Diverse Outlook
Have a question about Philly’s neighborhoods or the systems that shape them? PlanPhilly reporters want to hear from you! Ask us a question or send us a story idea you think we should cover.
Environmental justice activists in Philly’s Grays Ferry neighborhood are calling on City Council to put money in next year’s budget for home repairs and green energy.
The group Philly Thrive wants to see the city invest $5 million in a program called Built to Last, run by the quasi-governmental Philadelphia Energy Authority, which coordinates free home repairs, weatherization, appliance electrification and rooftop solar for low-income households.
“Long-term residents who are unable to afford repairs have been forced out of the neighborhood,” said Philly Thrive’s co-director and policy coordinator, Shawmar Pitts. “It’s clear. We need home repairs and low-income housing for our residents.”
At-large City Councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke has met with Philly Thrive and plans to push for at least $5 million for Built to Last in the budget, said spokesperson Jordan Levy. He said it could unlock additional federal funding.
“Built to Last is everything you’d want to see in a housing repairs program, because it streamlines critical services and resources to those who need it most,” O’Rourke said in a statement.
In the meantime, Philly Thrive, a small nonprofit known for its activism surrounding the former PES refinery site, is launching its own home repair program. It kicked off with a top-to-bottom renovation underway in a home in Grays Ferry.
“I’m super excited about just doing the whole block,” said Shaakir Henderson, a volunteer managing Thrive’s home repair program. “Whatever I do to better my community, I’m going to do it to the fullest.”
Thrive members argue home repairs help long-term residents stay in the neighborhood and resist offers from developers hoping to buy homes for cheap. They say repairs can combat gun violence, boost households’ resilience to climate change and help lower utility bills.
Source link
