Once it hit rock bottom, the need for an outlet brought more people in. He adds that the department does the best it can to guarantee public safety and stop drug use with the resources it has, but that it cant lock up people without good reason. Probably for. The right to shop locally in your community is enjoyed by most Philadelphia residents, and Kensingtonians are taking their corridor back. The city's violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas.1 Also alarming is Philadelphia's drug overdose rate. The influx of immigrants and low-income households many of whom were unaware of the drug situation, or were forced to ignore it due to the stark affordability has made little difference in gentrifying the area. As with all neighborhoods in the city, the lack of any official designation means the boundaries of the area vary between sources over time and are disputed among locals. Philadelphia deadly stabbing near Kensington park on 4th Street under Many now-users originally sought out street drugs due to injuries or post-surgery pains and couldnt afford the legal medicines to soothe their pain. Read more ALEJANDRO A. ALVAREZ / Staff Photographer by Alfred Lubrano Published Aug 5, 2021 Suffice to say it is not a place to go at night. Frankford Avenue Baptist Church, 2347-49 Frankford Avenue, Kensington, Philadelphia, PA (1889). [48], In 2011 the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced the closures of three Kensington Catholic schools, as their student numbers had declined: Ascension of Our Lord, St. Anne, and St. Hugh of Cluny.[49]. Kensington residents ask: 'Why would you think this is acceptable for When officials shut down the four bridge encampments between 2018 and 2019, Gladstein said 65% of people went into housing, and of those, more than half remain in housing today. Arrest made after deadly crash in Kensington, Philadelphia police say The incident happened at the intersection of G and Tioga Streets around 4:40 p.m. Nov 13, 2022 00:17 Arrest made after. Help in Kensington - State of Emergency The U.S. Some even offer free samples. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. This street wears its heart on its sleeve, triumphs, and failures on full display. The problem is, no one seems to want to write about the good. SBC News 188K subscribers Subscribe 10K 1.4M views 1 year ago #SBCNews. This should not be ignored, and is, in fact, impossible to avoid. Also alarming is Philadelphia's drug overdose rate. You cant walk down the sidewalk, he said. Most encampment residents had moved out from the former site before Wednesday morning. Dealers stand out in the open, hawking their wares. Words such "hopeless" and "dystopian" punctuate an endless scrawl of depressing articles. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY. The intersection of Kensington and Allegheny Avenues (commonly referred to by Philadelphians as "K & A") is a major transportation and retail hub in the Kensington neighborhood, as it is served by the Frankford Elevated portion of the MarketFrankford Line which, running on top of Kensington Avenue, dominates the intersection. Documentary by SBC News covering Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave.Philadelphia's most dangerous street.Problems with Drugs and Crime in Kensington Ave, PhiladelphiaIn Philadelphia as a whole, violent crime and drug abuse are major issues. Between 2013 and 2015, the number of drug overdose deaths in the city increased by 50%, with more than twice as many deaths from overdoses as homicides. Local news should be free and accessible, which is why we ask readers like you to support our work rather than charging a fee to see it. [59] [60]. 'Savage Sisters' care for those with addiction in Kensington, Philly firefighters rescue dog from house fire in Kensington, A group in recovery helps those battling the same addictions, Kensington teacher-turned-baker makes school sweeter, Man, woman in critical condition after being rescued from rowhome fire, Police searching for suspect after deadly Kensington hit-and-run, Man stabbed to death in Kensington, attacker seen running away, Police: Man dead after shooting in Kensington, 2 people shot in separate incidents in Philadelphia overnight, Police seek suspects who attacked, robbed mechanic inside repair shop, 3 shot outside Kensington elementary school; dozens of rounds fired, 2 men found shot in the head inside Kensington home, Police: Woman shot by boyfriend in Kensington, 2 men shot after confrontation turns violent in Kensington, Crime Fighters: Man gunned down while washing car; killer at large, Suspect in custody after baby wounded in shooting, Suspect identified in shooting that left baby wounded. Despite research on the positive effects of these sites, the Trump administration blocked them from being established. Philadelphia officials developed what they call the "encampment resolution" process in 2017 after the city swept a . Days before the start of the New Year, the 16-year-old girl from the Philadelphia suburbs disappears for the third time in four months as she battles a heroin addiction that . [15][16][17], Listed on the National Register of Historic Places:[18], Kensington has a population of approximately 42,000 people according to data from ASC 2020 survey. Users flock to the scene. The eyes of one woman in her 20s filled as she sobbed in the arms of a familiar woman, Marti Hottenstein, who pledged to get her off . Welcome Van Life Wanderer! Any given day, a walk down Kensington Avenue yields ample reminders that the neighborhood is the "aortic valve of