Latinos make up nearly 15 percent of Philadelphia’s population and form its poorest minority group — 38 percent live in poverty, according to census data. But step inside a city homeless shelter and there are few Latinos. Nationally, and in Philadelphia, they represent a small fraction of people in shelters. | From: Philadelphia Media Network (Read more.)
At least for some Pennsylvanians, like ND, who served time in the ’90s for misdemeanors: “My record should be clean just like me.” | From Generocity (Read more.)
From Generocity: “As Hispanic people,” said President and CEO Rev. Luis Cortés, “we need to build institutions that we control.” Here’s the ethos behind the North Philadelphia nonprofit’s long-term community engagement strategy. (Read more.)
From Plan Philly: In December, Minneapolis confronted a growing affordability crisis and longstanding patterns of racial segregation with a City Council vote in favor of a plan to eliminate single-family zoning, a classification that dominates in Philadelphia. (Read more.)
From Philadelphia Media Network: The problem has been most severe, researchers found, in the Philadelphia metro division, where nearly 75 percent of low- or moderate-income homeowners who sought home improvement loans were denied between 2015 and 2017. (Read more.)
From WHYY: Despite being America’s poorest big city, Philadelphia has surprisingly low rates of homelessness compared to other large cities like Los Angeles and New York. What’s behind this counterintuitive trend? (Read more.)
From WHYY: More than one quarter of Philadelphia residents — roughly 400,000 people — live below the poverty line. As of January, 1,083 people live on the streets, according to city data. (Read more.)
From Plan Philly: Early next year, with the help of some state funding, the city is expected to launch a pilot program that will hand out loans to “small landlords” — those who own four or fewer units to make repairs. (Read more.)
From Generocity: Only 71.6 percent of households in the city had broadband in 2017, compared to 83.5 percent nationally. On the bright side, smartphone users in Center City can now use five of an eventual 100 kiosks to access the internet. (Read more.)
From Philadelphia Media Network: New census data released last week confirms what many in the city have long suspected: Big swaths of Philadelphia are nearly off the grid, with minimal access to fast internet services in their homes. (Read more.)
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