From the Philadelphia Tenants Union Facebook page.

The Philadelphia Tenants Union is hosting a cookout fundraiser this Saturday for residents wrongfully served eviction notices at two West Philly apartment buildings. While a court has put the evictions on hold, the landlord, the Abington-based SBG Management, is now reportedly withholding security deposits, making it difficult for residents to transition out of the buildings.

The fundraiser for residents of Admiral Court and Dorset Court apartment buildings, located near 48th and Locust, is scheduled to run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on July 21 at Clark Park. All of the money raised will go to the tenants, according to a Philadelphia Tenants Union announcement.

Tenants of both buildings were served with eviction notices in early April ordering them to leave by April 30. Community Legal Services won an injunction to stave off evictions in April. Both buildings, which include affordable and Section 8 housing, are up for sale, according to reports.

The suggested donation is $5 to $10 per plate, but no one will be turned away if they can’t afford to donate.

Photo courtesy of Neighborhood Time Exchange.

Neighborhood Time Exchange, an ongoing collaboration between the People’s Emergency Center Community Development Corporation (PECCDC) and Mural Arts that provides West Philadelphia artists with five-month residencies, is inviting community members to celebrate the culmination of the first Neighborhood Time Exchange artist residency of 2018. The public is invited to attend an upcoming Second Friday event with resident artist Ellen Tiberino on Friday, July 13, from 7–9 p.m. at the Neighborhood Time Exchange storefront in West Philadelphia at 4017 Lancaster Avenue.  Continue Reading

West Philly Porchfest, an outdoor DIY music festival, is returning this Saturday (June 2) with dozens of free shows scheduled from 12 to 6 p.m. This year, musicians and groups representing various musical genres will be performing on porches in the area stretching from Market Street to Woodland Avenue and from 40th to 52nd Streets.

The festival organizers have created a useful map showing host porch locations and show times. All performances are divided into three groups. From 12 to 2 p.m., shows will be held on porches on and south of Baltimore Ave. From 2 to 4 p.m., most performances will be held north of Baltimore Ave. between 48th and 52nd Streets. And finally, from 4 to 6 p.m., check out performances north of Baltimore Ave. between 40th and 48th Streets. There are a few exceptions though (one show will be held near 58th and Osage), so make sure to go to the West Philly Porchfest website to check out the map.

This is the festival’s third year. Last year, 69 porches participated in the event.

Cedar Park Neighbors is taking advantage of a city program to raise some money and get rid of those illegal slapdash signs posted on light poles, sidewalk trees and other public places offering cash for your house, your car or even your diabetic test strips.

The city is offering community groups 50 cents a sign during the “Illegal Signs Roundup” from June 1 through June 15.

Michael Froehlich, an attorney with Community Legal Services’ Homeownership and Consumer Rights unit and a Cedar Park resident, said the initiative particularly targets the signs of “real estate predators” offering to buy homes for cash.

“They rip off seniors and low-income families. Their illegal advertising litters and disrespects our communities,” he said in an e-mail. “For us, it’s a win-win-win: we protect homeowners from being tricked by these predators, we clean up our streets from these ugly advertisements, and we raise money to support our Friday night jazz series, scholarship program, and other community activities.”  Continue Reading

The Dirt Factory, the community compost facility that opened at 4308 Market Street six years ago, has closed due to the sale of the property. The facility is currently looking for a new home and is not accepting composting donations from the community at the moment, according to The Dirt Factory website.

The University City District opened the facility in 2012 and transformed an empty lot into a neighborhood asset. It’s not yet known what the new owner is planning to do with the lot. So far no construction permits have been issued. A new “higher end” apartment building is being proposed next door to the lot – at 4312-20 Market.

Dinner in Three Acts is a fun and delicious way to support educational programs at Curio Theatre.

Curio Theatre Company, the community theater at 48th and Baltimore, is starting an exciting new fundraising tradition. On Sunday, May 20, the company will be “producing” a Dinner in Three Acts – a three-course dinner at selected West Philadelphia homes. This is how it works:

Act One – 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. – Guests will start with registration and appetizers at one home.
Act Two – 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. – For their entree, guests will choose one style of cuisine from a varied selection served for groups of 10 to 15 people.
Act Three – 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. – Guests will return to the theater for dessert with coffee and tea.  Continue Reading