November 27th, 2023

Dear Neighbors,

On Tuesday, November 28th, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation (PPR) will remove the installation that went up in Clark Park on October 28th, 2023. The date of the removal, originally scheduled for Monday, November 27th, was extended due to the holiday weekend.

The memorial in Clark Park has remained on public property for more than 15 days and now exceeds PPR’s policy regarding temporary memorials and displays. The City realizes that temporary memorials and displays in public spaces are often a response to a sensitive situation, and seeks to be respectful in any action taken with regard to the placement, relocation, or removal of such displays. PPR has been unable to contact the organization and/or individuals responsible for this display to discuss the removal. Individuals or organizations claiming responsibility for the display may retrieve any content from the display prior to its removal by PPR. 

PPR and the City of Philadelphia are committed to the consideration of and care for every community in our region that may be experiencing pain and trauma due to the conflict in the Middle East. The City offers support and resources to help anyone struggling in the face of these events. We encourage local residents who are in need of support amidst the current violence in Israel and Gaza to make use of the City and partner resources available to them.

Sincerely,

Orlando Rendon

Interim Commissioner

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation 

City Council has created a special fund for Philadelphia homeowners whose real estate tax bills have increased significantly. If your Real Estate Tax bill increased by 50% or more, you may qualify for a one-time credit of up to $500. The credit will either pay a balance on your property taxes or will be added to your City of Philadelphia Real Estate Tax account as a credit for future years. The deadline to apply is January 31, at 5 p.m.

To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:

• Live within the City of Philadelphia;
• Be the legal owner of the property and live the property as a primary residence;
• Property tax bill has increased by 50% or more between the 2022 and 2023 tax assessments; and
• Household income must be at or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI).

You can apply online or by mailing a paper application available at phila.gov/council-tax-credit.

Click here to learn more about Council’s Real Estate Tax Credit program.

Questions? Contact pataxrelief@forwardplatform.zendesk.com or (855) 334-9513. You can also contact your City Council member.

The Philadelphia Department of Human Services is committed to supporting the placement stability of children and youth in the foster care and the juvenile justice systems. As part of this commitment, DHS regularly releases job announcements on the main phila.gov/jobs webpage to support our hiring efforts. Please either apply for an open position or sign up for job alerts. Please share these announcements with your networks.

You can also review this jobs booklet to learn more about working at DHS.