The Philadelphia City Council on Thursday approved a bill that would require the administration to collect more data on homelessness and drug overdoses, a move that comes as City Hall focuses on controlling Kensington's open-air drug market.
Thursday's City Council agenda included new rules for registered community organizations in parts of the city, as well as a resolution honoring South Carolina basketball coach and North Philadelphia native Dawn Staley.
Here's what's happening in Congress this week:
What happened this week?
Data collection requirements: The City Council also approved a bill that would require the city to collect and share more data on drug overdoses and homelessness. The bill was sponsored by City Council member Quesi Lozada, who represents part of Kensington, the epicenter of the opioid crisis and an area of focus for the Parker administration.
The law requires cities to track the number of homeless encampments, or “tent cities.” One bill would require Executive Director Adam Thiel's office in charge of city operations to send bimonthly reports to the City Council, including the number of people who have come into contact with police or outreach workers due to “unacceptable camping.” It is obligatory to do so. The council also wants a list of services provided to these people and a list of locations where encampments have repeatedly occurred.
The second bill would require the administration to provide the board with quarterly updates on the number of people to whom first responders have administered naloxone, an opioid reversal drug also known as Narcan. It also requires authorities to submit information on the number of people revived multiple times in a 30-day period and where the drugs were administered, identified by the nearest intersection.
New rules for some RCOs: Registered community organizations would be subject to stricter rules in parts of north and northwest Philadelphia under a bill passed by Congress Thursday.
The bill, authored by City Councilwoman Cindy Bass, mandates the leadership of groups living in neighborhoods represented by recognized neighborhood groups to be involved in zoning issues. This only applies to bus District 8.
What comes next?
Land Bank Public Hearing: The City Council approved a resolution Thursday to hold a public hearing on the performance of the Land Bank, a 10-year-old organization that manages and sells city-owned vacant land. A hearing has not yet been scheduled.
This week's quote
“Norf Philadelphia has an ‘F’ in it.”
It was City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, highlighting where Staley is located in the city. Really from. The national championship-winning women's basketball coach always speaks for her hometown when she talks about her Philadelphia roots.
Inquirer staff writer Jake Blumgart contributed.