Meeting at 3901 Market Street
March 8, 2004
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

More than 85 residents of 3901 Market Street participated in this forum to generate principles to help guide the continuing evolution of 40th Street. Coincidentally, the meeting was held shortly after residents received a letter from the building owner indicating that their Section 8 funding from H.U.D. was up for renewal in the coming year. The letter noted that, like all federal funding, Section 8 funding was subject to Congressional approval. Thus, the residents raised a great many issues, ranging from concerns about their future in the building to concerns about the area. What follows is a listing of the concerns, uses and principles generated at that meeting.

Concerns:
o What are Penn's and Drexel's plans for the area?
o Anxiety about the future of this building (3901).
o City council is agent for change - so use the political process.
o Fear residents will be moved out.
o Safety
o Security
o Accessibility
o Length of traffic lights
o Dislocation of residents
o Junkies on the corner
o Nothing done historically to hear our concerns
o Black Bottom - Filbert to Locust and 34th to 40th
o Nothing is constant but change
o Population is transient.
o Housing is HUD issue
o 40th street junkies come inside the building
o security inside building is an issue
o 40th street is a crossroads for junkies from the northeast and other places

Uses:
o Dry cleaning
o Post office
o Bank
o Grocery/supermarket
o Mini police station
o Shoe store
o Clothing store
o Pharmacy in building
o Get a grocery store back into 3901

Principles:
o Maintain a diverse population - people of all ages and backgrounds
o Create a safe and secure neighborhood (e.g., get rid of junkies and hustlers, safely get into existing businesses
o Improve quality of life -- Enforce no double parking on market street; Upgrade curb cuts; remove junkies for broad area, not just 40th street; Access to subway (e.g., elevator)
o Upgrade the entire area: Improve street appearance, shop fronts, landscaping, lighting; don't just push junkies one block south.
o Improve access to 40th Street: Increase duration of traffic lights to make it safe to cross street; make stores accessible both inside and out