Community-Wealth City: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia is a diverse city spread across many ethnic neighborhoods. According to 2006 American Community Survey of the US Census Bureau, Philadelphia’s population is about 40% white, 45% African American, 5% Asian, and 10% Latino. The city is home to the nation’s second largest Irish and Italian communities and the nation’s fourth largest African American and Polish communities.

America’s sixth largest city, Philadelphia has nonetheless seen its population drift steadily downward from a high of over two million in 1950 to just under 1.45 million as of 2006. There are signs, however, of revival of Philadelphia’s urban core. Michael Nutter, elected Mayor of Philadelphia in January 2008, has set a goal to increase the city’s population by 75,000 over the next five-to-ten years. He has also pledged support for a range of community wealth building initiatives including technical assistance for Philadelphia CDCs and full funding for the City’s Housing Trust Fund.

The City of Brotherly Love is home to a number of innovative community wealth building initiatives. One example is provided by the University of Pennsylvania, which has shifted over 10 percent of its annual purchasing to local vendors, thus injecting an estimated $80 million into the West Philadelphia economy in 2006-2007 and thereby generating jobs for residents in these low-income areas. The University plans to increase this amount to $120 million by 2010. However, along with the successful revitalization of West Philadelphia, Penn’s efforts have also led to gentrification, with rising property values forcing out some unprotected low-income residents. Going forward, the university faces a delicate balancing act between continued growth and development and protecting low- and moderate-income families who live there.

Another unique project that has helped transform the city is Philadelphia Green, the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society’s extensive urban greening project,. Since 1974, Philadelphia Green has partnered with residents, community organizations, government, businesses, and other service agencies to maintain city parks, clean four million square feet throughout many neighborhoods, and address the problem of vacant land throughout the city.

An overview of community wealth building efforts follows:

Anchor Institutions

Greater Philadelphia Federation of Settlements
www.greatsettlements.org
Since its founding in 1906, the Greater Philadelphia Federation of Settlements has helped improve communities by strengthening families and civic life. The group achieves this mission through working with 17 settlement houses and neighborhood centers—community-based anchor institutions that provide services for low-income families, children and youth—reaching over 100,000 people a year.

The Partnership Community Development Corporation
www.thepartnershipcdc.org
Founded in 1992, The Partnership CDC (formerly West Philadelphia Partnership), in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania, health care institutions, and local companies, community development corporations, and neighborhood associations, is working to strengthen neighborhoods and the overall city by building affordable housing, spurring job creation and fostering economic development in West Philadelphia. It has provided credit counseling and financial literacy to 6,400 families and has invested more than $64 million dollars into the local community.

Community Development Corporations

Asociación Puertorriqueños En Marcha
www.apmphila.org
Founded in 1970, Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha has constructed more than 210 affordable rental units and is a leading provider of social services for Philadelphia’s Puerto Rican community. The group has also been a commercial developer. Along with Gateway/Boriquen Plaza, a 44,000-square-foot supermarket and commercial center, APM manages more than $50 million in development projects.

Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation
www.gghdc.org
Formed in 1977, Greater Germantown Housing Development Corporation has built over 400 units of housing and apartments, and a 20,000-foot retail center within Philadelphia’s Germantown community. The group also manages 465 residential apartments, has helped with repairs on 300 more, and has renovated another 130. Its community outreach also extends to an Entrepreneurial Training Program, which focuses on starting new businesses within the community.

Mt. Airy USA Community Development Corporation
www.mtairyusa.org
Administered by a 27-member board of directors, including lawyers, community activists, design professionals, realtors, foundation staff, and small business owners, the Mt. Airy, USA CDC is working to redevelop the Mt. Airy community in a manner that is reflective of local needs and concerns. Founded in 1980 to restore dilapidated commercial storefronts, the group has since expanded its efforts to include housing counseling for first-time homebuyers, housing rehab and sale, commercial rehab and sale, summer youth employment and small business assistance.

New Kensington Community Development Corporation
www.nkcdc.org
New Kensington Community Development Corporation’s mission is to work collectively with the community to promote increased economic development, improved physical environment, and an overall better quality of life for community residents. The group focuses on five specific program areas – economic development, community organizing, real estate development, land use management, and housing counseling. Each year NKCDC assists more than 10,000 low- and moderate-income families.

People’s Emergency Center
www.pec-cares.org
Founded in 1972, with a $12,000 budget and the goal of providing emergency shelter and food to members of the community, the People’s Emergency Center, with almost $6 million in revenue in 2007, has expanded it capabilities to help families break out of the cycle of homelessness and poverty in West Philadelphia. The group now provides housing, individual and family services, parent and child education, and employment training, allowing families to become independent and self-sufficient. Through its community development corporation subsidiary, the group provides financial literacy classes and supports neighborhood revitalization. Since 1992, it has raised almost $40 million to revitalize the West Powelton, Saunders Park, and Mantua neighborhoods.

Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations
www.pacdc.org
With its focus on advocacy, policy development and technical assistance for community development corporations, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations has secured more than $120 million in new City and State resources for CDCs in Philadelphia since its founding in 2001.

Philadelphia Chinatown Community Development Corporation
www.chinatown-pcdc.org
Beginning as a grassroots movement in 1966 in response to city-planned urban development, Philadelphia Chinatown Community Development Corporation has grown into a prominent advocacy group, responsible for the planning and redevelopment of the Chinatown community. Among its main goals is providing affordable housing and finding solutions to the rising property prices in Chinatown that are hurting lower income families and small businesses.

Project HOME
www.projecthome.net
Project H.O.M.E. works to lift community members out of the cycle of homelessness and poverty through affordable housing, employment, education and health care. Founded in 1989, Project H.O.M.E has grown from an emergency winter shelter to 447-units of housing and 3 businesses that can employ members of the community. It has also secured more than $50 million in equity for housing and economic development.

Women’s Community Revitalization Project
www.wcrpphila.com
Specifically focusing on lower income women and their families for over 20 years, Women’s Community Revitalization Project, as of June 2008, has built more than 130 units of housing, invested more than $19 million into the community, and has 50 more units of housing planned. It is also involved in providing financial and family services to women in the community and has helped construct more than $20 million worth of community centers, childcare facilities, and social service agencies. Placing a strong emphasis on community greening, WCRP has converted 45 industrial lots and 80 spots overall into green spaces.

Community Development Financial Institutions

The Reinvestment Fund
www.trfund.com
Founded in 1985, TRF is an umbrella group that oversees a host of community development loan and venture funds that invest in the Mid-Atlantic region. As of 2007, TRF has managed over $700 million in capital. To date, TRF financing has helped create or preserve over 16,000 housing units, 420 businesses, 22,000 charter school slots, 35,000 jobs and 1.53 million megawatt-hours of clean energy, or enough power to run 150,000 homes for a year

Community Innovations

White Dog Café
www.whitedog.com
Established in 1983 as a take-out coffee and muffin shop, White Dog Café has become nationally known for its commitment to social action — purchasing 100 percent renewable wind energy, employing more than 100 employees at a livable wage, and buying humanely raised animal products from local farmers. WDC has also had an impact within the community, forming White Dog Community Enterprises in 2002 (formerly White Dog Café Foundation). WDCE’s mission is to expand on the lessons learned by White Dog Café and to continue working towards a Philadelphia community that is inclusive, just, environmentally healthy, and based on local business ownership.

Community Land Trusts

Life Center Association
www.vortexhouse.org/LCA/history.shtml
Originally associated with the activist group Movement for a New Society, Life Center Association transformed from communal housing to a community land trust in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s as it acquired more properties. Having shifted its focus from only serving activists to low-income individuals in the area, LCA now owns seven properties and has moved towards more community organizing.

Cooperatives

The Energy Cooperative
www.eastendfood.coop
Started in 1979 as a spin off from Weavers Way Food Co-op, The Energy Co-op has expanded over the years to become a provider of renewable electricity, including solar, wind, hydropower, biomass and bio-diesel. As of 2007, the cooperative has about 6,500 members. In 2006, it enjoyed nearly $2.7 million in revenues.

Friends Housing Cooperative
www.friendshousingcooperative.com
Due to the lack of affordable, urban housing in Philadelphia, the Quakers established Friends Cooperative Housing in 1952 as a service cooperative for low-income residents. FHC, consisting of 83 apartment units, covers an entire city block of 1860’s brick townhomes.

Mariposa Food Co-op
www.mariposa.coop
Founded in 1961, Mariposa has undergone rapid expansion, surging from 300 members in 2006 to 700 members in 2008. Mariposa is one of only three remaining food cooperatives in the United States that requires membership in order to shop. Mariposa has only five part-time staff and relies heavily on its members, who must work two hours once every four weeks. The principles of member participation, community, and democratic control are fundamental to the running of Mariposa and are reflected in work requirements for members, special preference for less well off community members, and member roles in all major policy and structural decisions.

Nexus
www.nexusphiladelphia.org
Founded in 1975 as the first artist-run cooperative in Philadelphia, Nexus provides emerging artists a creative forum to display their artwork free from censorship and commercial restrictions. With 26 members, Nexus, in addition to its focus on contemporary art, offers free artist lectures, panel discussions, exhibition catalogs, workshops, and performances.

Weavers Way Co-op
www.weaversway.coop
In 1972, the Weavers Way Co-op started in store so small that six shoppers would make it extremely crowded. As of 2007, Weavers Way Co-op had over 3,300 members and generated $7 million in revenue. Over the years, it has successfully helped spin off other co-op enterprises, including the Energy Co-op and most recently a second Weavers Way Co-op, which opened in July 2008. Weavers Way also runs various community programs, working with local schools on activities that range from reinforcing basic math and English skills to promoting environmental friendly practices.

