November 2014
Cedar Park Neighbors Newsletter President’s Message: Development and Diversity, a Balancing Act By Michael Froehlich ast weekend, a friend invited me L to her house for a dinner party. As I got ready to leave on Saturday night, I
double-checked the invitation to remember her street number, and saw she no longer lived in the neighborhood. “You live in Kensington now?” I texted her. A few minutes later she replied: “It’s true. I was priced out.” There have always been amazing things happening in Cedar Park, and as more people outside of Cedar Park recognize its beauty, its convenience to Center City, its relative affordability, and the wonderful people who live here, they want to move in. As demand to live in our neighborhood increases, rents and home prices increase. In fact, according to one recent report by a University of Pennsylvania economist, rents in our neighborhood increased 62% from 2010 to 2014, topping neighborhoods such as Bella Vista, Fishtown, Fairmount, and Point Breeze. Many people in our neighborhood are concerned about rising housing costs and the dangers of involuntary displacement. Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN) is very aware of these neighborhood issues and tries
hard to represent the diverse opinions of our members and neighbors. For years, we have convened community meetings to discuss these very issues, including a series of meetings around the development of Baltimore Avenue, called the Baltimore Avenue Conversations. In 2013, after a lot of thoughtful discussion and input, we published our Development Principles, which you can find on our website at www.cedarparkneighbors.org/ development/ptf/cedar-park-neighborsguiding-principles-for-development/. Many of us have thought carefully about these issues. How do we ensure that we continue to live in an economically and racially diverse neighborhood? First, I believe that we need to continue to push for an active government role to ensure affordable housing opportunities. When property taxes go up because of rising home prices, we need to push for, and possibly expand, anti-displacement programs such as the Homestead Exemption, which lowers the tax bill for people living in their own homes and shifts more of the tax burden to investors; the Longtime Owner Occupants Program (LOOP), continued on page 4
W H E R E T O R ECYCLE PLASTIC BAGS
WHERE TO RECYCLE LEAVES
lastic bags are NOT recyclable in ags of leaves placed out on regular P B Philly’s curbside recycling program, trash days will no longer be collected even though many people assume they are. for recycling. They will go into the regular
They tear and wrap around moving parts in recycling sorting machines, leading to increased maintenance costs, equipment damage, and even worker safety issues. So, please ensure that plastic bags STAY OUT of your blue recycling container or bin. Return them to the specially-marked recycling bins located at the front of most supermarkets. And think about reducing your use of single-use plastic bags by using long-life reusable bags instead.
waste stream. To have your bagged leaves recycled, take them to 43rd & Powelton Avenue or 66th & Haverford Avenue on Saturdays through December 13th between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. (except for the Saturday following Thanksgiving). The leaves must be placed in biodegradable paper bags, which will be recycled along with the leaves. Make sure there is no trash or other recyclable materials mixed in with the leaves.
Susanna Gilbertson and CPN President Michael Froehlich