Publications

A man just robbed one of our member's  front stoop at 23rd and Spruce.  The man was traveling with a female companion and after walking past once, tried to grab the package on one attempt, stopped, circled back and successfully grabbed it the second attempt.

The member had a door cam and managed to take pictures of suspects.  They were reported to the police.

Center City Residents Association is reaching out to our community to help meet an urgent and growing need.  At this time of the Coronavirus, a large number of patients with critical medical situations still must travel to town for non-elective, out-patient care: families with sick children; adult and pediatric oncology patients; pregnant moms with medical complications are among those who do not have a lodging option. 

Most importantly, the Ronald McDonald Houses are no longer accepting new families, and the Hope Family Lodge for cancer patients closed March 27, with 30-plus patients who were at this facility being forced to leave.

For 20 years the Greater Philadelphia non-profit HOSTS for HOSPITALS has provided lodging and support at volunteer Host-homes for patients and their families who travel here for specialized medical care.  HOSTS for HOSPITALS now asks that anyone with a private, furnished lodging setting contact them to potentially help patient-families in need: homes, apartments, AirBnBs, in-law suites or other spaces that adhere to social distancing.  If you know of such a resource please contact Executive Director, Mike Aichenbaum at 484-380-2999, or lodging@hostsforhospitals.org.  (HostsforHospitals.org)

https://thephiladelphiacitizen.org/things-to-do-in-philadelphia-during-coronavirus/

https://www.phila.gov/2020-04-10-an-open-letter-from-mayor-kenney-to-philadelphians/

Dining Out for Life is now Dining In for Life

In light of our current crisis, Dining for Life is asking us to support the remaining restaurants still open in our respective areas.  Historically on April 30, participating restaurants would donate 33% of their proceeds to the Dining Out for Life campaign.  This year they are asking us to:

1. Buy a gift card to a restaurant to use when the restaurant re-opens.

2. Order takeout or delivery from restaurants that are offering this option.

3. Donate to an online restaurant fundraiser. 

4. On April 30, you can Dine In for Life by ordering takeout or delivery from a Dining Out For Life restaurant. Post photos of your meal on social media with the hashtag #DineInEndHIVPHL, and be sure to tag the restaurant, too!

SEPTA is making major changes across all transportation services after a third employee died from the coronavirus. Beginning Thursday, 4/9,  SEPTA will operate on a “life service schedule.”

The changes include closing 10 Market-Frankford Line stations and eight Broad Street Line and Broad-Ridge Spur stations while also limiting bus and trolley service.

The station closures include:

• Market-Frankford Line: Church, Tioga, Somerset, York-Dauphin, 2nd Street, 5th Street, 13th Street, 56th Street, 63rd Street and Millbourne.
• Broad Street Line/Ridge Spur: Tasker-Morris, Lombard-South, Spring Garden, Fairmount, Susquehanna-Dauphin, Wyoming, Logan and Chinatown.

SEPTA says all operating buses, subways and trolleys will continue to run on a Saturday schedule and open Regional Rail service will run every two hours.

Recycling materials will be collected on an every other week schedule.  Residents should hold their recycling materials for the week of Monday, 4/6 through Saturday, 4/11.  Recycling collection will resume on Monday, 4/13 with every other week collections through 5/15 or further.

Dear Members:

I hope you, your family, and friends are successfully navigating the near lockdown conditions under which we're operating and are remaining healthy.  I am glad to report that no one on staff and the board has notified me that they have coronavirus.  Here's some updates.

Travis Oliver, our operations manager, has been successfully working remotely.  There was a case of Coronavirus at WeWork, where the office is located; after deep cleaning, card holders do have access to the facility.  But now there's a stay-at-home order in place, we have been managing remotely.

We are increasing our communications to members, to be a resource in these difficult times.  These include:

• Useful information about the Coronavirus as well as links to resources to help you cope with the new normal, including open local restaurants and stores
• Articles/information about how to spend your time, volunteer, or otherwise cope as they become available

Let Travis know if you have any other ideas.

Survey Results- a of Saturday, 3/28, we have received 235 responses to our member survey, and none (as far as I know) from any of the other organizations we asked to distribute on our behalf.

Zoning Committee--The zoning committee did not meet in March; their next scheduled meeting is April 28, 2020.  We are looking into holding a virtual meeting, where public comment is invited.  Luckily, the City is granting RCOs lots of flexibility when it comes to meeting our requirements of public accountability, made easier by their suspension of CDR and ZBA hearings.

Parkway Development, 23^rd and Market-Originally the developer was on the April 7 Civic Design Review agenda; that meeting has been cancelled.   The earliest available meeting is now April 21, 2020.  Both the major development task force and entire board need to vote before the CDR meeting.  

Annual Meeting - we are currently planning our annual meeting for May.  

So sorry for the lengthy message, but a fair amount has gone on despite the virus crisis.  I am so happy with the way we have continued to operate and communicate so well in this time. 

Stay safe, keep in touch, and hope you enjoy some of these jokes.

Maggie Mund - President

Police are investigating a case of vandalism against the owner, Joel Freedman, of the now-closed Hahnemann Hospital.  Someone sprayed "Joel Kills" and "Free Hahnemann" on the home on the near 21st and Locust Streets.

The graffiti comes after the City had been negotiating with Freedman to try to reopen the the hospital, but they couldn't reach an agreement on how much Freedman would charge the City.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Philadelphia police say there’s been an uptick in vehicle break-ins amid the coronavirus outbreak. According to police, thieves have been targeting cars with water bottles and cleaning supplies left at plain sight.

© Provided by CBS Philadelphia

Police tweeted Tuesday warning residents to not leave anything valuable inside their vehicles.

“Thieves are targeting common items such as bottled water, cleaning products, and other household items,” police said. “Please do not leave these items or any valuables in your vehicle and always keep your vehicle locked.”