the region's opioid crisis," as Billy Penn's Max Marin recently put it. Compared to the infamous Skid Row in Los Angeles, Kensingtons homeless problem doesnt seem as bad. [56], In 2010, three women (Elaine Goldberg, 21; Nicole Piacentini, 35; and Casey Mahoney, 27) were strangled to death in the neighborhood. Drug activity is not hidden here, especially not when heroin can go for as cheap as $5 a bag. Its an environment, they say, that is more tolerant of drug use than ever. There still is no answer for the full number of people out here, McKinney said. Every day Jorge Rosario, 52, a resident of the Kensington section Philadelphia cleans the sidewalk along the 2700 block of Kensington Ave., Philadelphia. The drug is even cheaper to produce and procure than fentanyl and is more dangerous in the sense that Narcan is not effective against overdoses. Kensington development team seeks middle ground between gentrification and stagnation. Addicts say the police came down hard on indoor drug establishments. Kensington Blues is a photography series by Jeffrey Stockbridge, 36, that documented the struggles and the dark reality of local residents. Were trying to make sure people are attaching to services rather than moving, Gladstein said. Kensington, as most long-term residents view it, refers generally to the area consisting of Kensington, East, or Lower Kensington, West Kensington, and Harrowgate. The Decorating Plant of Gillinder & Sons' Franklin Flint Glass Works, 1700-06 N. Howard Street (1876). They were en route to more serious crimes going down to the west in the Badlands. WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. Underpass: Drug Stories from Kensington, Philadelphia - LensCulture McKinney says the city could use regional support in creating a long-term solution for Kensington. Kensington was founded by Anthony Palmer in the early 1730s. The camp was cleared, the people chose new spots in the neighborhood to overrun with used needles, overdoses, and trash. It happened Monday around 10:40 p.m. on the. The generally accepted boundaries of the neighborhood[citation needed] are Front Street and 5th Street to the West, the Amtrak train tracks to the North, Trenton Avenue, the Trenton Avenue train tracks, and Frankford Avenue to the East, and Cecil B. Moore Avenue to the South. The decision has saved the city millions, and won cheers nationwide from drug-law reformers. The city's violent crime rate is higher than the national average and other similarly sized metropolitan areas. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave - Stormfront The area is known as the center of Kensington and was historically the commercial center of the neighborhood. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police are searching for two suspects who are wanted in connection with a violent carjacking earlier this week. Two emergency shelters closed along Kensington Avenue within the last year. Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue: Heroin, Prostitution, and No Police Worse, still, are the articles characterizing this commercial corridor as an adventurous destination for the open-minded shopper. [39], The proposal to open a supervised injection site in Kensington has faced backlash from residents, despite the area's prevalent public drug use. Police confirmed that a total of eight vehicles became involved in a messy collision in the [] 0:00 / 25:40 Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave, Here's What Happened Today, Saturday, Sept 11, 2021. It has always had the El train that runs straight through Kensington. Additionally, 65.8%, almost two thirds, of Kensington residents can be described financially as "poor or struggling" (defined by a Ratio of Income in 2020 to Poverty Level of under 2.00). The killer is referred to by the media as "The Kensington Strangler". Since Mayor Jim Kenney took office in 2015, encampment closures in the name of public health and safety have been a near constant in Kensington. Even more concerning are the fetishizations of the corridor, which go something like this: Yes its bad, but it can be fun to visit because its bad. Many died there. Billy Joel & Stevie Nicks floor seat tickets. Addicts say. Subs are Suboxone, a pill containing buprenophine, a drug that eases the pain of heroin withdrawal. Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Crack, meth, heroin, oxycodone, weed, percocet, PCP these are all the usual suspects around Kensington Ave. [57] Rodriguez confessed to the murders and was sentenced to life in prison in 2012. As of right now, I dont think anyone is confident that theres any sort of larger plan that can account for each person.. More by Max Marin. One such is the cluster of businesses just off the Huntingdon Market Frankford Line stop, where two of Phillys best Vietnamese restaurants, Thang Long Noodle Restaurant and Caf Pho Gha Than Than reside. The avenue runs on a north/south slant and unofficially includes the neighborhoods of Kensington, East and West Kensington, Fairhill, Port Richmond, and Olde Richmond. Want a digest of WHYYs programs, events & stories? The whole city, its always a battle for space, and any open space is going to get filled., Love Philly? They draw a diverse crowd: tight-pantsed hipsters and long-time residents alike enjoy the delicious food in equal measure. Speaking as someone coming from this field, it can be unforgiving and thirsty work, defined by small victories and glorious defeats. This isnt a Kensington problem, he said. [Meta] Sticky Comment. Upwards of 100 people camp out there every night