Employee Ownership

Pennock
www.pennock.com/hist.htm
Originally founded in 1882 as a private wholesaler in the floral industry, Pennock became an employee-owned company after the death of owner Samuel S. Pennock one hundred years later. Now as an ESOP, the business has grown to have over 350 employee-owners with business operations in eight cities.

Urban Engineers, Inc.
www.urbanengineers.com
As of 2005, Urban Engineers, a company founded in Philadelphia in 1960, was a 40-percent employee-owned company, a percentage that grows each year. In 2007, Urban Engineers was selected as one of the 100 “Best Places to Work” for large companies (more than 251 employees) in Pennsylvania. It is a growing company with a strong commitment to sustainable engineering designs and management.

Green, Community-Oriented Enterprises

Greensgrow Farm
www.greensgrow.org
Greensgrow Farm was established in 1998 in Kensington on the site of a former steel plant. As a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group with 215 members, Greensgrow Farm is committed to building an integrated local community, providing bread and humanely raised meat and dairy products from rural farmers and local small businesses in addition to its own local grown produce. The farm is devoted to sustainable green business, beginning to make biodiesel out of waste oil from a local restaurant and collaborating with a group of Industrial Design students from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia to create a new green Farm Stand structure.

PhillyCarShare
www.phillycarshare.org
PhillyCarShare strives to reduce the usage of automobiles through a non-profit community-based sharing program that serves both city employees and private residents in Philadelphia. It has helped eliminate 330 municipal vehicles, saving Philadelphia taxpayers over $7 million dollars. Overall it helps keep 12,000 new cars off the road, promotes more environmentally friendly transportation practices, and generates a $90 million annual economic boost from residents’ savings for the city.

Phildaelphia Green (Pennsylvania Horticulture Society)
www.pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/phlgreen/index.html
An extensive urban greening program of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society, Philadelphia Green began in 1974, promoting the creation of new green spaces out of vacant lots and encouraging the restoration of existing parks and landscapes. This program helps maintain more than 70 neighborhood parks, numerous high profile sites such as the grounds of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the 26th Street Gateway, and has cleaned and cared for more than four million square feet of land throughout 16 neighborhoods.

Municipal Enterprise

Philadelphia Gas Works
www.pgworks.com/careers
Providing gas service to more than half a million customers, Philadelphia Gas Works, established in 1836, is the largest municipally owned gas utility in the United States. PGW has several programs geared to assisting low-income residents, including Customer Responsibility Program, which provides discounts for families who make under 150 percent of the poverty line, and Conservation Works Program, which works to reduce low-income residents energy usage.

Social Enterprise

Resources for Human Development
www.rhd.org
Founded in 1970, Resources for Human Development serves people who are homeless, mentally ill, developmentally disabled, and drug addicted. The group, which has a budget of $165 million and operates in 11 states, increasingly engages in social enterprise to raise revenue and meet service needs.

State and Local Investment

BioAdvance
www.bioadvance.com
BioAdvance was established in 2002 with a grant of $33.8 million from tobacco settlement money to use as seed money to finance venture investments in the life sciences industry in southern Pennsylvania. As one of three funds statewide, it is part of a larger program that has dedicated 19 percent (or $2 billion) of the state's tobacco settlement money to develop biotechnology and related industry.

Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation
www.pidc-pa.org
Established in 1958 by the city of Philadelphia and the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation promotes economic development through loan, financing, tax incentive, and work force development programs. Throughout its 50 years, PIDC has conducted more than 5,350 individual transactions, totaling more than $15 billion in project costs, and has helped retain or create more than 442,000 jobs.

State and Local Policy

The Benefit Bank
www.thebenefitbank.com
Every year, low-income households nationwide fail to claim billions of dollars in government benefits. Since 2002, the Benefit Bank has assisted low-income households to gain access to tax credits and public benefit programs. In 2007, it helped over 6,000 people file their tax returns (generating $7.5 million in tax refunds and credits) and assisted more than 2,000 people to receive more than $2.2 million in food stamp allocations. From its start in Pennsylvania, the Benefit Bank is now located in eight states.

University-Community Partnerships

Netter Center for Community Partnerships (University of Pennsylvania)
www.upenn.edu/ccp
The Center for Community Partnerships is the University of Pennsylvania's primary vehicle for community-oriented real-world problem solving. The center enlists the broad range of knowledge available at a research university in its efforts to help solve the complex, comprehensive and interconnected problems of the American city. By linking theory with application, CCP works to create a mutually beneficial relationship between the University and the West Philadelphia community. The center's programs focus on local schools, urban nutrition, and other community initiatives.

Partnership Schools (Temple University)
www.temple.edu/partnershipschools
In collaboration with the city of Philadelphia, Temple has been given control of the reform strategy, educational program and professional development activities of Partnership Schools in the North Philadelphia area. Utilizing its resources as an academic institution of higher learning, Temple has contributed $500,000 and has helped raised over $1 million for the students of these schools.