Inquirer: How City Council’s budget vote will help keep Philadelphians housed

Last week, City Council restored some of the funding for housing, the arts, and adult education in the revised budget, which councilmembers approved Thursday. “The mass protests we’ve seen over the past few weeks have really changed the political weather and put a big spotlight on how the city is spending money,” said Emma Boorboor, organizing director at the Women’s Community Revitalization Project, which develops and advocates for low-income housing.

6ABC: Building It Better Together: Efforts underway to ease the squeeze of gentrification

The Community Justice Land Trust is using a different tactic, buying up swaths of land in gentrifying neighborhoods with permanent rules about anything built on it. "Families or households or businesses own structures on the land, but the land is owned by a community organization, the Community Land Trust. Its owned forever, and kept affordable forever," said Nora Lictash, the executive director of the Women's Community Revitalization Project, which founded the Land Trust.

Philadelphia Citizen: The Truth on the Ground

When WCRP started the project, it was with a sense of urgency: Like neighboring Point Breeze, Grays Ferry is rapidly changing, and the group wanted to get in before it jumped the real estate shark. So over the course of the last eight months, WCRP led a multi-stage project that involved “ground-truthing”—the process of cross-checking city maps of available land with reality; community-listening sessions; neighborhood workshops on topics like understanding the Community Justice Land Trust; meetings with the staff of Councilmember Kenyatta Johnson’s office; and more.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Philadelphia City Council advances bill to reduce controversial 10-year tax abatement

“We know it’s time for Philadelphia to address the harsh impacts that development — specifically, market-rate development — has had on neighborhood affordability,” said Christi Clark, organizing director for the Women’s Community Revitalization Project. “And [to] talk about displacement that’s affecting too many families, specifically black and brown families.”

PlanPhilly: Affordable forever? A new kind of housing comes to South Philadelphia

This little cluster of houses will be part of the Mamie Nichols Homes, dedicated to the memory of Nichols-Solomon’s mother, who fought so long and hard for a neighborhood that city leaders had all but given up on. “She’d be proud and thrilled by the idea of permanent and affordable housing,” said Nichols-Solomon.

Philadelphia Inquirer: Gentrification displaced my family from Point Breeze | Opinion

The recent Federal Reserve study, as well as reporting and editorializing of it, suggests that gentrification helps people living in poverty through “exposure" to higher education and employment levels. This would mean my family would be helped by just being close to wealth. But often times, newcomers want to distance themselves from longtime residents. They want to change the feel of the neighborhood and get rid of important community institutions. Any supposed benefit of proximity is canceled out by indifference and mistrust on both ends.

Curbed Philly: In Kensington, pop-up art installation tells story of gentrification

An art installation asks, “What does it mean to reconstruct the city in a way that everyone can partake in and benefit from?” Blueprint for a Just Neighborhood joined with several community groups to respond, including the Women’s Community Revitalization Project, which lent the space at Tillmon Garden.

Philadelphia Tribune: Community group makes national cut as grant finalist

Women’s Community Revitalization Project, a community group committed to affordable-housing development for low-income women and their families, was named as a national finalist for a grant of up to $500,000 by ArtPlace America.