Team effort on South Broad Street (Photo by @gpatomk)

#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY

Team effort on South Broad Street
(Photo by @gpatomk)

Philly tenant unions have quadrupled since the pandemic — and their political power is growing

Organized renters are increasingly testing new ways to hold landlords accountable — part of a growing movement propelled by the city’s ongoing housing crisis and broader affordability issues nationwide.

Some are autonomous, launched organically by tenants at the same apartment building without any outside guidance. Others are the products of partnerships with a variety of tenant rights groups. Continue reading…

Renters march outside Avondale Apartments on June 18, 2024, during a protest against Odin Properties, accused of poorly managing their low-income rental properties in Philadelphia. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

Billy Penn City Guide: University City and The Woodlands

Formerly a 600-acre estate on the west banks of the Schuylkill, The Woodlands has remained an important horticultural site for over 200 years.

It also remains the site of many “cradle graves,” which have been transformed into gardens by 150 volunteers who tend to them in a way that families in the Victorian Era would have done. Continue reading…

Akosua Ako-Addo, a grave gardener at The Woodlands. (Emma Lee/WHYY)

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Voting by noncitizens is extremely rare. Trump is making it a focus ahead of the midterm elections. [AP] 

• The CDC left two Pennsylvania deaths off the national measles tally after RFK Jr. and Gov. Shapiro sparred online. [NBC10]

• How Carlton Williams rose from a scandal-plagued department to one of Philadelphia’s most powerful government positions. [Inq$]

• Philly’s school selection process has been postponed to Oct. 5. Here’s what families should know. [Chalkbeat]

• New speed cameras are now active on Route 13 in Philly, but the PPA won’t fine violators — for now. [PhillyVoice]

• How Philly’s Community Fridges grew from pandemic mutual aid to a hunger-relief lifeline. [Germantown Info Hub]

• Cecily Tynan delivered her final forecast after more than 30 years with Action News. [6abc]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Parker has no public events scheduled for Tuesday.

Highlights from Billy Penn’s City Guide

ON THE CALENDAR

A traveling exhibit on SEPTA: For the People (Tuesday),
walking tour of historic churches involved with the First Prayer (Wednesday), 
back-to-school book swap (Thursday)
AND MORE! 

Send us events to add to the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar at BillyPenn.com!

BILLY PENN GUIDES

🏙️ Billy Penn City Guide
✏️ Philly Quizzo guide
🎭 Philly Fringe Fest guide
🍓 Farmers market guide
✊🏾 Black history in Philly guide
🍦 Vegan ice cream guide 
🥕 CSA farmshare guide
☕ Philly coffee guide
🚶🏽‍♀️ Alt Philly history walking tours guide
🎭 Philly’s comedy scene
🎤 Philly Record Store Guide
🛍️ Thrifty in Philly guide
📚 Book lovers’ guide to Philly
🍹 Non-alcoholic Philly
😋 Dining in Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide