If he wants them to get treatment so bad, how about I round up all these junkies in Kensington and put them in his neighborhood?. Philadelphia officials developed what they call the "encampment resolution" process in 2017 after the city swept a . WHYY provides trustworthy, fact-based, local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community. A Google search for Kensington Avenue Philadelphia yields horrendous images of sad-eyed people slumped over in varying poses of despair. This is probably one of the most drug infested streets in Philadelphia. The area is densely residential, but crime rates are highest in this part of Kensington and, because of relocation actions taken by Philadelphia's Police,[7][8] it has the highest concentration of homeless and opioid addicted residents. Philadelphia is known for its rich history, cheesesteak, and love for the Eagles. Speaking as someone coming from this field, it can be unforgiving and thirsty work, defined by small victories and glorious defeats. Heroin isnt sold here muchthat trade is controlled by Latin drug crews in the Badlands. ", "Philly, Conrail near deal on cleanup of Kensington drug encampment", "Mother Jones leading a protest, circa 1903", "Today in labor history: Mother Jones leads march of miners' children", "Kensington: A Lot Of Heart Has Gone Into Revitalizing A Community", "Kensington: Rise and Fall of the Housing Market", "Kensington: Artists Make New Homes Amongst Longtime Residents", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Clifton Mills, 1833 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Clifton Mills, 1809-11 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Columbia Works, 155-59 Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Decorating Plant of Gillinder & Sons' Franklin Flint Glass Works, 1700-06 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Frankford Avenue Baptist Church, 2437-49 Frankford Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Harbisons' Dairies, 2041-55 Coral Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Kensington's historic milk bottle flashing refurbished look", "Kensington's giant milk bottle gets historic designation", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Kensington Hospital for Women, 128-40 Diamond Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Peter Woll & Sons, Curled Hair & Bristles, 173 W. Berks Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places: Second Associate Presbyterian Church, 1527 N. Front Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: The Star Carpet Mills, 1801-03 N. Howard Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Philadelphia Register of Historic Places Nomination: Weisbrod & Hess' Loading Room, Condenser & Storage/Boiler & Wash House, 2117 E. York Street, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA", "Gentrification disproportionately affects minorities", "How Fishtown, Philadelphia Became America's Hottest New Neighborhood", "Philly residents in areas affected by overdoses want a say in talks over a supervised injection site", "SEPTA To Indefinitely Close Somerset Station In Kensington To Develop Safety & Security Strategy, Repairs", "Kensington protests closing of SEPTA's Somerset El station, a lifeline for a battered neighborhood", "SEPTA closing Somerset Station temporarily to fix elevators, confront safety concerns", "SEPTA to Reopen Somerset Station on Monday, April 5 | SEPTA", "Safehouse drops South Philly plans, looks to Kensington after judge suspends launch", "Safehouse vows to take more community input on supervised injection site plans", "Kensington neighbors dismayed by ruling on supervised injection site", "Who We Are - NKCDC - Community development should benefit residents", "Three Catholic schools closing in Bucks County", "As the pandemic surges, 'no one deserves what's brewing in Kensington. The U.S. During my career I concluded we werent making a dent in drug addiction or related crime. All About Max Winkler. Nobody rousts or arrests the line of addicts nodded out in full view in the gutter. Over time black and Hispanic street dealers took over larger portions of the drug trade, especially heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. Parks in and adjacent to the neighborhood include Harrowgate Park, McPherson Square, Hope Park, Fairhill Square Park, Norris Square Park, Mascher Park, Frankford Avenue Garden, Arcadia Commons, Trenton and Auburn Park, Letterly Green, Emerald Park, Konrad Square, and Palmer Park. Community garden spaces in and around the neighborhood include Kensington Corridor Trust Community Garden, NKCDC Garden, Las Parcelas - Norris Square, El Batey - Norris Square, Collins Smith Barrick Play Garden, Emerald Street Community Farm, Rainbow Park, House of Grace Community Garden, Port Kensington, Hart Lane Farm, Circle of Hope / Frankford Ave Garden. Addicts say the police came down hard on indoor drug establishments. Anything else is tantamount to poverty porn and disrespectful to the people who dedicate their lives to making Kensington Avenue a better place. Just a few blocks away, the Kensington Storefront, a collaboration between Impact Services, NKCDC, Mural Arts, Prevention Point Philadelphia and The Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services (DBHIDS), transformed an abandoned Cricket Wireless Store into a hub for arts-based community events, trainings, and meetings. Theres gotta be somewhere you could put your tent, a park, an area, some sort of designated spot, Meyer said. Additionally, there is a large population of homeless individuals. Longtime neighborhood residents, business owners, and some elected officials have been pushing Mayor Kenneys administration to fix the untenable living conditions especially those brought by widespread homelessness. There is no hands-free zone' in the city of Philadelphia, and there never will be, says public-affairs officer Lt. Ray Evers. Natalie Raitano is a fitness instructor and former actress who is most famously known for her role on the show V.I.P. The United States Post Office operates the Kensington Post Office at 1602 Frankford Ave.