WHYY • April 1, 2021

D.C. raised $5 billion to rebuild toxic schools. Can Philly do the same?

Activists say they would be happy to collaborate with school officials to follow a similar path, but the district shows little interest in sharing information or decision-making power.

Shelterforce • March 15, 2021

Did the Place-Based Initiatives of the 90s, 2000s Bring About Change?

While some achieved short-term goals, “most of the interventions have not produced the degree of community transformation envisioned by their designers."

Shelterforce • November 2, 2020

Activists Win Control of Vacant Philadelphia Buildings: Now What?

They're moving from agitating for reforms to managing a large affordable housing organization that could include more than 150 member-residents.

WHYY • August 31, 2020

Bryant Riley’s dream home turned into a nightmare. He blames City Hall.

The dispute highlights the difficulties homebuyers face when they find construction defects, and the limits of the city’s oversight of builders.

Shelterforce • August 24, 2020

‘We Need Those Houses’­ — Activists Take Over Vacant Homes

When she learned that her family would actually be illegally moving into a vacant PHA property, she hesitated—but only for a moment.

WHYY • August 17, 2020

‘We're losing too many talented, bright people': next managing director vows to combat violence

Tumar Alexander will oversee a vast swath of departments, but the need to reduce violence motivates him in particular.

WHYY • July 29, 2020

Some Philly schools want to use outdoor classrooms when IRL lessons resume

The risk of viral transmission is lower outdoors, and learning outside is known to have measurable benefits for children.

WHYY • July 9, 2020

Passyunk postpones outdoor dining event after gun pulled in Old City mask fight

The incident underlined the fact that the expansion of outdoor dining is still a new and fragile experiment.

WHYY • June 18, 2020

Philly could be the first U.S. city to address systemic racism with Black stimulus

More than half a billion dollars would go toward investments in poor neighborhoods, job training, rent subsidies and basic income support.

WHYY • June 6, 2020

Money goes boom: Philly's history of exploding ATMs

Experts on ATM security say the string of 50 explosions in Philadelphia this week is unprecedented.

WHYY • June 2, 2020

'We are resilient': Black community leaders work to rebuild battered mall

They vowed to help businesses reopen and said the looting reflected the community's anger and despair.

WHYY • May 5, 2020

Patients crowdfund for Einstein hospital as COVID takes ‘devastating’ toll

The virus has disproportionately impacted the North Philadelphia African-American community that depends on Einstein.

WHYY • April 10, 2020

Inequality made the perfect storm for a pandemic. North Philly fought back.

Teachers, health care workers, grocery store operators, delivery drivers and many volunteers worked overtime to enable residents to stay at home.

WHYY • March 26, 2020

How Philly's neighborhoods can help us understand pandemics

Good urban design remains a powerful tool for protecting residents from disease and other health threats.

WHYY • January 31, 2020

'Rotting from the inside:' Leading local developer accused of defective building

More than 20 Streamline buyers report defects in their homes, most related to water infiltration.

WHYY • December 17, 2019

South Philly developer resists calls for less housing, more parking

The proposed developer of 170 apartments in Passyunk Square says he expects his tenants just won’t have many cars.

PlanPhilly • December 4, 2019

As Hao Binh Plaza closes, many nearby Asian businesses thrive

Are the evictions a sign of creeping gentrification in South Philadelphia, or a one-off development in a healthy business environment?

PlanPhilly • November 6, 2019

Fishtowners band together to fight ‘construction destruction'

After a house collapsed, membership in the Riverwards L+I Coalition group soared, and members started getting results.

WHYY • October 30, 2019

The Why podcast: Pennsylvania to vote on Marsy's Law. Here's what's at stake.

A ballot question would add victims' rights to the state constitution, but the ACLU argues it could compromise the rights of the accused.

PlanPhilly • October 22, 2019

Vietnamese bakery is closed; was city agency 'weaponized for gentrification'?

Thomas Sinnison knew he’d eventually have to shut down his acclaimed banh mi shop in Hoa Binh plaza. He just didn’t think it would happen so soon.