Planning Timeline
August 2024
Where we’ve been and where we’re going
Community planning is a flexible, collaborative process! You can expect this timeline (and this website) to change often with changing circumstances.
Our planning builds on historical and existing organizing and neighborhood plans, including the North of Lehigh Neighborhood Plan and the Heart of Kensington Plan, as well as building on years of efforts by deeply invested community groups. At each stage of this process, Co-Creating Kensington continues to yield greater engagement and priorities as identified by the community. Some of the most recent anchor events that have led to our current moment:
Timeline
2021
March for Safety and Solutions
In March, after SEPTA suddenly announced that Somerset Station was closing “indefinitely,” hundreds of people representing residents, civic groups, faith communities, nonprofits, and city councilmembers organize in solidarity with SEPTA workers to demand “Safety and Solutions.” Within two weeks the station is reopened as repairs continue.
City Council hearing at Elkin School
After a City Council hearing in Kensington in August 2021, a coalition of neighborhood groups summarize concerns and solutions from the hearing, and send the summary to Mayor Kenney. Over the next two years they continue to meet, add new members, and update a list of priorities for the Kenney administration.
Impact and NKCDC partnership
Two local community development corporations—NKCDC and Impact Services—begin working together on a Health and Wellness Corridors Plan to make collaborative investments on Kensington and Indiana Avenues.
2022
Community outreach
Civics, community groups and other interested parties meet to talk about the success of existing community plans in Kensington, and the potential for a larger community-driven planning process.
Meeting with City of Philadelphia
In April, NKCDC and Impact Services meet with the Managing Director’s Office and ask the city to support a community-driven planning process in Kensington.
2023
FEBRUARY AND MARCH 2023
Adjusted plans in light of Opioid Settlement Funding
In its announcement of the Opioid Settlement Funds, the City of Philadelphia says it will follow this community-driven planning process to determine how funds will be spent. With additional interest in the process, civics, community groups, and key partners met to talk about their vision for planning. Leaders clarify misunderstandings that Planning Kensington Together is a city initiative or is receiving city funding—it is not.
Mayoral candidate forums
Many mayoral forums are held, sponsored by many different organizations, on a wide range of themes including education, housing, and building wealth in communities of color. A forum at Gloria Casarez Elementary School in Kensington includes questions from community members and students.
JANUARY 2023
Opioid Settlement Funds announcement
The City of Philadelphia announces that a portion of its first Opioid Settlement Funds will be invested in Kensington. “We have spent the past 18 months regularly meeting with community leaders as a result of their awesome community organizing and call to action, summer 2021,” Noelle Foizen, director of the city’s Opioid Response Unit, writes on Twitter.
2024
APRIL 2023
Mayoral candidate forums continue
Because of the many candidate debates and forums already scheduled, Kensington planners don’t see a need to host an additional forum as originally planned. We encourage residents to attend scheduled events, read about candidate responses & watch recorded segments, such as the PHL 17 forum from on April 18.
MAY 2023
Primary election
The municipal primary election for Philadelphia is held May 16. Voters choose candidates for mayor, commissioner, city controller, register of wills, sheriff, at-large Council members, and district Council members.
JUNE 2023
Six parks are notified as candidates for Opioid Settlement funding
In the Opioid Settlement Fund announcement the city specified that funds would be dedicated for Kensington parks, schools and programs to keep people in their homes. Parks groups become Kensington’s first planning pockets.
Six Kensington parks are in line to receive money from the city: Harrowgate Park, Hissey Playground, Hope Park, McPherson Square, Scanlon Playground, and Trenton & Auburn Playground and Park
Public meetings are scheduled to involve as many neighbors as possible in the process.
MAY TO JULY 2024
Ongoing surveying
As part of an iterative process and feedback in Kensington, we survey community members on how recent city strategies and initiatives are impacting their quality of life.
SEPTEMBER 2023
Pockets Release
The Pockets Toolkit is a resource to help small groups have productive conversations that will result in a set of priorities related to the future of Kensington. The priorities set out in the coming months by your pockets will serve as an essential resource for state and city agencies and nonprofits looking to invest in Kensington with funding or programming.
JANUARY TO MARCH 2024
Feedback on first report
To receive feedback on Kensington Planning Process: History, Context, Voices, we create a survey for anyone to provide additional thoughts or input. This survey is designed to align other plans for Kensington, including the Mayor’s 5 pillars for Philadelphia, with the community’s priorities so that it is clear what resources can best serve Kensington from the City and others looking to invest.
AUGUST 2024
Co-Creating Kensington: Alignment is published
The second report of three is released on this ongoing, flexible, and participatory process. Co-Creating Kensington: Alignment offers ways for any stakeholder to find a seat at the table that allows them to work from their strengths so we can all see solutions in Kensington to succeed. This report lays out recommendations to align proposed or initiated strategies for Kensington with the community’s self-determined priorities and preliminary strategies.
DECEMBER 2023
First report of three is published on Co-Creating Kensington
Co-Creating Kensington releases Kensington Planning Process: History, Context, Voices, which outlines the current conditions and intersecting crises that impact the community’s wellbeing, and the results of a community engagement process that saw participation from over 50 pockets of people comprising 500+ individuals from our service area.
FEBRAURY 2024
Housing Stability Funds are announced
Co-Creating Kensington announces the availability of opioid settlement funds for home repairs and eviction and foreclosure prevention at a press conference at New Kensington Community Development Corporation. Those from the State and City of Philadelphia attend in support of preventative investments for Kensington residents.