03 JANUARY 2023

WSWCA’s weekly electronic newsletter

Happy New Year!

We hope your year is off to a good start. Next week at our regular public Board meeting – Tuesday January 10th at 7 PM – we will host the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) to re-engage in the rezoning conversation started in 2018. Read more about this history of this initiative below.

Stay up to date on events and Zoom log-in information by visiting our Civic calendar here, from your phone here.

Re-mapping is a process that is periodically performed jointly between the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and each and every Registered Community Organization in the city. WSWCA is a Registered Community Organization! We act as a liaison between you, the community, and the PCPC (Planning Commission) to share information and create a forum for comments and questions. The WSWCA started working on remapping back in 2018, but between lag and the pandemic, the process was never finished! We are starting where we left off, and getting back in to it.

Join us via Zoom on January 10th at 7pm, or IN PERSON on January 24th at 7pm for a presentation by the PCPC about proposed changes to zoning in Wash West.

Is it scary? No!
Is it exciting? Maybe!
Does the new map call for lots of changes? Not really.
Does this have anything to do with the proposed Historic District? Not at all.

Save The Date

If you can’t make the January Board meeting, or want to hear the full discussion, plan to attend the January Zoning meeting on Tuesday January 24 @ 7PM in person – location TBD.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

AND RESOURCES

Trash Delayed this Week

Due to New Year’s Day holiday, trash pick up in the neighborhood is delayed by a day. Help keep the neighborhood clean and do not put your trash out early.

Check out the Streets Department page on where to recycle your tree. The closest free drop is Broad & Christian – Jan 7 & 14 from 9AM to 3PM. Bennett Compost and Circle Compost are doing curb-side pickup. Click the red names to find out more.

Did you know the City has clothing and electronics recycling?

In 2020, SmartCityPHL partnered with Retrievr to offer on-demand doorstep collection for clothing and electronics. Read more about the service here. Schedule a pick up by calling or texting PICKUP to 757.70.FETCH (757.703.3824). See list below – clothing items should be clean.

Ready to learn something new?

The Free Library of Philadelphia has you covered! With your library card you get free access to LInkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com). Learn business, creative, and technology skills to achieve your personal and professional goals. Grab your library card and Click here to get started.

Question for the mayoral candidates?

Philadelphia Crosstown Coalition will be hosting a series of mayoral forums in the next few months. Center City is one location and WSWCA is helping to organize. Read more about the effort here. Email your questions to shuntington@hhflaw.com

Free Holiday Parking

Did you know that there are 9 holidays that provide free parking? During “parking holidays” you can park at meters without paying and ignore residential parking time limits, according to the PPA. However, don’t cause safety issues or park illegally or risk getting towed. Check out the full list of parking holidays here.

Shelter from the Cold

The cold can be dangerous, particularly for people experiencing homelessness. If you see someone outside who may need help, request a street outreach team any time, any place, by calling 215-232-1984

Join Our Civic Association (or Renew)

The WSWCA is a volunteer led civic organization that focuses on improving the lives of WSW residents. We rely on membership dues to provide services to our neighborhood. Did you know that we hire Center City District to do sidewalk sweeping at the cost of a Benefactor AND Leadership Membership each sweeping!

That’s why we need everyone to join. Our wide range of scales for membership meets our neighbors where they are. Then together, we can make an even larger impact. Please consider joining us as a member today.

In Case you Missed It…

Free COVID tests – Americans can order four more free COVID-19 tests through the mail again. It’s part of the plan to deal with an increase in COVID cases sparked by indoor holiday gatherings. Order yours here.

Free COVID Tests* – If you have *private health insurance, you can get eight free tests per person per month. That means a family of four gets 32 free tests monthly. Participants can either receive their eight free tests a month from provider-based pharmacies or be reimbursed by their provider for up to $12 for each test they purchase.

Work for the City – Did you know that the City of Philadelphia has a job’s posting board that has over 175 opportunities open to the public? The job diversity is astounding and your dream job may be on the list. Check it out.

New Rules Are Coming For 401(k) and IRA Accounts – Retirement accounts like 401(k) plans, IRAs will soon be under a new set of regulations. Some retirement account changes would take effect immediately after the passage of the bill, while others would start in 2024 or beyond. Although there’s over 90 updates, this article highlights some of the most impactful.

Big changes coming to SEPTA – Do you use SEPTA regularly? If so, make sure you look at their new plan: SEPTA’s Bus Revolution. SEPTA is looking for public input and feedback to their new plan.

Neighborhood Free Libraries – Independence Library (18 S. 7th Street) is typically open Monday-Friday from 1-5PM. Check their website for their hours before heading over because staff coverage impacts hours. Just outside of the Civic boundaries is Charles Santore Library (932 South 7th Street). They host programming for all ages.