[47] The U.S. The citys violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas.1 Also alarming is Philadelphias drug overdose rate. As momentum grows, more and more entrepreneurs are looking at Kensington Avenue as a viable corridor for their businesses. Words such "hopeless" and "dystopian" punctuate an endless scrawl of depressing articles. Then enter opiates. They declared a statewide disaster over the drug epidemic in 2017. A "person of interest" in the case, Antonio Rodriguez, was arrested in January 2011. In addition to having a high rate of drug overdose deaths, 80% of Philadelphia's overdose deaths involved opioids, and Kensington is a significant contributor to this figure. Kensington Avenue is infamously regarded as 'the largest open-air drug market on East Coast' In 2019, the city removed four encampments in the area that was known to be frequented by drug. These territorial disputes happen in clear daylight, theres no concern for the repercussions. Is the city now looking the other way when it comes to heroin users? This Philadelphia neighborhood is said to have the largest open-air heroin market on the East Coast, with many neighbors migrating to the area for heroin and other opioids. [48], In 2011 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the closures of three Kensington Catholic schools, as their student numbers had declined: Ascension of Our Lord, St. Anne, and St. Hugh of Cluny.[49]. Using proceeds from the sale of the Hope Farm estate (present day Port Richmond), which included three enslaved people named Abraham, Hannibal, and Phillis,[9] Palmer purchased what was called the Fairman Estate, located along the Delaware River in the Northern Liberties Township (area just north of the City of Philadelphia on the Delaware River). The help is there, but its not enough. Because of the high number of drugs in Kensington, the neighborhood has a drug crime rate of 3.57, the third-highest rate by neighborhood in Philadelphia.3 Like a lot of the country, a big part of this issue is a result of the opioid epidemic. Many of these residents dont have homes. It is craft fully omitted, in lieu of the salacious and the tragic. While most of the large manufacturers have left, the area has many small shops and large renovated factories and warehouses for newer artisans to set up shop. Opioid abuse has skyrocketed in the United States over the last two decades, and Philadelphia is no exception. Ever since the strangler, addict Will Sims says, we do everything out in the open and the cops are cool with it. Several other addicts out here concur: The reason for all the bustle is that Kensington Avenue has become a drug-bust-free zone. Subs are Suboxone, a pill containing buprenophine, a drug that eases the pain of heroin withdrawal. Most dangerous street in PhiladelphiaKensington Philadelphia Drug \u0026 Crime ProblemsViolent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a whole is a major problem. Some people cleared from the street sought out permanent housing or treatment, he said but most of the population wouldnt leave an area where they had easy access to drugs. Safehouse, a nonprofit founded in 2018 with the purpose of opening the first supervised injection site in the country, sought a location in Kensington after their proposed South Philly location ran into opposition from neighbors of the site. Or theyre just going to go to the back streets.. Kensington's river ward identity puts it in contrast with the neighborhoods to its west. When we can make the right connection for people, its really successful, Gladstein said. The city of Philadelphia has set a deadline of Aug. 18 for encampments of people living homeless on the sidewalks of Kensington to be cleared. There was a homeless camp set up in a railroad gulch in Kensington called El Campamento. SBC News 188K subscribers Subscribe 5.3M views 7 months ago #SBCNews Documentary by SBC News covering Streets of. Local news should be free and accessible, which is why we ask readers like you to support our work rather than charging a fee to see it. Two smiling beat cops dressed in crisp, pressed uniforms foot-patrolled the areas perimeter but steered clear of the crowds around Somerset Street. This street wears its heart on its sleeve, triumphs, and failures on full display. Over the next two years, the city closed down four highly visible "tent cities" that grew along a series of underpasses. It happened shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday in the area of Fairhill Square Park at 4th Street and Lehigh Avenue. Some, such as the second location for the Baltimore Avenue-based Vientiane Cafe, are just getting started. Many progressives endorse the idea of allowing addicts to get high in certain sections of cities without fear of arrest. They eventually