The city announced on Wednesday that it is deploying about 300 people to manually clear streets and curb cuts of snow and ice.
These same-day work and pay people are making $25 an hour, along with getting lunch and warm clothing.
Mayor Cherelle Parker made the announcement during a news conference at Pelbano Recreation Center, 8101 Bustleton Ave., in Rhawnhurst.
Workers are supplied by Uplift Solutions, One Day at a Times and the NOMO Foundation.
Parker was joined by, among others, Carlton Williams, director of the city Office of Clean and Green Initiatives; Orlando Rendon, executive director of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity; Dominick Mireles, director of the city Office of Emergency Management; Susan Slawson, commissioner of the city Department of Parks and Recreation; Kristin Del Rossi, commissioner of the Department of Streets; Atif Bostic, CEO of Uplift Solutions; Mel Wells, CEO of One Day at a Time; city elections commissioner Lisa Deeley; and Christina Haney, an aide to City Councilman Brian O’Neill.
Parker said her administration has taken countless steps to clear snow and ice, sometimes going above and beyond what the city has done in response to similar storms in the past.
“We are at war with the status quo,” she said.
At the same time, the mayor said the city understands the challenges faced by pedestrians, motorists, the handicapped and others.
“We don’t promise to be perfect, Philadelphia,” she said.
Parker acknowledged that dealing with the snow, cold and ice has been challenging.
“The antagonist of the story is Mother Nature,” she said.
Parker and other officials defended the response, including the announcement of the same-day work and pay program coming nine days after the snowfall.
“Everybody can Monday morning quarterback,” she said.
Parker said the city has placed a focus on so-called “tertiary” streets, smaller residential streets that generally don’t have much traffic, by having compact Bobcats clear snow.
Elsewhere, Williams said the city has used “every tool in the toolbox” – including a melter, placing mounds of snow at 37 locations, dumping 30,000 tons of salt on roads and clearing SEPTA stops.
Slawson said more than 200 homeless people have slept at Pelbano, used as an overnight warming center, and thanked staff for feeding them and cleaning up. City departments picked up the homeless and transported them to Pelbano and other warming centers.
To help a person on the street, call the Office of Homeless Services at 215-232-1984.
City officials can’t do anything about the cold.
“We hope that the weather breaks,” Mireles said.
As for the work performed by the same-day work and pay folks, city officials labeled it “dignified” and said it will go a long way toward the goal of fully accessible streets and corners.
“This job will take as long as it takes,” Parker said. ••
To inquire about same-day work and pay opportunities, call the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity at 215-685-3629.
For more information on snow removal efforts, visit phila.gov/oem
