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Philadelphia Residents Struggle With Blight, Gentrification Amid City's Growth

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A fenced vacant lot on 13th Street in North Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A fenced vacant lot on 13th Street in North Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)

The city of Philadelphia last year was estimated to have more than 30,000 abandoned homes and vacant lots. Now, local officials say the city's long struggle with blight is improving.

Recent efforts to encourage development appear to have catalyzed home and apartment construction, attracting young, new residents.

While they may bring in more revenue to previously neglected parts of the city, they are also changing the makeup of those neighborhoods.

Arthur Green and Diane Monroe are longtime residents of Poplar, a neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Along with Anne Fadullon, of the Planning and Development Cabinet for the City of Philadelphia, they speak with Here & Now's Robin Young about how things have changed in the neighborhood.

Arthur Green, resident of Poplar in North Philadelphia and leader of the city's 14th Ward. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
Arthur Green, resident of the Poplar neighborhood in North Philadelphia and leader of the city's 14th Ward. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A blighted row house decays across the street from a set of newer residence buildings in Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A blighted row house decays across the street from a set of newer residence buildings in Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
North Philadelphia is home to a patchwork of new and old homes. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
North Philadelphia is home to a patchwork of new and old homes. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A new Poplar apartment building built on a vacant lot that was used a community garden, according to resident Diane Monroe. Next to it, a lot maintained by the Philadelphia Land Bank. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A new Poplar apartment building built on a vacant lot that was used a community garden, according to resident Diane Monroe. Next to it, a lot maintained by the Philadelphia Land Bank. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
North Philadelphia's blighted and abandoned Independence Press Building, sold last year for $5 million. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
North Philadelphia's blighted and abandoned Independence Press Building, sold last year for $5 million. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A fenced vacant lot on 13th Street in North Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)
A fenced vacant lot on 13th Street in North Philadelphia. (Dean Russell/Here & Now)

Guests

Arthur Green, resident of Poplar in North Philadelphia and leader of the city's 14th Ward.

Diane Monroe, resident of Poplar in North Philadelphia and a member of the city's 14th Ward.

Anne Fadullon, director of the Planning and Development Cabinet for the City of Philadelphia. She tweets @AFPhilaPHD.

This segment aired on July 28, 2016.

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