Healthy Neighborhoods

What is "Healthy Neighborhoods"?

"Healthy Neighborhoods" was created by NeighborhoodsNow to strengthen Philadelphia's moderate to middle-income neighborhoods essential to the economic health and social fabric of the city. Neighborhoods "in the middle" are vital to Philadelphia's future.

Currently, six neighborhoods are being funded by NeighborhoodsNow. The individual programs are developed by CDCs, partner organizations and those who live and work in the neighborhoods—this is what makes this program so unique and valuable. Together the participating organizations work with NeighborhoodsNow to diagnose what's working and what's not and then develop a plan or approach to preserve and revitalize their neighborhoods. Healthy Neighborhoods restores market confidence through investment and strategic physical improvements such as improving gateways into neighborhoods, urban greening, lightening and mural arts.

Steps in the process:

  • Study facts and figures to determine what's working, what's not in terms of people's decision to invest or not.
  • Diagnose what went wrong and develop an approach for revitalization.
  • Set outcomes and indicators that show progress.
  • Select the strategies that will have the best chance to achieve outcomes.
  • Strengthen capacity to implement strategies.
  • Measure progress by outcomes, not activities.
  • Assess what's created change and rework strategies to use more of what works.

What are the program's goals?

Healthy Neighborhoods has three main program goals:
  1. Restore market confidence through investment and strategic physical improvements such as improving gateways into neighborhoods, urban greening projects, lighting, and mural arts.

  2. Build or contribute to wealth creation for residents in target neighborhoods, primarily through restoration of homeowner equity and encouraging home investment.

  3. Strengthen and enhance the social fabric of target neighborhoods by supporting existing neighborhood organizations and community-building activities. Activities could include community arts events, safety initiatives, and youth programs.

Current Projects

The following six "Healthy Neighborhoods" have received funding from NeighborhoodsNow. We are no longer accepting proposals at this time. Please sign up for updates to receive news about future projects.
Fairmount CDC will improve the image, built environment and resident support network of its target area, comprised of the blocks of Girard to Poplar in the northernmost section of the Fairmount neighborhood, and adjacent to Fairmount Park, Girard College, and Brewerytown. Activities include creating neighborhood design guidelines to increase private investment, completing greening and beautification projects on blocks and vacant properties, and developing marketing tools to promote the diversity (particularly its budding arts community) in the area.

Inter-Community Development Corporation will enhance the positive image of the Cedarbrook Community, located East of Mt. Airy and just South of the Cheltenham Township town line. Efforts will include undertaking neighborhood and public space greening, streetscape projects, improving the "gateway" into the neighborhood, and providing financial education and tools to support property owners wanting to invest in their own homes.

The Enterprise Center Community Development Corporation and Walnut Hill Civic Association will position the Walnut Hill section of Philadelphia (5100 blocks of Ludlow, Chancellor, Sansom, and Irving) as a neighborhood of choice by improving neighborhood identity. Plans include providing standardized pedestrian level lighting , conducting energy home assessments, and undertaking streetscape tree plantings.

New Kensington Community Development Corporation will concentrate on beautification projects in the Fishtown community, including creating a greenway along Columbia Avenue; completing the revitalization of a children's park; encouraging neighborhood leadership in block beautification and hosting container gardening workshops.

Partnership CDC and Carroll Park Community Council will focus on neighborhood identify by designing and hanging banners that welcome you to Carroll Park; and developing a lighting alternative for residential pole lights.

People's Emergency Center Community Development Corporation and Saunders Park Neighbors will build on the tradition of community-based planning to create neighborhood design guidelines to increase private investment in Saunders Park from 38th to 40th and Lancaster to Powelton Avenues. Attention will be paid to gateways, public space beautification, neighborhood identity and home maintenance projects.

For more about the Healthy Neighborhoods Program, download "Healthier Neighborhoods: A Solution for Stemming the Loss of Philadelphia's Middle-Income Residents" [PDF, 289K]