Philadelphia resumes Rental Assistance and Trash Pick Up

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

Hello All:

Philadelphia is still cautiously approaching the Green Phase, being concerned  that opening too soon might cause a resurgence of Coronavirus outbreaks. 

#EngagingPHL: Weekly Updates July 6, 2020 City Begins Phase 2 of Rental Assistance for Tenants Affected by COVID-19  The City of Philadelphia and PHDC announced a second phase of rental assistance for tenants affected by COVID-19. PHDC will begin accepting applications starting today at PHLRentAssist.org. During the first phase, the program assisted more than 4,000 residents. However, nearly 13,000 tenants applied to the program. Phase 2 will help about 6,300 more renters. Phase 2 has different program criteria than Phase 1. Most notably, Phase 2 will serve tenants with a higher pre-COVID income. Any resident in need, including applicants in Phase 1 who did not receive help, can apply in Phase 2! PHLRentAssist.org Regular Weekly Trash & Recycling Collections Resume July 6 As the City continues to reopen, the Streets Department will resume regular weekly trash and recycling collections, effective today, July 6. Regular trash and recycling collections will continue on or as close to its normal schedule as possible. Throughout the summer months, residents should expect delays in collections to subside as the amount of trash placed curbside is expected to decrease. Residents should place both trash and recycling out on their normal collection day at the regular pickup location. Residents are urged to use lids for recycling bins and trash cans, and bags should be tied tightly to prevent debris from blowing away. Lids for City-issued recycling bins can be picked up from the Sanitation Convenience Centers, open Tuesday through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.   Streets Department Collection Schedule City Reopens Spraygrounds with New Guidelines As we enter the hottest months of summer, 91 spraygrounds located in neighborhoods throughout the city are reopening under new COVID-19 guidelines. Residents can stay cool at spraygrounds and at Playstreets sites: Today the City begins turning on spraygrounds and spray features at 91 Parks & Recreation facilities. Spraygrounds will be open to the public weekdays from 3 - 7 p.m. and noon – 5 p.m. on weekends. Residents can find their nearest sprayground here. Philadelphia Parks & Recreation will offer “cooling kits” to residents at 100 Playstreets youth meal sites in areas of the city most impacted by the heat island effect. Cooling kits will include umbrellas, tents, cooling rags, and mister fans. Find the nearest sprayground  in your neighborhood below! Beat the Heat! View Report on Philadelphia COVID-19 Small Business Relief Fund  The City of Philadelphia and PIDC released a report analyzing the impact of the Philadelphia COVID-19 Small Business Relief Fund, which was designed to support Philadelphia small businesses, help maintain payroll obligations, and preserve jobs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  By the numbers: 2,000+ businesses received grants. 57 percent are located in low- to moderate-income areas. Zip codes with the highest approval rate (greater than 50 percent) have poverty rates greater than the city’s average of 25 percent. 66 percent of awards went to minority business owners, and 32 percent went to woman-owned businesses. (Demographic information is self-reported.) Awards were given to businesses from a diverse set of industries, including food and hospitality, personal services, retail, and many more. Read the full report and see a map of businesses by zip code, below. COVID-19 Small Biz Relief Report Register for the School District of Philadelphia Virtual Town Hall Series The School District of Philadelphia will be hosting Virtual Town Hall sessions July 7th-9th. District leaders will share information about their planning efforts for the upcoming school year and listen to your feedback to help inform final plans. Topics include: health and safety, cleaning practices, school schedules, and curriculum and instruction. How to Watch Live: Sessions will be streamed live on PSTV. Find the broadcast linked on philasd.org and at: Comcast/Xfinity Channel 52 Verizon Fios 20 The District’s Facebook page @PhillySchools You can also register in advance for the SDP Town Hall Series below! SDP Virtual Town Hall Schedule How You Can Help Your Community During COVID-19 While we are urging the general public to stay at home, there are many ways you can support our frontline healthcare workers, non-profit partners, and those who are in need of critical support during this outbreak. Donate to the PHL COVID-19 Fund Donate personal protective equipment (PPE) Donate food Volunteer Find out how you can support your community during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic below! How You Can Help! Stay Informed on COVID-19 in Philadelphia Below are some quick ways to stay informed: Get COVID-19 updates sent to your phone. Text COVIDPHL to 888-777 to receive free text alerts with info and updates from @PHLPublicHealth. Residents with questions about the COVID-19 coronavirus can use the 24/7 helpline to talk to a medical professional. Call 800-722-7112 For the latest updates and information on COVID-19 in Philadelphia please visit the Phila.gov webpage below. Phila.gov/COVID-19 As the City of Philadelphia has responded to the Covid-19 pandemic, The Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement has been sending weekly #EngagingPHL email updates.  Please know that we will be sending weekly updates on a permanent basis, and we hope you continue to find this information useful, relevant and actionable. Feel free to share this information with your networks.  For any questions about anything contained in this email, be sure to contact public.engagement@phila.gov. Follow the Mayor's Office of Public Engagement on Facebook @PublicEngagementPHL for more up-to-date information and resources. Our mailing address is: Room 115 City Hall Philadelphia, PA 19107

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