With sheriff's sales set to resume, work to build a community garden in West Philadelphia could be at risk
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Over the past few months, Asim Jones has spent much of his free time at 52nd and Market streets, where he's working to turn a vacant lot into a community garden.
"This lot has been vacant for over 20 years," Jones said,
Jones showed CBS News Philadelphia cellphone video of when he first started the work in January. The space was overrun with trash.
Today, he is in the early stages of turning what was an eyesore into a place of hope.
"It was like a landfill in the middle of our neighborhood," he said.
Jones' goal with the garden is to give troubled youth a positive outlet in the community.
"And just how to work and be in Mother Nature instead of ripping and running and doing the wrong things," he said.
But he says his plan to help beautify his neighborhood may never happen.
Since Jones doesn't own the lot, it's now at risk of being sold through a sheriff's sale — making way for a developer to buy it.
This is an issue that has impacted other community gardens in the city.
According to Philadelphia Garden Data Collaborative, there are more than 400 active gardens and urban farms in the city.
And there could've been more. Since 2008, 140 gardens are no longer active for various reasons, including new development.
Jones is worried the same thing could happen to the lot in West Philly.
"It's going to be something definitely that's not going to be productive or useful for our community," Jones said.
Sheriff's sales paused during the pandemic but are set to resume next month.
Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier represents the district where the lot is located and said the city has been working to preserve community gardens.
A bill was passed unanimously last month to give the land bank priority over other bidders to help residents keep the gardens in their neighborhood.
"It's a key way that we're empowering the land bank to work with community members to get these crucial pieces of land into community hands," she said.
She's also helping Jones sort through his options, which includes starting a petition to postpone the sheriff's sale
Jones says he'll do whatever it takes.
"Whatever we need to do to save what we're trying to build here in our community for our community," Jones said, "I'm going to do it."