set up a new encampment under another railway bridge nearby. Looking to be close to Center City by both car and transit, young white collar workers have been moving to cheaper neighborhoods around downtown. With such a high concentration of drugs in Kensington, many state and local officials have focused on the neighborhood in an attempt to address Philadelphia's problem. Subscribe to SBC News: https://www.youtube.com/c/SBCNewsYouTube?sub_confirmation=1#SBCNews Johnson knowseven with a colorful awning and bright lightingher cafe might not get a lot of consumer street traffic. Official estimates vary as to how many people are living on Kensingtons streets. Kensington development team seeks middle ground between gentrification and stagnation. He also sold to recent German fishermen immigrants. The Avenue runs 3 miles through what is now a dangerous and crime-ridden neighborhood. Kensington has several medium and small sized parks and playgrounds which offer a variety of uses for visitors. Opioid abuse has skyrocketed in the United States over the last two decades, and Philadelphia is no exception. Between 2013 and 2015, the number of drug overdose deaths in the city increased by 50%, with more than twice as many deaths from overdoses as homicides. [36] The closure, which happened without consulting with residents and lacked advanced notice,[37] was ostensibly to repair elevators that had been damaged by human waste and trash and concerns about safety for workers. Arrest made after deadly crash in Kensington, Philadelphia police say The incident happened at the intersection of G and Tioga Streets around 4:40 p.m. Nov 13, 2022 00:17 Arrest made after. But a day later, and not far away, on the 1700 block of West Atlantic Street in North Philly, there was bloodshed and death. [35][citation needed]. [32], Kensington's high percentage of low income renters puts its residents at risk of displacement from gentrification. The city's violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas. During the hunt for the strangler, the area was flooded with cops. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? Google Maps borders for Kensington show it including much of what is considered Fishtown and excludes West Kensington. Shes comparatively clean cut, probably from the suburbs or middle-class Northeast Philadelphia, whose residents with a taste for heroin are drawn to Kensington for its freewheeling addiction-bazaar atmosphere. From there, drug dens sprung up across the neighborhood and allowed for gangs to breed in the area. The city's violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas.1 Also alarming is Philadelphia's drug overdose rate. People are scared to take the train to work. Words such hopeless and dystopian punctuate an endless scrawl of depressing articles. Addicts duck into vacant lots on the Avenue after returning from dope corners a couple of blocks away and, barely concealed by high weeds, casually cook and shoot speedballs. Commercial revitalization in the form of businesses a community has use for is a powerful weapon. Addicts say. Palmer laid out his town and sold parcels to many of the shipwrights and shipbuilders who were outgrowing their riverfront lots in present-day Old City, Southwark, and Society Hill areas. In 2017, officials moved to raze a large-scale encampment known as El Campamento that had long existed, hidden out of sight along the Conrail train tracks. The majority of the neighborhood is renter occupied, 55.6% overall, and up to 66.3% in one tract. However, some sections of the neighborhood have been revitalized in recent years, especially those near Frankford Avenue, Kensington's neighbor south of Lehigh Avenue, and Fishtown, another traditionally working-class neighborhood which has seen rents increase. This is Kensington Ave my friend. (Instead of a paywall). Get your daily rundown of Philly happenings in less than 10 minutes, Philadelphia local news: Neighborhoods, politics, food, and fun, Get Philly smart with BPs free daily newsletter. On January 4, 2016, Jim Kenney was sworn in as the 99th Mayor of Philadelphia. Despite research on the positive effects of these sites, the Trump administration blocked them from being established. The drug overdose rate in Philadelphia is also concerning. "The blocks [where drug dealing takes place] never closed," said Christine Russo, 38, who's been using heroin for seven years. Since then, drug activity and homelessness has intensified in the shadow of the El between the Somerset and Allegheny stops on the Market-Frankford Line. Its so well known that a simple Google search for really bad drug areas brings it up. Public schools in Kensington include Kensington High School Complex, Jules E. Mastbaum Vocational Technical High School, Russell Conwell Middle Magnet School and John H. Webster Elementary School. The adjacent Fairhill and Norris Square neighborhoods are more separate but may be included in Kensington; Fishtown and South (Olde) Kensington were previously included but have developed new identities with gentrification. The drugs are just too cheap and too accessible. Over the next two years, the city closed down four highly visible tent cities that grew along a series of underpasses. