Weekly Newsletter, Issue 91
ACTION
Take the 2019 Philadelphia Resident Survey to weigh in on quality of life in the city, and what your priorities are for the Kenney administration. Completed entries are entered to win one of twenty $50 gift cards.
Apply for the new Transit Coalition Organizer position! It's time for SEPTA riders to have an organized voice in how transit works in our region. This is an amazing opportunity to work with a great new coalition of advocates, which 5th Square is a part of, that will be organizing for better bus transit this year. Apply today or help spread the word to your networks.
If you bike on the Grays Ferry Bridge between South Philly and Southwest, sign this petition calling on PennDOT to install a westbound protected bike lane as part of their $13.3 million rehabilitation project. This project currently includes a protected bicycle/pedestrian multi-use path on the eastbound side but has an unprotected, buffered (paint-only) bicycle lane on the westbound side.
We need your help to back up OTIS's request to PennDOT for a physical barrier on the westbound side.Sign the petition and then forward this email to a friend, or share it on social media.
FREE T-SHIRT OFFER!
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BECOME A MEMBER TODAY for as little as $5 a month and get a FREE 'Nice Things' T-shirt mailed to you! We only have a few of these shirts left and this offer is only while supplies last, so get em quick! Be sure to email us once you sign up with your shirt size and mailing address. This offer is only open to new members—existing members can buy shirts at a discount here. |
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EVENTS
Wednesday, August 14th, 6 - 7:30 pm
Electoral Reform Public Forum
Join Senator Anthony Hardy Williams and government reform advocates for a public forum on various types of elections used across the country and possible reforms Pennsylvanians should consider, including nonpartisan municipal elections, open primaries and ranked-choice voting. Senator Williams will moderate a panel discussion on these issues featuring nonprofit leaders working for change in the Commonwealth.
Wednesday, August 14th, 6:30 - 9 pm
Hidden City x Philebrity Happy Hour
Join the folks behind two of Philly's longest-standing city blogs for a quick chat onstage at RADIOKISMET, followed by a stiff drink or three. Topics discussed: That place that used to be this other place, ancient talismans of "Philadelphianess," and the city's capacity for future romance.
Thursday, August 15th, 6:00-9 pm
Urban Geek Drinks at Cira Green
This month's Urban Geek Drinks happy hour is at the garden at Cira Green, on top of the FMC Tower parking garage. Good opportunity to check out this elevated park with an amazing view of the Schuylkill River and skyline.
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.
Wednesday, August 28th, 6:00-8 pm
Philly Data Visualization Meet-up
Featuring guest speakers Jonathan Lai from the Inquirer, Jonathan Tannen of Sixty-Six Wards, and Kevin Hand from the Controller's office talking about creating visualizations for elections and municipal finance data.
Thursday, September 5th, 8:00 am
Design Advocacy Group - Development and Design to End Homelessness
Janet Stearns of Project HOME will discuss the organization's real estate strategy at the next Design Advocacy Group monthly meeting. The panel will also include Megan McGinley and Matt Bartner of Kitchen & Associates Architecture.
TRANSPORTATION NEWS
No, drivers don't pay the whole cost of roads. The Bicycle Coalition's Randy LoBasso writes in a piece for Grid Philly a response to the common charge that cyclists don't pay their fair share for the upkeep of roads. It turns out, the real freeloaders are the motorists whose outsized contribution to regular wear and tear on roads increasingly falls to general taxpayers to cover, regardless of whether or not they drive.
Autonomous car makers have a dark vision for pedestrian life in cities that would perpetuate the same failed 20th-century playbook for urban transportation. This is the Hell scenario for driverless cars that Robin Chase warns about, and unless our transportation politics changes to prioritize the more green and egalitarian ways of getting around, like transit and active transportation, on our streets that's exact where our cities are headed.
HOUSING NEWS
One of the first confirmed Opportunity Zone projects is a 56-unit modular apartment building in East Kensington. The Philarising blog has some more info on the project by Civetta, with photos of the fully-assembled units being trucked in.
Lower Moyamensing Civic Association will review a zoning remapping proposal from the Planning Commission on August 28th, which will include the BSL station areas for Snyder and Oregon Ave. RSVP if you live nearby.
Kensington and Somerset neighbors want to tear down the 25-foot-high Lehigh Ave viaduct, but it's unclear whether it'll happen as part of a proposed development project.
PUBLIC SPACE NEWS
The last City-run Philly Free Streets event on North Broad Street brought out throngs of people looking for relief and recreation on a grand strip free of car congestion. Philadelphia Magazine's David Murrell calls for Philly to follow the lead of other world cities and New York City here in the U.S. to make some permanent pedestrian spaces. He gives the example of the Italian Market, where some of our South Philly volunteers have been working on an advocacy plan with community members.
Why are so many neighborhood streets lacking trees? Part of the reason has to do with the myths some people believe about street trees. PlanPhilly's Catalina Jaramillo debunks some of the most common ones.
LITTER NEWS
The City's SWEEP officers have issued three times more tickets for trash violations than a decade ago. Billy Penn looks into their performance, or lack thereof, in terms of getting our streets actually clean.
In a personal opinion piece for Billy Penn, Alisha Ebling documents how her North Philly streets have an out-of-control litter problem. She details how, despite her and her neighbors' best efforts, the endless tide of short dumping makes her feel helpless. We feel for you and for all of our City's residents that have to deal with our perfectly solvable trash problem.
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
*** Transit Advocacy Job Opportunity: A coalition of Philadelphia-based organizations is forming to advocate for transit improvements that benefit all Philadelphians and better connect residents to jobs, recreation, and opportunities. This new Coalition is seeking a full-time Transit Coalition Organizer to manage the formation and launch of its campaign. ***
CultureWorks Greater Philadelphia (CWP) is hiring a new Chief Commons Director (CCD), their senior-most management position. C
Emerge PA, the candidate training program for Democratic women, is running a new shorter boot camp series for 2020 candidates. Apply here.
LISC is hiring a Program Officer for Community and Economic Development
The Common Market is hiring a Grower Relations Manager
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
Campus Philly is hiring 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.