and its not for stargazing. But this is an ongoing process. Sections of the neighborhood are frequented by a significant number of people experiencing drug addiction and/or homelessness. Those who do not frequent it rely on the medias interpretation and are primarily getting this message: Kensington Avenue is a barren wasteland where no happiness can find purchase. People are scared to take the train to work. Parks in and adjacent to the neighborhood include Harrowgate Park, McPherson Square, Hope Park, Fairhill Square Park, Norris Square Park, Mascher Park, Frankford Avenue Garden, Arcadia Commons, Trenton and Auburn Park, Letterly Green, Emerald Park, Konrad Square, and Palmer Park. There was a homeless camp set up in a railroad gulch in Kensington called El Campamento. The conflict between clean residents and dealers can escalate, sometimes so high that a person once threw a Molotov cocktail through a residents window. Because of the high number of drugs in Kensington, the neighborhood has a drug crime rate of 3.57, the third-highest rate by neighborhood in Philadelphia.3 Like a lot of the country, a big part of this issue is a result of the opioid epidemic. Officers will issue code violation notices and try to prevent new spots from forming. A recent piece chronicles the authors adventures day drinking in forgotten Philadelphia. A Google search for " Kensington Avenue Philadelphia " yields horrendous images of sad-eyed people slumped over in varying poses of despair. City workers arrived in the early hours to clear out two homeless encampments the latest dustup in a years-long saga in Kensington and try to get the roughly 50 people living there into housing or recovery services. "Violent crime and drug abuse in Philadelphia as a . Its so well known that a simple Google search for really bad drug areas brings it up. West Kensington is similar to Norris Square and Fairhill in that it has a similar demographic to most of Kensington while having a more North Central Philadelphia identity,[citation needed] but unlike the other two neighborhoods it remains certainly part of Kensington. Everything You Wanted To Know About Los Angeles Skid Row, Everything You Wanted To Know About Los Angeles' Skid Row, Is Philadelphia Safe To Visit? MeekMill on Twitter: "Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Avenue, What Kim Gary shared a video drive-through of Kensington that will leave you speechless that city Democrats are ignoring the real problems in their city. With such a high concentration of drugs in Kensington, many state and local officials have focused on the neighborhood in an attempt to address Philadelphia's problem.#SBCNews A former bank will become a commercial kitchen and event space. But despite its joys, a neighborhood called Kensington made a name for itself as home to the nation's highest rates of heroin overdoses. Even Dr. Oz took the time to show us a Kensington Avenue as a "hellscape." Words such hopeless and dystopian punctuate an endless scrawl of depressing articles. "PR," age 41, of Philadelphia, PA, was convicted at trial of all counts with which he was charged, including conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute crack and heroin, arising from his leadership role in supplying a drug . The opioid epidemic has played a significant role in this problem, as it has in much of the rest of the country. Between the two encampments targeted on Wednesday, half a dozen other spots continue to grow. In Philadelphia's Kensington district, home to one of the largest open-air drug markets in the United States, crowds of sellers and buyers flock to corners as if there never were a pandemic. Public schools in Kensington include Kensington High School Complex, Jules E. Mastbaum Vocational Technical High School, Russell Conwell Middle Magnet School and John H. Webster Elementary School. This energy is not relegated to existing businesses. Juniata, the neighborhood to the north, and Kensington are similar demographically, yet the former is slightly wealthier and has more green space. But the Tracks, like Kensington Avenue, resemble a libertarian utopia gone wrong. Max Marin (he/him) was Billy Penn's investigative reporter from 2018 to 2021. Its a scene that will look familiar to viewers of HBOs The Wire, an episode of which, titled Hamsterdam, showed Baltimore police effectively legalizing drugs within an established zone of an infested neighborhood. Video captures violent Philadelphia carjacking on Kensington Avenue; 2 The majority of the neighborhood is renter occupied, 55.6% overall, and up to 66.3% in one tract. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! Longtime neighborhood residents, business owners, and some elected officials have been pushing Mayor Kenneys administration to fix the untenable living conditions especially those brought by widespread homelessness. It happened just after 12 p.m. Sunday on the 3300 block of Kensington. According to NeighborhhoodLink, an online source for demographics, geography and economic statistics, the average house value in the 19125 zip code of Kensington is now at $43,500. The original area of Kensington is now more commonly called "Fishtown," mainly because of the shad fishing that was one of the dominant businesses in Kensington in the 18th and 19th centuries. Opioid abuse has skyrocketed in the United States over the last two decades, and Philadelphia is no exception. Wednesdays encampment closure was initially postponed due to a lawsuit filed on behalf of residents. Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021 This is a regional problem that Kensington is very graciously dealing with., Nice to see you. Photographer Reveals The "Addicted" Side Of Philadelphia | Bored Panda As for other encampments nearby, he said the city will need to post additional notice before staging more evictions. Eva Gladstein, Philadelphias deputy managing director for Health and Human Services, said outreach teams have helped more than 20 people connect with social services during the last month of engagement at the two targeted camps, plus an additional four people on Wednesday morning. Several men rush to be the first to make a dollar selling her a syringe. Max Winkler is an American director, writer and producer and is also the son of legendary actor Henry Winker. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since. As momentum grows, more and more entrepreneurs are looking at Kensington Avenue as a viable corridor for their businesses. Then they, like Kensginton, began to decline further. The cap will be home to nearly 12 acres of parkland and seamlessly connect Old City to the Delaware River waterfront at Penns Landing. There was a major street gang located at K&A that started as a burglary ring but eventually moved into drug trafficking in the 80s. ', "Trapped by the 'Walmart of Heroin' Housing Alliance of PA.org", "Philadelphia's Kensington Avenue: Heroin, Prostitution, and No Police", Police arrest 'Kensington Strangler' person of interest, "9 people shot outside bar in Philadelphia: report", "9 shot outside bar in Kensington: Philadelphia police", New Kensington Community Development Corporation, Graduate Hospital / Southwest Center City, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kensington,_Philadelphia&oldid=1140536041, Articles using NRISref without a reference number, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using infobox settlement with possible area code list, Pages using infobox settlement with no coordinates, Articles with unsourced statements from June 2022, Articles with failed verification from June 2022, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Over time black and Hispanic street dealers took over larger portions of the drug trade, especially heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine. This is probably one of the most drug infested streets in Philadelphia. GDP . Protestors demanded a clear reopening date for the station, safer conditions for SEPTA workers, addiction services, services for homeless people in the area, and more. Last year alone, Kensington Avenue was approved for over ten SIP grants to renovate commercial facades, which, when complete, will literally change the face of the corridor. City data supporting those numbers was not readily available. Some people cleared from the street sought out permanent housing or treatment, he said but most of the population wouldnt leave an area where they had easy access to drugs. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave. Story. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave Story, Here's What Happened Today, Tuesday, Sept 7, 20 . Close to the I-95, and a stones throw away from the scenic Delaware river, Kensington is a neighborhood in northern Philly with quite the reputation. Neighborhood residents have raged against City Hall for years over the litany of woes from drug dealing to missed trash collection. Clifton Mills, 1833 N. Howard Street, Kensington (185263). [52], The neighborhood has gained nationwide attention and great notoriety because of extensive press coverage of its thriving narcotics drug scene, often described as the largest on the east coast. Despite what you may read, Kensington Avenue is open for business, and there are plenty of reasons to visit the Avenue. Kensington Ave - Everything You Want To Know About Philadelphia's Skid Row Written by Mariska Lee in Pennsylvania Close to the I-95, and a stone's throw away from the scenic Delaware river, Kensington is a neighborhood in northern Philly with quite the reputation. I also undertook strategies to address chronic issues of blight and vacancy. Theres gotta be somewhere you could put your tent, a park, an area, some sort of designated spot, Meyer said. But about 15 people remained around 8 a.m., many shielding their faces from news cameras as outreach workers helped them fill plastic bins with their belongings. Shes comparatively clean cut, probably from the suburbs or middle-class Northeast Philadelphia, whose residents with a taste for heroin are drawn to Kensington for its freewheeling addiction-bazaar atmosphere. But Meyer, a 35-year-old whos spent years bounding between rehab and the streets as he battles his addiction, said it felt like deja vu. [40] In Kensington, most residents have opposed the plans and organized against the site being located in Kensington, including leaders of five civic organizations in the area. Kensington Independent Civic Association), This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 14:40. On Wednesday, Steve, a 30-year-old fentanyl user who declined to give his last name, said he sympathized with the residents plight. Police said the victim is a 43-year-old man, who was stabbed multiple times. PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Multiple people were injured after a messy crash in the Kensington section of the city. If you arrest a violent serial killer like the strangler, you know you made a difference. What sort of reprieve Wednesdays action will offer neighbors and business owners remains unclear. Even Dr. Oz took the time to show us a Kensington Avenue as a hellscape. These