Population

• The current population of Philadelphia is estimated at 1,584,138.
• The population of the city between 20-34 is calculated as approximately 502,135.
• The median age of the city is 34.5.

City Elections in 2020

• According to the Philadelphia City Commission, no city-wide elections are coming up in 2020.
• The city held its latest election for all concerned positions on November 5, 2019.

Neighborhoods

• The Old City in the "heart of Philadelphia's Historic District" is a neighborhood rich in both retail and history. The neighborhood harbors some edifice such as the "Independence Mall, where the country's Founding Fathers declared liberty."
• Old City is known for its eclectic galleries and theaters, fashionable boutiques, and vibrant night lifestyle.
•  University City is a neighborhood that houses two of the city's higher institutions of learning. The neighborhood houses the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University.
• This provides the neighborhood with "magnetic individuality fueled by youthful innovation and an unshakable commitment to artistic and cultural exploration." The University City neighborhood is an ideal destination for young professionals and families who work in the educational and medical centers.
•  Fishtown is another neighborhood in the city that attracts young professionals due to the coolness of the environment. The neighborhood is rated as one of the best places to live in Philadelphia, according to Lynch-Kraley.

City ID Card

• The city of Philadelphia "provides a secure and affordable photo identification card for anyone living in Philadelphia, age 13 and older."
• The identification card "displays the cardholder's name, address, date of birth, and self-identified gender. It assigns a unique identification number to each Philadelphian and displays an issue and expiration date on the card."
• To obtain the card, residents must provide original copies of their proof of address and proof of identity. The cost of obtaining the card ranges from $5-$10.
• Cardholders enjoy benefits that include discounts from the state-approved partners. The card serves as an acceptable means of identification in banks and schools and city buildings. It can also be used to obtain a discount on some state-approved museums.

Question to City Leaders

• What are your plans attracting more residents aged 18 – 35 since they make up only 32% of the city's population?

Research Strategy

Triangulation

• Number of people 20-29 = 17% of the population = (0.17 * 1,584,138) = 269,303 people.
• Number of people 30-39 = 16% of the population = (0.16 * 1,584,138) = 253,462 people.
• Assuming an equal age distribution for all the age bracket 30-39. Therefore, population of Philadelphia between 30-34 years = (253,462 / 2) = 126,731 people.
• Number of people 35 years of age = 51,200 (males) + 54,900 (females) = 106,100 people.
• Total population between 20 and 35 years = 269,303 + 126,731 + 106,100 = 502,134 ≈ 502,135 people.
• Percentage of the city's population between 20 and 35 years = (502,134 / 1,584,138) * 100 = 31.69% ≈ 32%.

Business Promotion Initiatives

• According to the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia, "the Small Business Board (SBB) is comprised primarily of winners of the Chamber's Excellence Awards and service providers who have small business specialties."
• The SBB keys into the grand mission of the Chamber by "providing advice and counsel to the Chamber staff and management on policy and programming from the perspective of the owners and executives of small to mid-sized growth-oriented businesses."

• The Department of Commerce, Philadelphia, aids small businesses to succeed in the city through; attraction of a diverse set of businesses, maximum support for small businesses, development of talents, improved access to business fundings, and increased contracting opportunities for disabled-owned businesses, women, and minority.
• The department has about 11 programs in support of small businesses such as the business security camera program, business coaching program, and startup PHL.
• These programs are designed to provide financial support, incentives, and one-on-one business advice to small businesses.

Local Merchant Associations

• The Philadelphia Center City District business resources provide a list of some merchant associations in Philadelphia. Some, as well as others, include:
• The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia.
• The city of Philadelphia Department of Commerce.
• Philadelphia public-private economic development corporation (PIDC).
• Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
•  Startup PHL.

Major Partnerships

• According to the Economy League, PAGE represents a "partnership between the Economy League, the City of Philadelphia and more than a dozen Philadelphia-area institutions that work to increase local purchasing by large institutional buyers to grow Philadelphia businesses, strengthen the local economy, create jobs, and build wealth."
• Some founding partners include Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, City of Philadelphia, Drexel University, and Temple University. Other participating institutional buyers include community college of Philadelphian and the Einstein Healthcare Network while supporting organizations includes PIDC, Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Sustainable Business Network.

• Arts in Action is a partnership between Philadelphia's Office of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy (OACCE) and the Mayor's Office of Education (MOE) to attract community members and draw the Philadelphia neighborhoods towards creative experiences and arts through concerts, free performances, and dance workshops.

• Listening to Philadelphians was developed through a partnership between MOE and OACCE, as a direct reply to the report received from the Philadelphia 2018 Community Survey.
• The partnership is funded through the Philadelphia Beverage Tax and targeted towards bringing communities together and enriching youths.

Philadelphia Lowest Request for Proposals Amounts.

