The city has eliminated the new requirement that block party applicants visit a local police district to get a pre-approval form. The Streets and Police Departments will now manage this step of the application process.

“Block parties are an integral part of Philadelphia’s identity and help to build community,” Brian Abernathy, the first deputy managing director, said in a statement. “This current change is our latest effort to improve efficiency and streamline the application process.” 

The requirement for the police pre-approval form was introduced just two months ago and was followed by a lot of complaints from residents.

Residents applying for a block party permit can submit an online application. This process remains unchanged and continues to grow in popularity. The Streets Department also continues to accept paper applications and will now allow submissions with or without the police pre-approval form that was previously required.

For more information, visit the Streets Department website.