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Soon, it too will house a commercial tenant and NKCDCs new offices. Construction has started on Penns Landing park over I-95 highway trench. Of the non-Hispanic or Latino population, 19% is White, 15.1% is Black or African American, 3.6% is Asian, and 2.2% identify as two or more races. This should not be ignored, and is, in fact, impossible to avoid. Some even offer free samples. Yellowstone vs Zion: Which National Park Should I Visit? This Philly neighborhood is purportedly the largest open-air narcotics market for heroin on the East Coast with many neighboring residents flocking to the area for heroin and other opioids.4 With such a high number of drugs in Kensington, many state and local officials have zoned in on this area to try and tackle Philadelphias problem. Crack houses and shooting galleries were raided because women could easily get raped and killed there. You cant walk down the sidewalk, he said. A recent piece chronicles the authors adventures day drinking in forgotten Philadelphia. Nine years later and were still talking about it. What sort of reprieve Wednesdays action will offer neighbors and business owners remains unclear. The Decorating Plant of Gillinder & Sons' Franklin Flint Glass Works, 1700-06 N. Howard Street (1876). Kensington Avenue also benefits from the non-profit organizations operating there. In 1903 Mother Jones organized a "Children's Crusade" of children from the local mills and mines to protest against child labor. initially postponed due to a lawsuit filed on behalf of residents. Ironically, even some addicts on Kensington Avenue dont believe in legalization. Police said the victim is a 43-year-old man, who was stabbed multiple times. [52], The neighborhood has gained nationwide attention and great notoriety because of extensive press coverage of its thriving narcotics drug scene, often described as the largest on the east coast. The opioid epidemic has played a significant role in this problem, as it has in much of the rest of the country. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! SEPTA's MarketFrankford Line runs to Center City from Kensington, offering short commute times. Today, the neighborhood is full of decrepit two-story rowhouses and many abandoned commercial spaces: defunct factories and vacant lots. Agraduate of Temple University, he has produced award-winning journalism on local politics, criminal justice, immigration A textile factory will feature apartments and commercial space. Opioid abuse has skyrocketed over the last two decades in the United States and Philadelphia is no exception. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? This summer, the Philadelphia Police Department canceled seven blocks in the area due to safety concerns. Crack, meth, heroin, oxycodone, weed, percocet, PCP these are all the usual suspects around Kensington Ave. Well probably have a detail stationed [there], Alexander said. Between the two encampments targeted on Wednesday, half a dozen other spots continue to grow. Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a whole is a major problem. Frankford Avenue Baptist Church, 2347-49 Frankford Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA (1889). Prevention Point Philadelphia, a public health organization providing harm reduction services to Philadelphia and surrounding areas. The increase in violent crime, homelessness, and out-of-control drug use in Kensington are far greater threats to residents of Philadelphia. Those of us who work and have worked in this community are routinely disappointed by these narratives, and the merchants on Kensington Avenue have their livelihood betrayed by them. It was a scene that rivaled the aftermath of a storm, its victims caught up in forces that leave many hungry, homeless and hopeless. In-depth, original reporting on housing, transportation, and development. Mattresses lie in the mud along the railway where prostitutes trick, and rapes and assaults are common. The camp was cleared, the people chose new spots in the neighborhood to overrun with used needles, overdoses, and trash. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. The town of Kensington was named for the area in London known as Kensington, which had been recently established as the residency of the British crown. The intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues (commonly referred to by Philadelphians as "K & A") is a major transportation and retail hub in the Kensington neighborhood, as it is served by the Frankford Elevated portion of the MarketFrankford Line which, running on top of Kensington Avenue, dominates the intersection. Jason Meyer watched from his wheelchair as city personnel tried to clean up the chaos near Kensington and Allegheny avenues on Wednesday morning. The city sees hope in this kind of intervention. This train starts at Bridge st. From Frankford , Juanita, Kensington and Fishtown. Parts of it were once called the 'Badlands' and it is hell on earth. City personnel help to clear an encampment on the 3200 block of Kensington Avenue, raze a large-scale encampment known as El Campamento, after SEPTA briefly closed the Somerset El stop. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened.. 14 19 . 