We’ve seen that tidying up our neighborhoods can make them safer. That’s why, from June to October 2024, the Safe Steps Northwest initiative will provide weekly block cleaning services to 335 residential blocks in Germantown and Mt. Airy, which have recently been affected by gun violence.
We’re excited to begin work with Reverend W. Douglas Banks, who will lead the project rollout! Stay tuned for cleaning crew job openings and collaboration opportunities.
Senator Art Haywood taking part in a block cleaning. March 26, 2024 Photo courtesy of James Robinson | Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Caucus.
This initiative is made possible by funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s 2022 Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant Program. It is a joint effort involving Mount Airy CDC, the litter cleaning service Glitter, State Senator Art Haywood, and Germantown United CDC. We are honored to serve as project advisors and support community engagement efforts in our area.
And, check out this recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer to learn more about the research behind this community clean-up approach to reducing gun violence.
State Senator Art Haywood spoke at the project’s launch at Waterview Recreation Center along with Mt. Airy CDC Executive Director Philip Dawson, Germantown United CDC Executive Director Emaleigh Doley, an officer of the 14th District, a Germantown resident, and representatives from Glitter, including Program Manager Douglas Banks. Photo Courtesy of Mt. Airy CDC.
Germantown United CDC (GU) is hosting a series of workshops to provide information and assistance for local residents struggling with tangled property titles.
Resolving a tangled title can be a complex and costly process, often requiring legal assistance. To help residents navigate this challenge, GU will be hosting a series of in-person and online workshops starting in March 2024. These workshops will equip attendees with the knowledge and resources needed to address tangled titles. Registration is required. Interested participants can sign up here.
We encourage all Germantown residents impacted by tangled titles to participate in these valuable workshops. The sessions are also open to members of Germantown’s civic associations, Registered Community Organizations, Block Captains, and other neighborhood stakeholders. By coming together, we can work to resolve the widespread problem of tangled titles and ensure Germantown homes remain in the hands of the families and communities that have built this neighborhood.
What is a Tangled Title?
A tangled title occurs when someone lives in a house but cannot prove ownership because their name is not on the deed. This is a common situation when a home is passed down through generations, with children or grandchildren continuing to reside in a property still registered in the name of a deceased parent or grandparent. While a tangled title may not impact day-to-day living, it can create significant challenges, making it difficult or even impossible to resolve issues like foreclosure, utility shutoffs, or emergency home repairs. Addressing tangled titles is an important step in protecting homes for future generations within the community.
The Importance of Addressing Tangled Titles
Tangled titles can have severe consequences for families and neighborhoods. Without clear ownership, residents are unable to tap into their home’s value, sell the property, or qualify for home equity loans and other important resources. In most cases, they can’t get homeowner’s insurance or qualify for city programs aimed at helping low-income households. At the same time, they’re still obligated to pay their real estate taxes, maintain their properties, and fulfill the other responsibilities of homeownership. This instability can also lead to blight and displacement, reducing the availability of affordable housing.
Fortunately, the City of Philadelphia is investing nearly $8 million to help resolve tangled titles. Germantown residents who need legal counsel, fee waivers, or public assistance can connect with Germantown United CDC to get the help they need.
Workshop Series
The Germantown United CDC workshops will cover everything from understanding tangled titles to identifying legal and financial resources to help clear a home’s title. Participants will also learn about addressing liens, delinquent property taxes, and deed transfers.
Individuals with unclear property ownership will receive free legal assistance to determine their eligibility and create a plan of action. GU is partnering with several legal aid organizations working with the City to process applications and funding requests for eligible residents. These partners may include:
Community Legal Services
Philly VIP
SeniorLAW Center
Philadelphia Legal Assistance
Affordable Housing Centers of Pennsylvania
By providing comprehensive support and connecting residents to critical resources, these workshops aim to empower Germantown homeowners to resolve their tangled titles successfully.
Online workshops are offered through Zoom. The meeting access information will be sent separately via email following registration.
In-person workshops will take place at the Braid Mill Conference Room, located at 441 High St, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The main entrance is on High Street, between Morton Street and Magnolia Street.
Braid Mill is a new collaborative home for creatives, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and a center of community activity. The venue is accessible. The nearest bus route is the SEPTA XH. Secure bike and vehicle parking is available on-site. Instructions for entering the building will be provided. (Please note that the workshop location has been changed to accommodate more attendees. The event will no longer take place at GU’s office.)
