, advocating for support, or just rolling up their sleeves and working, please get them in touch with Steve Adams, Neighborhood Development Specialist at Riverworks at 906-9650.

Finding out about Problem Properties

A recent service request to the Department of Neighborhood Services reports that a property at 3433 N. Richards may have some problems: "Roach and mice infested. House is not weather proof. Closet does not have a ceiling. Water coming through the closet ceiling and in the living room."

By visiting DNS's property database, one can learn who owns this property, as well as the prior history of complaints and orders from DNS. Searching the owner's name on google, one would also pull up HUD News Release 05-063 discussing an agreement reached with the same property owner regarding lead hazards in 39 properties citywide, this one not among them.


What to do with this information is another matter. We hope to discuss in our planning process how neighbors can get involved in identifying these problem properties and keeping tabs on their progress. Keeping houses safe and in good repair is one way to strengthen a neighborhood. Your thoughts are welcome and encouraged.