ACTION
Can you take 1 minute to add your voice for a safer Delaware Ave?
Sign this petition calling on the City to add protections to the Delaware Ave bike lane
Delaware Avenue is being repaved and re-striped right now—and it needs a protected bike lane. That's why we're supporting the Bicycle Coalition's petition action to protect cyclists on Delaware Ave.
The City of Philadelphia is in a unique position to make that change quickly, and easily: When Delaware Ave between Columbia and Spring Garden Streets, is re-striped, protect the bike lane.
Tell the City of Philadelphia: Protect Delaware Avenue NOW!
EVENTS
Thursday, August 1, 5 pm - 6:30 pm
Try Out Philly’s New Voting Machines
Philadelphia is getting new voting machines this fall, and the Better Philadelphia Elections Coalition (which 5th Square is a part of) will be hosting an availability for anyone else interested in trying out the new machines. The machines will be set up in the lobby of the Graham Building at 30 S 15th Street.
Saturday, August 3rd, 8 am - 1 pm
Philly Free Streets - 2019
Philly Free Streets is back on North Broad this year between 8 am and 1 pm! Explore Broad Street by foot, bike, scooter, or the human-powered vehicle of your choice. A program of the City of Philadelphia, Free Streets has its roots in the OpenStreetsPHL campaign started by several 5th Square volunteers after the Pope came to town. Philly Free Streets temporarily closes streets to cars, inviting people to walk, bike, roll, and play. This year's event will take place on North Broad Street from Arch Street all the way up to Butler Street.
Thursday, August 8th, 6 - 8 pm
Save the Date: 5th Square's August Monthly Meetup
5th Square's monthly meet-ups are on the second Thursday of each month, and are an opportunity for members and volunteers to connect, and for new people to get involved with our all-volunteer organization. Save the date for the next meet-up on 8/8/19, speaker and location to be announced this week.
Thursday, August 8th, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
PPTF Workshop: Ideas for DVRPC Work Program
The Public Participation Task Force (PPTF) of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is holding a meeting to discuss the Work Program for Fiscal Year 2021. The Annual Work Program determines planning projects and mandated activities that DVRPC staff will undertake to meet the region’s changing transportation and planning needs.
Thursday, August 8th, 7 - 10 pm
SustainPHL 2019
Green Philly is hosting their 4th annual award ceremony for the Philadelphia region's sustainability change-makers & leaders. Buy tickets at the link.
Throughout July and August
Public Spaces - Summer Workshop Series
Fairmount Park Conservancy in partnership with Philadelphia Parks and Recreation, the Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia Parks Alliance, and the Knight Foundation, are offering the Public Spaces Summer Workshop Series. These exciting summer workshops are designed for community members and public space advocates and volunteers. Share ideas and build connections across parks, recreation centers, and libraries throughout the city.
TRANSPORTATION NEWS
Momentum continues to build for eliminating the $1 transfer penalty for SEPTA bus, trolley and subway riders when SEPTA votes on fares next spring. Read the Inquirer's report on a new Pew study that shows this policy hurts low-income riders the most. Regional job sprawl and the transfer penalty combine to make the effective base fare many people pay much higher than the official base fare, and the people impacted most by this tend to be lower-income. We still have lots of work to do to get the #freetransfers push over the finish line, so sign our "One City / One Fare" petition today to join the campaign.
The new PPA payment kiosks will finally have the technology to support dynamic pricing for street parking that changes by time of day, or based on demand. In other places dynamic pricing has been tried, like Pittsburgh and San Francisco, the general effect is to lower the average prices people pay, while raising more overall revenue from higher rates during peak times.
Urban Land Institute Philadelphia released a new TAP report with recommendations for improving 69th Street Transportation Center
PUBLIC SPACE NEWS
A PlanPhilly analysis has shown that Philly's low-income neighborhoods have fewer trees and current tree planting programs are inadequately serving these communities. Higher-income areas put in more requests for free street trees, as they're more likely to know about that program, so the city may try to rebalance things by eliminating the requirement for property owners to sign off.
The Heitzman Recreation Center in Harrowgate is running a community engagement process that includes neighborhood kids. Involve more kids in planning!
HOUSING NEWS
An adaptive reuse plan for Good Shepherd Church in Garden Court saw majority support at a recent community meeting, thanks in part to our Philly YIMBY initiative, which helped mobilize local residents within Garden Court's boundaries to support this win-win deal for more rental housing and preservation. Sign up to get local alerts about meetings in your area.
The Democratic candidates for President are hearing the 'Yes in My Back Yard' message, and for the first time in recent memory, are releasing major housing plans aimed at greater affordability and racial desegregation. Jenny Schuetz of Brookings reviews the plans released so far.
GRANT & PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES
Volunteer with your friends & family at Philly Free Streets! Philly Free Streets will be back on North Broad Street on Saturday, August 3 from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. from City Hall to Butler Street and Germantown Ave. Each year, volunteers have helped make Philly Free Streets possible! 2019 will be no different! Sign up for a shift today with your family & friends. Volunteers can be 14+
Affordable Housing RFPs 2019 - The Division of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has issued two Requests for Proposals. One is to preserve existing affordable multi-family rental developments. The other is to support new affordable rental housing. The attachments and exhibits apply to both RFPs.
RCO OPPORTUNITIES
The Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) in West Philly is seeking neighbors to get involved with their zoning committee. You can either sign up to be an "interested neighbor" (receive notice of all of our regular and public meetings, have the opportunity to vote on public items, and get occasional updates on issues the committee is dealing with) or apply to join the Committee, facilitating community input and advocating on its behalf when necessary.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia is seeking a Research Assistant
The Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians is seeking a Program Manager and a Director of Workforce Development Programs
University City District currently has two open positions: Vice President, Strategic Partnerships and Communications -- and -- Manager, Training & Evaluation with the West Philadelphia Skills Initiative
PA Post is seeking a Journalist and an Events Manager
Community Legal Services of Philadelphia is hiring for a variety of positions, including: Attorneys, Paralegals, Social Workers, and Secretaries.
The Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed Partnership (TTF) is seeking a part-time Communications Associate.
Pennsylvania Voice is seeking a Data Manager
The William Penn Foundation is now hiring a Program Operations Assistant.
Character Lab is looking for a Research Partnerships Manager.
Witty Gritty is seeking an Events Support Coordinator
The GREEN Program Public Benefit Corporation is seeking a Sales Representative
JMT is seeking a full-time Architectural Historian to assist in their growing Cultural Resource practice.
Campus Philly seeks a content marketing manager and events manager.
5th Square is Philadelphia's urbanist political action committee. We're an all-volunteer grassroots organization advocating for safe and affordable transportation, abundant housing, and more and better public spaces. You’re receiving this email if you signed up via our website, attended one of our events, or supported one of our advocacy campaigns. Support our advocacy with a recurring monthly contribution of $5.