Northwood Civic Association talks about ongoing “squatter” issues and security issues.
Last Tuesday night, the Northwood Civic Association discussed updates on several abandoned properties, concerns about policing in the neighborhood, continued parking issues and the possibility of bringing back armed security. For the past several months, the civic association has been keeping tabs on several different properties that have been abandoned and have dealt with “squatter” issues. At 1301 Wakeling St., which is being rehabbed, squatters broke into the property earlier in the month.
According to civic association president Joe Krause, the Court of Common Pleas granted a “writ of ejectment” for the squatters occupying that property after this incident, resulting in their removal.
Those at the meeting expressed displeasure that the squatter issue has occurred multiple times over the past couple of months.
According to the civic, 4622 Oakland St. was burglarized earlier in the month. The civic claims the police who showed up for the crime did not properly write a report and were called upon to return to complete the job. Members of the civic association recommended expressing their displeasure over this specific situation at the PSA 1 meeting set to take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 26, on the second floor of 4900 Frankford Ave.
In 2013, as a result of the civic association’s concerns of coverage from the Philadelphia Police Department, members of the civic association paid a certain amount each month for an armed security guard. The armed security guard worked seven days a week and “rode up and down the neighborhood.” He did not have the power to arrest, though. Some members at the civic association posed the question of whether it would be beneficial to once again pay for an armed security guard to patrol the neighborhood.
Certain members of the civic association expressed their displeasure with the amount of cars certain people own in the neighborhood. As long as the car is not abandoned and is up to date on registration, the civic cannot control the number of cars an individual owns and parks in the neighborhood. ••
John Cole can be reached at JCole@bsmphilly.com