• According to the city of Philadelphia open contract data, "professional services contracts are not subject to the lowest, responsible bidder requirements of Section 8-200 of the Home Rule Charter."
• Instead, the services contract makes use of some competitive process contained in the Philadelphia Code, Chapter 17-1400.

Questions

• How do you plan to promote small businesses through strategic partnerships in 2020?
• How do you plan to engage local merchant associations to ensure and consolidate on the ease of doing business in Philadelphia?

Key Issue #1: Aging Infrastructure

The Problem

• Aging infrastructure poses a significant problem for the city of Philadelphia. A few of its structures are older than the country itself, with several buildings dated pre-1776. This issue affects the city's stormwater system, roads, sidewalks, public transportation, housing, and schools.
• In July 2018, a ruptured main sent "15 million gallons [of water] surging into Center City streets." The damage resulted in extensive flooding, and structural cave-ins posed a significant threat.
• SEPTA, Philadelphia's public transportation system, experiences "ongoing reliability issues" due to the city's aging infrastructure.
• According to a recent lawsuit filed against the city, its sidewalks are "dilapidated, disintegrating, and teeming with obstructions."
• Outdated electrical systems and lack of maintenance resulted in six deadly structural fires in 2019 alone. A refinery, junkyard, apartment complex, auto shop, chemical plant, and rowhome section all caught fire this past year.
• Several schools have closed due to damaged asbestos, a dangerous fiber used in many 20th-century buildings that can cause lung cancer and mesothelioma.

Stakeholders Involved

• The 2019-2020 Philadelphia Resident Survey found that crumbling infrastructure is one of citizens' top three concerns.
• The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 14% of the city's workforce relies on public transportation.
• Pedestrians — people with disabilities in particular — have trouble navigating damage and obstructions when they use city sidewalks.
• Civilians can suffer serious health-related consequences when buildings insulated with asbestos are not properly maintained.

Efforts to Address It

• One effort to address the city's stormwater system specifically is its Green City, Clean Waters initiative. The 25-year plan uses "rain gardens and stormwater planters" to improve the condition of waterways and reduce pollution while making the city more beautiful.
• Key initiatives addressing the city's public transportation system and roads are:
• Transit First, a program aimed at enhancing the efficiency of public transportation through inter-agency collaboration;
•  Route for Change, a 3-year project with the goal of making the Roosevelt Boulevard safer;
•  I-95 Improvement Project, an investment of $2 billion into repairing the highway;
•  Complete Streets, a program introduced in 2009 to make the city's streets and sidewalks safer and more pedestrian-friendly;
•  Connect, a 2018 program with plans to redesign Philadelphia's public transportation system to make it more efficient.
• Philadelphia's public health website includes a hotline and specific information about how to hire a contractor to remove asbestos safely.

Question for City Leaders

• What plans do you have for dealing with poorly-maintained buildings like apartment complexes, rowhomes, and schools where civilian safety is acutely at risk?

Key Issue #2: Philadelphia's Opioid Crisis

The Problem

• Philadelphia has the second-highest rate of death due to an opioid overdose of all 44 counties in Pennsylvania.
• The New York Times calls Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood the "Walmart of heroin" since it is "the largest open-air narcotics market for heroin on the East Coast."
• City data reports that of 1,118 drug-related deaths in 2018, 84% were caused by an opioid overdose.

Stakeholders Involved

• Citizens are most obviously impacted by this crisis. Twenty-nine percent of Philadelphia residents personally know someone who has died of an opioid overdose, and 31% personally know an opioid addict.
•  Forty-one percent of Philadelphia residents say that opioids have negatively impacted the quality of life in their neighborhoods.
• The 2019-2020 Philadelphia Resident Survey revealed that citizens consider drug-use a major concern.
• Opioid addiction has also affected participation in the workforce. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that nearly 50% of men between ages 25 and 54 who are not actively employed "take pain medication daily."

Efforts to Address It

• In 2017, the city's mayor created a designated task force aimed at developing a comprehensive plan to tackle the opioid crisis. The official report was released in May 2017.
• The mayor signed an executive order in October 2018 and launched the Resilience Project to "combat the opioid crisis" through the collaboration efforts of 35 city offices. The project incorporates a philosophy called "harm reduction" that aims to de-stigmatize addiction so that addicts are more likely to seek treatment.
• The city is making opioid treatment options more accessible and "expand[ing] the use of naloxone" to treat overdoses.
• Philadelphia — along with Baltimore and New York City — has sued pharmaceutical companies for pushing doctors to prescribe opioids by "overstating the benefits and understating the risks."
• City officials are so desperate for a solution that they are considering the implementation of "supervised injection sites" where addicts can "safely" use drugs. A recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of drug users in Philadelphia's Kensington neighborhood, dubbed "ground-zero of the city's opioid crisis," would use these facilities.

Question for City Leaders

• While many efforts are in place to help citizens who presently suffer from an opioid addiction and their families, what programs or initiatives do you have planned to stop addiction before it starts?