Philadelphia 2035 (York, Washington, Penn: winery, live music, sales)

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by Pennsport

This is happening all over the country. Once the U.S. lost our solidly-paying middle class jobs (and the pensions with them), the rift between the "haves" and "havenots" opened on a large scale. It has been growing ever since. There really isn't a real solution short of either a) changing our economy from a free-market capitalist model to something more akin to socialism; b) aggressively re-establishing a domestic industrial industry and providing meaningful incentives for Americans to buy American made products; or c) just realizing that some people will be priced out of areas and will have to relocate. It's the way of the world - constantly changing. Just because a part-time chef could afford to live on the beach in San Diego in 1970 doesn't mean that can, or should, be the case today.

Bingo.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Poverty is the #1 problem facing the city, which results in several other problems, increased crime, lack of training/ inadequate preparation to enter the workforce.

I don't have much faith in leadership to actually address poverty, though it was great to see the rate dip back below 25%, and the recently released "poverty reduction plan" had a few points that I actually agree with.

On the other end of the spectrum (as of late), Philadelphia turned a corner with the amount of construction expanding within and beyond Center City, capital/investment interest, record tourism, etc. That will continue to take off emulating NYC and DC.

How do we begin to bridge that gap?

I think these examples are a start... https://www.phila.gov/2019-07-25-now...eship-program/

Post Brothers launched an apprentice program last year well, giving disadvantaged Philadelphians a real chance at breaking the status quo.

The constant push for affordable housing from certain city officials is only a band-aid and its odd how affordable housing is the still the primary focus of lifting Philadelphians out of poverty. Its certainly an important factor to consider, but people need work and training first... my two cents.

I do think the inevitable emulation of NYC and DC is happening faster than addressing the poverty rate.

Jon Geeting, who has moved on from journalism to political advocacy, made a point in a Next City essay in 2014 I still consider salient today:

Philly Has an Income Problem, Not a Housing Affordability Problem | Next City

The average house value in this city remains below $200k, and average sale prices hover around $250k. Those figures are, if not the lowest in the Northeast, surpassed only by those in Baltimore, and they compare favorably with some cities in the interior of the country.

This 2018 article that ran on the site I edit reinforces Jon's point. The housing cost and rent indices in the study in question are set so that the average values in New York City =100. The corresponding indices for Philadelphia? For ownership, 83.46. For rent, 48.09.

Yet the median incomes here make coming out ahead after all monthly expenses are taken into account impossible, according to this study.

What this suggests to me is that if we get more Philadelphians into good-paying jobs, we can make real progress on this affordability issue. Construction jobs qualify, but the local construction trades unions have kept minorities from getting all but the most menial ones by and large for several decades.

Post Brothers took them on over Goldtex, and this latest announcement shows the Pestronks continue to put their money where their mouths are. Matt and Mike are opportunists by their own description, but they're also committed to creating opportunity for the disadvantaged in one of the few careers where one can get paid well without a college degree. To me, that makes their projects very much worth the rent they charge for them.

[cpomp]

GDP data released.

PA performing well. (This was prior to the virus).

https://www.bea.gov/system/files/202...pstate0420.pdf

[KoNgFooCj]

As far as transportation goes, if they could permanently fix Roosevelt Blvd, like lower it or raise it away from all the local traffic and people, I wouldn't even care if Philly never builds another subway line in my lifetime. Reconfiguring the Blvd would save lives, and honestly probably make up for the lack of a Northeast subway line, as it would speed traffic flow up there so much.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by KoNgFooCj

As far as transportation goes, if they could permanently fix Roosevelt Blvd, like lower it or raise it away from all the local traffic and people, I wouldn't even care if Philly never builds another subway line in my lifetime. Reconfiguring the Blvd would save lives, and honestly probably make up for the lack of a Northeast subway line, as it would speed traffic flow up there so much.

What makes you think that reconfiguring the Boulevard and building the Northeast Spur subway are mutually exclusive? You might want to read this essay I wrote eight years ago:

A Case for an Urban Expressway | Hidden City Philadelphia

The median of Roosevelt Boulevard is wide enough for most of its length that if you depressed the inner lanes and turned them into the freeway everyone driving on the Boulevard thinks it is, you could run a rapid transit line up its median, Chicago-style.

Win-win-win for everyone.

[thedirtypirate]

According to this post: https://www.city-data.com/forum/city...esponse-3.html

Philadelphia is at the bottom in terms of census response. Highly disappointing considering for every one person that doesn't respond back, the city/county loses an estimated $10,000 in federal funding over the decade.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

According to this post: https://www.city-data.com/forum/city...esponse-3.html

Philadelphia is at the bottom in terms of census response. Highly disappointing considering for every one person that doesn't respond back, the city/county loses an estimated $10,000 in federal funding over the decade.

Yep, well, I said a long time ago(way before the pandemic) that the census would be crappola in any case. No matter how one frames it or how it's described wrt importance, people are too lazy to grasp it and how it impacts them directly. It's kind of like voting. Americans don't care enough about that either.

[TownDweller]

Originally Posted by kyb01

No matter how one frames it or how it's described wrt importance, people are too lazy to grasp it and how it impacts them directly. It's kind of like voting. Americans don't care enough about that either.

The level of apathy really is shocking. And with an election as pivotal as the one this year, we'll still be lucky to get much above 50% turnout.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by TownDweller

The level of apathy really is shocking. And with an election as pivotal as the one this year, we'll still be lucky to get much above 50% turnout.

Yes, it is shocking.. Maybe mail in voting will help. I was very happy to see that PA has set that up for the primary.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Yes, it is shocking.. Maybe mail in voting will help. I was very happy to see that PA has set that up for the primary.

...and all state elections going forward.

Actually, the change in the state election law that allowed this occurred last year, I think. The requirement that someone state a reason they will not be able to vote in person in order to receive a mail-in (absentee) ballot was removed.

My mail ballot arrived this past Tuesday.