Philly City Councilmembers launch ‘Kensington Caucus'

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker has made reforming the city's Kensington neighborhood a tent post of her administration's goals for the future.

Improving the neighborhood was a big part of her push as a candidate, shutting down open-air drug markets is one of her goals in her plan for her first 100 days in office, and she's even appointed a deputy police commissioner specifically to lead implementation of an overall safety plan for Kensington.

And, now, City Council is stepping up support for one of the city's poorest neighborhoods, by forming the "Kensington Caucus."

"The residents of Kensington deserve collaborative, strategic teamwork," said Democratic Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, whose 7th councilmanic district represents Kensington.

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Lozada will join fellow councilmembers Mike Driscoll (D-6th dist.), Jim Harrity (D-at large), and Mark Squilla (D-1st dist.) to make up the Kensington Caucus.

She said the caucus would work to execute the Kensington Marshall Plan -- which is still being developed -- that will allow legislators to "determine what resources are on the ground now, who is providing resources, how they are being delivered and what challenges are".

Over the past year, Lozada noted that councilmembers had met with residents and partners throughout the Kensington community to gather input for this plan. In discussing the effort, Councilman Harrity, who noted his own struggles with alcohol addiction, said that the caucus is a way for council to work hand-in-hand with the mayor's efforts to impact this community.

"As somebody in recovery, what was going on down there is not what we are about," said Harrity. "It kinda was like the last administration gave up. And, I'm so happy that our mayor, Cherelle Parker, has given her time and her efforts to going into Kensington, Harrowgate and all the other surrounding communities and telling them 'We are here now. We are here for you and we aren't leaving until this thing is done.'"

Legislators said the caucus would allow councilmembers that represent this community to work in collaboration to bring together concerns to see how initiatives and proposed moves would impact each councilmember's constituants.

"That's something we haven't done in the past," said Squilla. "Those challenges of being in a silo will be broken here through this Kensington Caucus."

Councilmember Lozada introduced a resolution to formally create the Kensington Caucus at Thursday's City Council meeting. It will be considered for final approval at council's next meeting on Feb. 8.