An analysis of census data shows that Germantown has some of the highest rates of tangled titles in the city. The neighborhoods with the most tangled titles tend to have lower household incomes and higher poverty levels.
Several factors contribute to the prevalence of tangled titles in these areas, including limited access to legal services and low property values. In some cases, outstanding liens can also make it difficult for residents to financially benefit from clearing the title.
Furthermore, there is a clear correlation between the incidence of tangled titles and the racial/ethnic makeup of a neighborhood. According to a groundbreaking 2021 report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the census tracts with the highest rates of tangled titles are those with majority Black populations, like Germantown.
The map pictured above highlights the disproportionate impact of tangled titles on marginalized communities. Germantown is located in the Northwest section. Addressing this critical issue is essential for preserving homeownership and generational wealth in the neighborhood.
Join us at The Braid Mill (441 High St) on Thursday, November 30, 6-8pm for the Germantown United CDC Get to Know Us Pep Rally & Tailgate! This in-person community networking event is all about celebrating our beloved Germantown. We’re inviting neighborhood residents, local business owners, community organizations, and those who simply love Germantown to come together, make meaningful connections, exchange ideas, and discover new resources within our neighborhood.
At the event, you’ll have the opportunity to meet and hear from Germantown United CDC’s staff, board members, and organizational partners as they share insights about our initiatives. Get ready to meet some new faces! Rest assured, the presentations will be brief. This social gathering is all about community connections and getting to know your neighbors.
Save the date, sport your team gear, and prep for an evening of community connections.
DJ Jazzy JoeYoung American Hard Cider & Tasting Room (6350 Germantown Ave)Attic Brewing Co. (137 Berkley St)
Featuring:
Music by DJ Jazzy Joe
Serving drinks made in Germantown by Attic Brewing Co. and Young American Cider
Lite bites from our favorite Germantown spots
GU resource table offering valuable information about our services
Community information table for attendees to share Germantown-focused announcements and neighborhood news. Bring your own flyers!
Your ticket registration constitutes a donation to Germantown United CDC and is tax-deductible, excluding processing fees. Additionally, half of all proceeds from the Community Champion ticket option will benefit Germantown United’s Fund for Germantown – Projects for Progress micro-grant program.
Braid Millis a collaborative home for creatives, entrepreneurs, and small businesses located in the heart of Germantown, Philadelphia. By weaving together functional workspaces, high-quality resources, and carefully curated events and programs, we provide a holistic approach to growth and development that redefines the traditional workplace experience. Learn more at braidmill.com.
It can happen. Over and over, former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell stressed that simple, but important, phrase as he spoke Thursday night to a room filled with Germantown residents who desperately want to turn the neighborhood’s fortunes around. “Anything…
Clogged drains, leaky roofs, drafty windows, crumbling bricks… While being a homeowner is wonderful in many ways, it comes with its own set of responsibilities and headaches. Join Germantown United CDC (GU) and Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) for a presentation and Q&A about common home repair issues, what you can do yourself, and when/how to hire a professional. RTP provides health, safety, and energy efficiency repairs to 125+ houses each year and understands the issues facing Philadelphia’s aging housing stock. GU will also review resources for home repairs.
Thursday, March 2, 2023 6 p.m. – 7 p.m. Location: VIRTUAL This event has passed.
This event is part of Germantown United CDC’s Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) Program, supported by the City of Philadelphia Division of Housing & Community Development.
Thinking about buying your own home in Germantown? Germantown United CDC now offers FREE monthly first-time homebuyer workshops right here in Germantown through a partnership with Mt. Airy CDC. The full schedule for 2019 follows below.
first-time homebuyer workshop
Learn everything you need to know to become a successful first-time homebuyer! In this three-hour workshop, our experienced and HUD-certified housing counseling staff will cover:
How to improve your credit scores and prepare a spending plan
The mortgage lending process
What’s in a sales agreement
Inspections, insurance, and why you need them
Available assistance for down payment and closing costs
Schedule
Workshops are Tuesdays at 5:30pm at GUCDC’s office, located at 5320 Germantown Ave (at the corner of W Penn St). All workshops are approximately 3 hours, please plan accordingly.
