Petition: Save Philly's Block Party Program! No Police Power Grab!

(Fishtown Block Party | Image: Jon Geeting)

Philadelphia is known as the Block Party capital of the East Coast, closing more streets for community celebrations than any other big city. 

But the Kenney administration just threw a big wrench into the gears of Philly block party culture by requiring communities to get pre-approved by the local Police District first before they can submit a petition to Streets.

This is totally unnecessary red tape that's just going to make it harder for neighbors to organize block parties, and weaken this important part of Philadelphia's culture.

Sign and share this petition to SAY NO to this Block Party Power Grab by the Police Department!

One of the biggest reasons why Philadelphia has such a strong block party culture—which is most popular in majority black neighborhoods in North, West, and western South Philly—is because of how cheap and easy it is to get a permit.

A block party permit costs only $25, and requires signatures from 75% of households on the block (or 90% on a weeknight or non-holiday). As of a few years ago, you can also apply for a block party permit online, thanks to Tim Wisniewski during the Nutter administration, who put the permitting process online in an effort to streamline block party organizing.

Now Mayor Kenney is going in the exact opposite direction, creating an annoying two-step process that's going to be much less clear and straightforward for residents. And by leaving it up to individual Police Districts all over the city, there's going to be too much personal discretion from individual police officers to decide who gets to have a party or not.

That's unfair, and is the opposite of the direction we need to be going in, with even more lax permission requirements to use streets as public space.

The Streets Department is framing this in Orwellian terms, talking about why Police pre-approval will improve "customer service" or the "efficiency and integrity" of the program, but that only makes sense if you consider the Police and City service providers as the customers to be served—not the residents organizing the block parties.

For the real customers, it's going to mean more of your block party applications getting vetoed by the Police for unclear reasons. Maybe police officers just prefer to drive on your block and don't want the hassle of going around—DENIED! There's also the additional hassle and delay of getting a permit reviewed by two separate departments—a burden that should be on the City to coordinate, not the block party organizer.

This policy already went into effect on August 1st and was just announced with no advance warning, so we need to get the Kenney administration to reverse this new rule.

Take Action: Sign and share this petition to help raise awareness of the block party power grab. Then, call your City Councilmembers and ask them to call on Mayor Kenney to support Philly's block party program, and oppose pre-approval by Police.

District Members

District 1: Mark Squilla: [email protected], (215) 686-3458, (215) 686-3459

District 2: Kenyatta Johnson: [email protected], (215) 686-3412, (215) 686-3413

District 3: Jannie Blackwell: [email protected], (215) 686-3418, (215) 686-3419

District 4: Curtis Jones, Jr.: [email protected], (215) 686-3416, (215) 686-3417

District 5: Darrell Clarke (Council President): [email protected], (215) 686-3412, (215) 686-3443

District 6: Bobby Henon (Majority Leader): [email protected], (215) 686-3444, (215) 686-3445

District 7: Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez: [email protected], (215) 686-3448, (215) 686-3449

District 8: Cindy Bass: [email protected], (215) 686-3424, (215) 686-3425

District 9: Cherelle Parker: [email protected], 215) 686-3454, (215) 686-3455

District 10: Brian O'Neill: brian.o'[email protected], (215) 686-3422, (215) 686-3423

 

At-Large Members

Blondell Reynolds-Brown: [email protected], (215) 686-3438, (215) 686-3439

Allan Domb: [email protected], (215) 686-3414, (215) 686-3415

Derek Green: [email protected], (215) 686-3450, (215) 686-3451

Bill Greenlee: [email protected], (215) 686-3446, (215) 686-3447

Helen Gym: [email protected], (215) 686-3420, (215) 686-3421

David Oh (R): [email protected], (215) 686-3452, (215) 686-3453

Al Taubenberger: (R): [email protected], (215) 686-3440, (215) 686-3441

676 signatures

Will you sign?

