Philadelphia City Council passes bill to restrict business in Kensington with curfew
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia City Council has passed a bill that would restrict business hours in Kensington with a curfew, councilmember Quetcy Lozada said in a news release on Thursday.
The bill is an emergency measure that would restrict activity for all businesses bounded by East Lehigh Avenue, Kensington Avenue, D Street, E. Tioga Street and Frankford Avenue between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Restaurants with liquor licenses would not be impacted by the bill and still allowed to operate until 2 a.m.
The bill would need to be signed by Mayor Cherelle Parker to become law.
Lozada said the bill aims to "reduce crime, prevent trash from piling up, and calm after-hours activity."
Kensington has been plagued by an opioid crisis for years and recently drugs like xylazine have been sweeping the city's streets.
Lozada said the bill was drafted with input from residents, businesses and nonprofits in response to the opioid crisis.
"There's a lot of nighttime activity," said Mari Angeli Alicea, owner of Cantina la Martina. She said the crime and drug problem in Kensington affects businesses, especially late at night.
"So it has been a lot of helping clients feel comfortable here and safe in our space and reassuring them that nothing is going to happen," she said. "We do feel hopeful that we are changing things in a better direction."
"The businesses in the Kensington Corridor are in support of this initiative. They are thankful that Councilmember Lozada has included them in the conversation and considered their opinions. During the meeting that she held at our office with them, it was clear that they are supportive of this and future public safety measures," Roberto Rodriguez, from Kensington-based nonprofit IMPACT Services, said in a release.
Lozada estimates about 90 businesses are in the footprint of where the bill takes effect. She added fewer than 20 currently operate past 11 p.m.
Businesses not following the bill would be fined $500 for each offense. The measure is set to expire on Jan. 1, 2028.
In February, Lozada was one of four city councilmembers who formed the Kensington Caucus with hopes of improving the quality of life in the neighborhood.
After she was inaugurated in January, Parker declared a public safety emergency and said she planned to shut down Kensington's open-air drug market.
In January, Parker picked Pedro Rosario as the first-ever Latino deputy commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department to address public safety in Kensington.