TUESDAYS
January 22
February 26
March 26
April 30
May 28
June 25
July 23
August 27
September 24
October 22
November 19
December 10
Beginning in September 2018, Germantown United CDC (GU) will increase its work around affordable housing and homeownership. We are committed to bringing new housing counseling services to the neighborhood, and connecting residents with existing resources in Germantown and nearby, including pre-purchase and home-ownership counseling, foreclosure prevention, anti-predatory lending education, financial counseling, and a renter assistance referral system.
GU now offers a FREE monthly First-time Homebuyer workshop in through a partnership with Mt. Airy CDC. The first workshop is scheduled for Tuesday, September 11 at 5:30pm at GU’s office, located at 5320 Germantown Ave (at the corner of W Penn St).
In this three-hour workshop, our experienced and HUD-certified housing counseling staff will cover:
How to improve your credit scores and prepare a spending plan
The mortgage lending process
What’s in a sales agreement
Inspections, insurance, and why you need them
Available assistance for down payment and closing costs
Starting Thursday, June 14, 2018 The Food Trust’s newest farmers market opens in Philadelphia’s Germantown neighborhood, as a place for community members to gather, purchase healthy foods, listen to music, enjoy arts and cultural programming, and take advantage of free community resources. The market, hosted in collaboration with Germantown United Community Development Corp. and Weavers Way Co-op, will be open to the public through October every Thursday, 3-7 p.m., at Germantown Avenue and East School House Lane.
Shoppers can enjoy:
Fresh fruits & veggies from Zookie’s Produce
Cooking demos by The Food Trust nutrition educators
Nuts, dried fruit, coffee, granola and other sustainably sourced bulk and packaged foods from Weavers Way Co-op
Community resources, music, arts & entertainment sponsored by Germantown United CDC
Food truck fare and prepared foods, including Ashbell’s Smokehouse Deli
Germantown & School House Farmers Market is located in Market Square Park, a previously underutilized neighborhood park and public space. This site was chosen because of its historic significance as a market at the founding of Germantown; visibility from heavily trafficked Germantown Avenue; proximity to Historic Germantown sites, including the Historical Society and the Germantown White House; proximity to religious, business and educational institutions including Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity’s Germantown alumni chapter; accessibility to transit including the SEPTA Route 23 bus which stops at the market; availability of parking; and its potential for revitalizing this storied block of Germantown’s business district.
The location of the market is also the site of the annual Germantown Second Saturday Festival, which has brought renewed attention and interest to Germantown and Market Square Park. In 2017, this picturesque block of Germantown Ave welcomed three new and thriving businesses: Kinesics Dance Dynamics, Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books, and Germantown Day School.
About The Food Trust The Food Trust, a nonprofit founded in 1992, strives to make healthy food available to all. Working with neighborhoods, schools, grocers, farmers and policymakers, The Food Trust has developed a comprehensive approach that combines nutrition education and greater availability of affordable, healthy food. To learn more about The Food Trust, visit thefoodtrust.org.
About Germantown United CDC Germantown United Community Development Corporation’s (GUCDC) mission is to promote and facilitate the revitalization of Germantown and its business corridors through a sustainable, creative, and community-driven approach to economic development. To learn more, visit germantownunitedcdc.org.
About Weavers Way A member-owned cooperative grocery with locations in Northwest Philadelphia and Ambler, Weavers Way offers a friendly shopping environment and reasonably priced, high-quality products that are local, sustainable, organic, fairly traded and healthful. For more info, visit weaversway.coop.
The mission of Germantown United Community Development Corporation (GUCDC) is to promote and facilitate the revitalization of Germantown and its business corridors through a sustainable, creative, and community-driven approach to economic development.
In February of 2018, Germantown United CDC became aware that the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) was considering a proposal to refinance $3.3 million in loans––with forgiveness of all back taxes, all utility liens, and all late penalties and interest accumulated over a 25-year period––on 50+ properties concentrated in lower Germantown (an estimated 140+ units of housing).
News of the proposal before the PRA was met with overwhelming outrage. Thanks to substantial pressure, community organizing and advocacy, the PRA rejected the proposal and is moving forward with foreclosure, calling it “the responsible course of action that is best for the Germantown neighborhood and for the ongoing preservation and maintenance of this important affordable housing.” If successful, the PRA will take control of these properties. At this time however, exactly what will happen to these properties remains influx and unknown. But wait, there’s more! »»»
Germantown United CDC and Historic Germantown are currently seeking community organizations, food vendors, art, craft, and other merchants to participate in the Vendor Marketplace at the 4th annual festival Germantown Second Saturday Festival.