Showing 542 reactions

  • L Lacy
    signed 2024-09-17 17:57:50 -0400
  • Joyce Brooks
    signed 2024-09-11 22:45:32 -0400
    I’m a Block Captain and I agree we are being punish.
  • Joanne Ryles
    signed 2024-09-11 21:31:42 -0400
    Don’t punish us for the bad apples
  • Tracey Gordon
    signed 2024-09-11 20:36:31 -0400
    This is punishing the “good neighbor”. I shared on all my platforms
  • Latanya Sommerville
    signed 2022-08-03 17:25:57 -0400
  • Joan Amos
    signed 2022-08-02 08:23:10 -0400
    Recently denied
  • Anna Mae Dorman
    signed via 2022-06-06 16:13:10 -0400
    I am the block captain of my block for over 30 year. I apply for a permit for July 2nd 2022 was denied never in my life all the years of being a block captain never was denied a permit the damn cops don’t even get called for my street this is totally unfair to us citizens who pay taxes and look forward to Summer block partys. It’s unfair the city can hold large events Penn’s landing Ben Franklin parkway wherever the hell they want to at taxpayers expense. Sorry Philly I don’t feel safe at your events…

    I will remain home on my own block where I feel safe and still have my block party.
  • Gina Degraphenreid
    signed 2021-08-18 13:08:12 -0400
  • Nakia Goodman
    signed 2021-06-03 22:40:42 -0400
  • Kareema Burnett
    signed 2021-05-08 15:00:41 -0400
  • Eunice Ector
    signed 2019-08-19 20:54:08 -0400
    FOR OVER 25 YEARS,I HAVE BEEN HAVING BACK TO SCHOOL BLOCK PARTIES GIVING OUT SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND CANDY.AND PRIZES TO THE ADULTS AND KIDS.ONE YEAR CHANEL SIX NEWS EVEN CAME..UNTIL 2017 A YOUNG LADY CRASH THRO THE STREET DESTROYINNG BOOKS,CANDY,TOYS AND RUNNING OVER ABOUT 9 PEOPLE.AND 1 CHILD..SHE WAS HIGH OFF WET. I LOST TWO OF MY FRIEND AND ,AFTER THAT THEY NEVER RECOVERED. ME I AM IN CONSTANT PAIN., MY JOY HAS BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM ME. ALL BECAUSE OF THAT YOUNG LADY. NOW NO MORE PARTIESTHEY TOLD ME NO BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPEN IN 2017 AND SOME OTHER REASONS.THE OTHER REASONS WERE NEVE MADE CLEAR TO ME.AFTER A WHOLE YEAR OF TEST ,THE LAWYERS DROPPED MY CASE..JUST LIKE THAT…..I M IN ALOT OF PAIN PRAISE GOD I`AM STILL HERE SEPT 1, I WILL BE 83………
  • Kimyatta Ray
    signed 2019-08-01 23:35:01 -0400
  • Josette Sydnor
    signed 2019-07-24 17:33:23 -0400
  • Mgz$$
    @Anthony67338214 tweeted link to this page. 2019-07-07 11:15:29 -0400
    Petition: Save Philly's Block Party Program! No Police Power Grab! http://www.phila3-0.org/save_the_block_parties?recruiter_id=56362
  • Anthony Chapman
    signed 2019-07-07 11:06:42 -0400
    We were denied of our party and it’s not fair to let the police have power to approval or denied block parties
  • Audrey Smith
    signed 2019-06-27 20:40:03 -0400
    This will be our 7th yr having the block party,I am the Block Captain of my block and I started this on my wedding day, give us our rite to have the annual party my block opens at 8 pm
  • Nayah Gillard
    signed 2019-06-14 18:43:34 -0400
  • Tarik Ross
    signed 2019-06-13 14:37:17 -0400
  • Olutosin Nutter
    signed 2019-06-12 20:47:43 -0400
  • Monique Jones
    signed 2019-06-12 20:20:55 -0400
  • Jacquetta Nutter
    signed 2019-06-12 09:43:42 -0400
  • Cierra Gravely
    signed 2019-06-12 09:37:47 -0400
  • Zaimah Saleem
    signed 2019-05-25 15:28:48 -0400
    Zaimah Saleem
  • Su Le
    @SuLe59886320 tweeted link to this page. 2019-01-08 18:49:12 -0500
  • Nicholas Shapiro
    signed 2018-10-05 14:43:57 -0400
  • Allyson Adams
    signed 2018-09-05 22:51:24 -0400
  • lakia
    signed 2018-09-04 15:39:56 -0400
  • Nicole Forrester
    signed via 2018-08-29 08:09:31 -0400
    I’ve been trying to organize a block party for ages and it’s already difficult to get buy in/a date from neighbors/make time to organize!! Don’t add this extra burden that’ll keep communities from getting to know each other!
  • christopher egras
    signed 2018-08-28 22:00:20 -0400
  • Emma Dix
    signed 2018-08-28 21:45:52 -0400
    Please do not pass this bill!