At an NKCDC open house on Tuesday, executive director Bill McKinney said we are at a pivotal time in Kensington.
For years, Kensington residents have watched a parade of plans and solutions come through our neighborhood. None of those plans put Kensington residents in charge.
After years of efforts by residents and community groups, in March 2021, hundreds of people marched from the shuttered Somerset El stop to demand “safety and solutions” for Kensington. Then, in the summer of 2021, a group of residents and civic organizations started meeting together and agreeing on their priorities to improve their own neighborhood.
At the same time, two local nonprofits—Impact Services and NKCDC—realized we were not working as collaboratively as we should. We took a fresh look at existing community plans and decided to work together to meet neighborhood goals.
The result of these collaborations has been more resources and more impact. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, City of Philadelphia, and nonprofit foundations stepped forward with funding to buy and develop property and run programs that Kensington needs.
Now we have learned that an additional $7.5 million is coming to Kensington to help keep neighbors in their homes with home repair, rental assistance, foreclosure prevention and other supports to counteract the devastating impact the opioid epidemic has had on our community.
But this is not the city’s, or NKCDC’s, or some politician’s plan—this can be a plan that is designed, implemented, and evaluated by Kensington residents. Be a part of planning Kensington’s future. Join in at kensingtonplan.org.