4 2023 , ! Neighborhood residents have raged against City Hall for years over the litany of woes from drug dealing to missed trash collection. Parents will walk their children to the bus stop, even if it can be seen from their front door, and wait there with them until the bus comes. Forgotten by whom? Kensington Blues is a photography series by Jeffrey Stockbridge, 36, that documented the struggles and the dark reality of local residents. Its an environment, they say, that is more tolerant of drug use than ever. However, heroin and fentanyl is without a doubt the most popular drugs. There are real, endemic issues at play on the Avenue. Its a scene that will look familiar to viewers of HBOs The Wire, an episode of which, titled Hamsterdam, showed Baltimore police effectively legalizing drugs within an established zone of an infested neighborhood. Franklin oversaw narcotics operations around Baltimore for much of his 34 years in law enforcement and knows well the futility of locking up addicts en masse. [53][54] The intersection of Kensington Avenue and Somerset Street was listed number one in a 2007 list of the city's top ten recreational drug corners according to an article by Philadelphia Weekly reporter Steve Volk. Central Kensington, or "the Heart of Kensington" as it is called in a recent Impact Services neighborhood plan,[6] stretches along Kensington Avenue from Tusculum and Somerset Streets to Tioga Street (see Impact Services plan[6] for a more accurate map). It happened just after 12 p.m. Sunday on the 3300 block of Kensington. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Avenue, What happened today, Aug, 2021. kimgary 267K subscribers Subscribe 5.3M views 1 year ago Show more 1.9M views New Orleans Tourist Traps and Things to. [34], Kensington is home to a large population homeless individuals, many of whom suffer from addiction. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. But despite its joys, a neighborhood called Kensington made a name for itself as home to the nation's highest rates of heroin overdoses. "Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a . The Tracks, a mile-long wooded stretch of shipping railway cutting across the Badlands, is a section of Philadelphia long ago ceded by law enforcement to drug users. At 3525 Kensington Avenue, right in the middle of the block, Sherimane Johnson will open Naturally Sweet Desserts, a vegan cafe and bakery that will deliver all over the city and be open all day for local residents. Max Winkler is an American director, writer and producer and is also the son of legendary actor Henry Winker. Fentanyl has devastating withdrawal effects, though. Youre out there talking to junkies with a couple ounces of drugs in them who cant be trusted to make a lucid statement.. But this is an ongoing process. Eva Gladstein, Philadelphias deputy managing director for Health and Human Services, said outreach teams have helped more than 20 people connect with social services during the last month of engagement at the two targeted camps, plus an additional four people on Wednesday morning. They have attempted to clean up the neighborhoods, planting trees and replacing broken street lights. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave Documentary, June 23-24, 2022. In the early 19th century, Kensington transitioned to iron and steel manufacturing[11] and became home to a variety of factories, potteries, and machine works. This energy is not relegated to existing businesses. Skidrownews July 1, 2021 12:21 pm Most dangerous street in Philadelphia Kensington Philadelphia Drug & Crime Problems Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a whole is a major problem. Mark Squilla is the Councilmember for District 1 and Maria D. Quiones Snchez is the Councilmember for District 7. People are hanging out everywhere, turning tricks and working petty hustles. [39], The proposal to open a supervised injection site in Kensington has faced backlash from residents, despite the area's prevalent public drug use. Kensington has become a welter of crisscrossing needs and opinions, a civic puzzle no one's been able to solve. With the promise of rent subsidies and financial technical assistance from Shift and partners, nine new businesses will be opening shop on Kensington Avenue by this summer. 2913-15 Kensington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19134 (215) 634-5272 Prevention Point Philadelphia is a harm reduction center that provides syringe exchange services, free medical care, linkage to drug treatment, housing services, HIV/HCV testing, free meals, mail services, medical care, legal services and overdose prevention, and reversal training. Even Dr. Oz took the time to show us a Kensington Avenue as a "hellscape." Disinvestment and general neglect has led to high abandonment in some sections of the neighborhood, catalyzing several grassroots actions from its residents. Since Mayor Jim Kenney took office in 2015, encampment closures in the name of public health and safety have been a near constant in Kensington. Emerald Street, Tulip Street, Kensington Avenue, Frankford Avenue the city shut them down one by one, vowing improvement at every step of the way. [10] Initially, employment focused around the nearby waterfront and the activities of fishermen and ship- and boatbuilders. Gladstein acknowledged the problem is too vast to contain with just targeted actions like the one Wednesday morning. "[12][13][14], Deindustrialization eventually took hold in the neighborhood in the 1950s, leading to a significant population loss, high unemployment, economic decline, and abandoned homes. But about 15 people remained around 8 a.m., many shielding their faces from news cameras as outreach workers helped them fill plastic bins with their belongings. There is a common criticism that officials would never let this happen in whiter, more affluent parts of the city.