PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council now has a “Kensington Caucus.” Four Council members have assembled to create solutions to homelessness, drug dealing and other issues plaguing the neighborhood.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents the bulk of Kensington, has tried to tackle its many issues with multiple bills. Now she says she’ll get more done working with Councilmen Mark Squilla and Mike Driscoll, whose districts include parts of Kensington, and Councilman-at-Large Jim Harrity, who lives there.
“The residents of Kensington deserve collaborative, strategic teamwork,” said Lozada. “The goal of the caucus is to work as a unit and restore the quality of life, and address the challenges that are facing the Kensington community.”
The group did not have specific proposals but said they’d be working in certain areas. Harrity will work on increasing access to drug treatment and Squilla will focus on improving the Frankford Avenue business corridor.
“It’s not just a public safety approach,” said Squilla. “We’re going to tackle this in several different avenues.
Squilla said the caucus plans to secure a “triage” location for people taken into custody for drug offenses, where they’d be offered treatment.
“But jail may be an option for some folks,” he added. “We heard from people on the street that they wouldn’t be alive today if they didn’t go to jail and get the services provided in jail for those things.”
Meanwhile, Driscoll will focus on improving safety for Market-Frankford Line riders who get off and on in Kensington.
“That they are not stepping over folks, that they are not being panhandled, that they are not having the stench of the homelessness situation we’ve had for so many years there,” said Driscoll.
The members say it will necessarily require stronger law enforcement, but they promised a balanced approach. They call it a Marshall Plan for the community, likening it to the initiative that rebuilt Europe after World War II.