City Council Looks To Improve Philadelphia Neighborhoods
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Philadelphia City Council is developing an action plan to use data and technology to document quality of life issues -- especially in neighborhoods that have some catching up to do.
City Council President Darrell Clarke and his colleagues are pushing a Community Sustainability Initiative (CSI) to "make every neighborhood a community of choice."
He says most of Center City, University City and Northern Liberties are gaining in key categories, including population, services and amenities, but other neighborhoods are lagging behind in quality of life attributes:
"Is there a strategy? Is there a policy? Is there a game plan for the rest of the city? And the response was essentially, no."
Herb Wetzel, who works in Council President Clarke's office, says they want to find out why some neighborhoods are less attractive, especially those without strong community organizers, and then focus public policy on helping them:
"Every neighborhood a community of choice...meaning that it would be safe, stable and sustainable.'
Clarke says the data-intensive strategy will help inform policy, planning and budget decisions.