Healthy Communities Discussion Group at The Inquirer

A City That Works - May 22, 2008

Report by moderator Franne McNeal

What does this goal mean to you?

• Leverage block captains.

• Green depots (city funded) with tools, info, education in schools.

• Every Saturday, all citizens sweep their sidewalks, and pick up trash in front of own home.

• City cleans streets (all), once a week.

• Build a recycle area closer by (create jobs) for all sources – (homeless, etc), who are paid to maintain area.  Work together concept, with use of children and volunteers.

• PSA involvement every quarter.  Mayor asks the people.  People ask their neighbors.  Have community groups do cleaning themselves (community cleanup day once a month) --- and not put trash there in the first place. Get kids involved in process.  City provides opportunity, tools and encouragement.  Citizens provide manpower.  Each neighborhood pick a street (green street) to use as a showcase. The goal is in six months to have turned the neighborhood around.

• Provide incentive award for the "blocks."  Provide water, tools and recognition (each ward provides one person who will organize and supervise.)

• Police officers are "known" and have a working relationship with the community.

• Set a citywide smoke cessation goal.

• Set a citywide, homeless goal (reduce number of homeless).

• Involve entire community in "green depot concept :

     - educate at elementary level: know floral, plant trees.

     - involve homeless and ex-offenders (give jobs and education).

• Have a "green department", czar – that meets once a quarter with CDC's, neighborhood groups, citizens, and provides updates.

• Clearer communication, laws and enforcement about bicycling. Less riding on sidewalks.  Less skateboarding on sidewalks.  Focus on safety and communication.

• Phila is a clean city.  Involvement of the Mayor and a PR campaign that litter is immoral.  Emphasize duty, cleanliness and safety in schools, with regular inspection and a hotline.  Cleanup and educate.

• Inform people of bike share program.  Get bike clubs involved (education and  legal aspect).

• Multi-level educational emphasis – elementary school, middle school, high school, university.  Service-learning project, partnerships with civic organizations.  Pilot program in 10 schools, and then six months operational.  The clean-up day should have a curriculum component.  Goals might include having 100 trees planted.  Process promotes common courtesy, informal leadership, and intergenerational respect.

Performance measures (What would success look like?):

• Alleys are clear and passable for utility companies, fire department. Ninety-five percent compliance with existing laws and response within 24 hours if there is a complaint.

• More trees, 30 percent more cover, in all neighborhoods.

• Sidewalks that are in disrepair, if reported top L&I, get repaired within one week.

• Ninety-five percent of kids have immunizations.

• Kids wait no more than one week to get a health appointment at a community health center.

• Alcohol rehab appointments are available within one week.

• For the hospitality and restaurant sector, inspection once a month, and trash cans emptied twice per week.

• If people complain that they see bicycling or skateboarding on sidewalks, then police come and issue ticket for violation, immediately.

• If one tree is removed, stump should be taken away, and two trees planted in same neighborhood, same block within 30 days. (At least ordering of trees, and scheduling of crews to install trees should occur.)

• Lots are deemed abandoned (falling down, vacant, burnt-out, etc), after 90 days, and turned into green space (acquired or sold to neighborhood first, city waives tax.  L&I is the one-stop agency for this process. 

• Recreation centers open until 9 a.m., year-round.

Customer-service standards:

• Trashcans in neighborhoods (+ recycling) picked up once a week.  If not happen, make 1 call, and picked up by the next day, 24 hours after call.

• Response time for emergency is within 30 minutes.