articles tell an intentional narrative, one which has no room for hope. The number of drug overdose deaths in the city increased by 50% from 2013 to 2015, with more than twice as many deaths from drug overdoses as deaths from homicides in 2015.2 A big part of Philadelphias problems stem from the crime rate and drug abuse in Kensington. The government has shown attempts at trying. A 25-year-old woman was shot once in her left leg. Philadelphia, PA (February 26, 2023) - After noon on Sunday, February 26, a serious eight-vehicle collision with injuries took place in Philadelphia. Neighbors raised alarms about addicts bringing violent sex crimes to the blocks where families live. Answer (1 of 7): I live and minister here as a pastor. Eyes on the Street brings new ideas and fresh voices into the conversation about Philadelphias changing cityscape. The number of drug overdose deaths in the city increased by 50% from 2013 to 2015, with more than twice as many deaths from drug overdoses as deaths from homicides in 2015.2 A big part of Philadelphias problems stem from the crime rate and drug abuse in Kensington. The opioid epidemic has played a significant role in this problem, as it has in much of the rest of the country. Within Kensington, various sub-neighborhoods including Kensington (the Heart of Kensington), Harrowgate, Lower Kensington, West Kensington. "[12][13][14], Deindustrialization eventually took hold in the neighborhood in the 1950s, leading to a significant population loss, high unemployment, economic decline, and abandoned homes. Streets of Philadelphia, Kensington Ave Story, What happened - YouTube There have been many petitions by residents to take care of Kensington. The New Kensington Community Development Corporation, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services, WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor. [8] People suffering from addiction and/or homelessness concentrate around the Somerset and Allegheny train stations, in nearby parks, and on residential streets, angering long-term residents. It was a scene that rivaled the aftermath of a storm, its victims caught up in forces that leave many hungry, homeless and hopeless. Emerald Street, Tulip Street, Kensington Avenue, Frankford Avenue . Philadelphia Kensington Avenue, What happened on Monday, June 28 2021. Over the next two years, the city closed down four highly visible "tent cities" that grew along a series of underpasses. . Stop talking about Kensington Avenue like it's a wasteland Kensington Ave - Everything You Want To Know About Philadelphia's Skid However, heroin and fentanyl is without a doubt the most popular drugs. In 2017, the city cleared it out in an attempt to begin to tackle the cyclic issue of homelessness and drug use. Kensington, Philadelphia - Wikipedia In recent years, Kensington has experienced increasing social issues primarily related to drug abuse. But arresting heroin addicts? When the coronavirus pandemic hit in late December 2019, heroin abuse in Kensington worsened. For too long, Kensington residents have resorted to other neighborhoods to shop. The number of drug overdose deaths in the city . Heriza became interested in Kensington after seeing a 2018 article in the New York Times magazine about the drug epidemic in the neighborhood. McNeil Laboratories began with the purchase of a pharmacy in the area in 1879 by the company's namesake. Ever since the strangler, addict Will Sims says, we do everything out in the open and the cops are cool with it. Several other addicts out here concur: The reason for all the bustle is that Kensington Avenue has become a drug-bust-free zone. However, some sections of the neighborhood have been revitalized in recent years, especially those near Frankford Avenue, Kensington's neighbor south of Lehigh Avenue, and Fishtown, another traditionally working-class neighborhood which has seen rents increase. Kensington is a primarily low income area after the loss of its industries in the 1960s during deindustrialization and the subsequent loss of much of its working class population to the suburbs. Kensington has several medium and small sized parks and playgrounds which offer a variety of uses for visitors. Kensington Ave Phila : r/philadelphia - reddit Before the Act of Consolidation, 1854, the Kensington District included portions of the neighborhoods known today as Olde Kensington, East Kensington, West Kensington, and Fishtown, with its northern border at Lehigh Avenue. However, fentanyl has replaced heroin completely and it is rare that you find anyone using pure heroin in Kensington. Postal Service designates Kensington as ZIP codes 19125 (Kensington Station). 2913-15 Kensington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19134 (215) 634-5272 Prevention Point Philadelphia is a harm reduction center that provides syringe exchange services, free medical care, linkage to drug treatment, housing services, HIV/HCV testing, free meals, mail services, medical care, legal services and overdose prevention, and reversal training. The neighborhood has long been a catchment for people from the suburbs, Delaware and New Jersey who suffer from addiction, and yet the city has been left on its own to clean up the mess. Official estimates vary as to how many people are living on Kensingtons streets. [32][failed verification] The majority of its population is Hispanic or Latino (59.9%), consisting primarily of Puerto Rican and Dominican Americans. It is my sincere hope and belief that Kensington is arming itself against the forces of apathetic, tone-deaf gentrification.