SKCP news, December 16th - 22nd
South Kensington Community Partners
FREE Home Repairs with the BSRP Program
The Basic Systems Repair Program (BSRP) provides free repairs to correct electrical, plumbing, heating, limited structural and carpentry, and roofing emergencies in eligible owner-occupied homes in Philadelphia.
You can apply for free major systems repairs if your home’s problems include:
Dangerous electrical conditions, such as overheating or sparking wiring or entire circuits that won’t stay on
Leaking or broken sewer lines
Leaking or broken water service lines
Violations from the Water Department, Philadelphia Gas Works, PECO or Philadelphia L&I
Roof leaks which have caused a 4 sq. ft. or larger section of ceiling to collapse (Small roof leaks are not considered emergencies)
Carpentry repairs to floors and joists and limited repairs to exterior walls.
To be eligible for free emergency repairs you must:
Own and live in the single-family house with the problem
Be current or under current payment agreement for both your property taxes and your water bill
Meet the income guidelines
Not own any other residential property
One of SKCP’s long standing civic activities is serving as a Registered Community Organization (RCO) for the neighborhood of Old/South Kensington. Each month, volunteers from SKCP’s Planning and Zoning Committee, a neighbor-led group supporting community engagement and inclusion in the development and transportation planning processes, convenes public meetings for neighbors to review large proposed developments or projects requiring a zoning variance. Through these meetings, the Committee facilitates contact between near neighbors and development teams, creates opportunities to improve projects in response to neighbor feedback, and fosters within-community discussion of neighborhood planning priorities. With the support of neighbors, SKCP advocates for development in the neighborhood that both considers its past and looks towards its future.
In 2022, the P/Z Committee also focused on Transportation and Safety issues, organizing neighbors to advocate for traffic safety improvements along North 5th and 2nd Streets, two high-crash corridors in our neighborhood. Working with neighbors to collect petitions and letters of support, we hosted community listening sessions with the Philadelphia Streets Department and succeeded in securing commitments for improvements on both streets! We’re continuing to build on these successes by advocating for further safety improvements around key neighborhood assets such as schools, child care facilities, parks, and recreation centers.
Did you know that? SKCP’s work is carried out by a small, hardworking staff and crew, a volunteer board, and a few dedicated residents. We depend on you, our neighbors, to contribute in big and small ways to help us continue to support the neighborhood. Please consider giving any amount to help us meet our goal. Here's the link: https://donorbox.org/skcp-annual-appeal-2022
(P.S. Own a business in the neighborhood? If you contribute $100 or more, we’ll give you a special shoutout in our weekly newsletter!)