Philadelphia City Council considers bill critics claim would worsen drug crisis in Kensington
Critics of a bill that would change how mobile service providers operate in Kensington worry it could worsen the drug crisis in the Philadelphia neighborhood. Supporters of the proposed legislation believe it would improve the quality of life for residents.
The proposed law under consideration by Philadelphia City Council would prohibit mobile service providers from working on any residential block in the neighborhood and keep them from operating near a school or recreation center.
They would also need to be at least 100 feet from another group providing the same service.
Mobile service providers help unhoused people of Kensington with food while also providing addiction and mental health services.
Phil Geliebter, who is the Archdeacon of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, says the bill does not address the root causes of the drug crisis in Kensington.
"If those mobile service providers are prohibited from coming into Kensington, the folks living on the street are going to get sick and die," Geliebter said.
Geliebter is also a member of an outreach ministry in Kensington. He's seen the impact of drugs in the neighborhood firsthand and is concerned this bill would prevent people from getting crucial assistance.
"It pretty much prohibits mobile service providers in majority of Kensington," he said.
Opponents have suggested the bill will ban these providers from working in Kensington, but Councilmember Quetcy Lozada says that's not true. She says the work to get people the help they need will continue.
Lozada says she introduced the bill after residents and business owners complained about trash, large crowds and other quality-of-life issues.
"The goal of this bill is really to break up the concentration where these mobile providers tend to be all at the same time, on the same day," Lozada said.
Lozada says the city is working to figure out specific areas where the service providers can work.
Patrice Rogers lives in the neighborhood and runs an outreach program called "Stop the Risk," which helps people with addiction. Although it's not a mobile service, she supports the bill because she believes mobile providers need more oversight.
"I'm not saying get rid of the service providers," Rogers said, "but I think there should absolutely be better coordination."
The bill passed out of a committee on Monday. City council could vote on it as early as next week.
