06/27/2026
Southwest Philadelphia residents demand action on long-neglected blight
Some Southwest Philadelphia residents are calling on city leaders to address persistent blight, saying years of neglect have left neighborhoods struggling with unsafe and unsanitary conditions. The PA Solidarity Project, or PSP, a new community organization, is urging city officials to commit to a comprehensive cleanup effort and invest in long-term neighborhood improvements. Members say issues such as abandoned cars, illegal dumping, vacant homes and deteriorating streets and sidewalks have gone largely unaddressed.
According to the group, residents have documented at least 50 instances of blight after walking and driving through the area. “It is unacceptable that our community has been ignored for so long,” said PSP member Almeda Davis. “We are coming together because we know the city can and should take responsibility to ensure our neighborhoods are clean and safe, and we are ready to work together with relevant city departments to make that happen.”
PSP members said they have met with Anton Moore, director of the Office of Public Engagement and Neighborhood Affairs, to discuss their concerns. The group is asking Moore to develop a detailed action plan to address the issues they have identified. Moore and other city officials did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication. “I love my neighborhood, especially areas like the Finnegan Playground,” said PSP member Andrew Coates. “But it seems like every week the playground has a new pile of trash or discarded construction items placed in the area, which is a real shame.”
Organizers said their efforts are just the beginning of a broader push to ensure Southwest Philadelphia residents have a stronger voice in decisions affecting their community and receive equitable attention and investment compared with other parts of the city. “They don’t care, or will not until we do more,” said Mafalda Thomas-Bouzy, a block captain in the area. “We want them to walk with us, point it out, see it for yourself. I’m a property owner, and we’re feeling left out. Property values won’t increase because of the blight.” Thomas-Bouzy said residents want to see tangible improvements in neighborhood conditions, along with expanded programming for young people to deter disruptive behavior.
“We have been trying to gather as much information as possible on the problems the neighborhood is having,” said Janay McQueen, a PSP member and Southwest Philadelphia resident. “We’re just trying to see what we can do as an organization to help make change in the community.” Residents said they have received some assistance from the city’s 311 system, the office of Council President Kenyatta Johnson, and local police, but they say more sustained support is needed to address the scope of the problem. “I’ve been dealing with blight in my community for about two years — it is a poignant issue,” Davis said. “I don’t think local officials are ignoring us; maybe we’re just not taking the right steps to get this situation resolved.”
Davis said blight affects the entire neighborhood, particularly young people, and has a lasting impact on overall quality of life. “We may not be wealthy, but we want sanitation,” Coates said. “We want clean. There are people that want clean and sanitary conditions. When it’s clean, people are happy — it’s really that simple.”
The concerns come as city officials move forward with efforts to address blight in other parts of Southwest.
Mayor Cherelle Parker recently announced she signed a formal declaration of a public safety emergency for Bartram Village, a long-vacant housing development off Lindbergh Boulevard that has attracted squatters and illegal drug activity since being abandoned in 2025. The site has been targeted for redevelopment since 2020. Plans unveiled in 2023, supported by a $50 million federal grant, call for transforming the former housing project into 688 mixed-income units at an estimated cost exceeding $400 million.
As previously reported, former residents have relocated but retain the right to return once construction is completed. Some have said squatters occupying vacant units have delayed demolition and created ongoing challenges for nearby neighbors. The emergency declaration allows the city to move forward with demolishing 45 structures.
“For too long, these vacant buildings have posed serious safety risks to surrounding residents and the broader community,” Parker said in a statement. “This action clears the way to remove those hazards and replace them with new housing, new opportunity, and new investment.”
Keep Philadelphia Clean Tinsley Tamla
Some Southwest Philadelphia residents are calling on city leaders to address persistent blight, saying years of neglect have left neighborhoods struggling with unsafe and unsanitary conditions.
