NIMBY values are set to hurt Philly's poorest again as an anti-bulletproof glass bill was passed Thursday by the city council's Public Health and Human Services committee. The bill will ban some stores, including delis in the city's most dangerous areas, from using the glass to protect its employees.
Somehow, removing a barrier against harm in high-crime areas is supposed to restore the "dignity" of dining in these establishments - or force them to close. Unlike the affluent areas represented by councilwoman Cindy Bass, who proposed this idiotic bill, the city's poorer areas rely on such businesses for many services - stamp and SEPTA token purchases, bill pay, and purchasing basic goods in otherwise retail-starved areas - and will be the ones paying the price. Hey, I guess it's more dignified for a struggling area to lose the few businesses it already has and end up with compounded blight, as these less-than-chic establishments close up. We all know what dignity it brings us to deal with long-abandoned storefronts, and the ever-savory activities that occur within them after they are boarded up. Law of unintended consequences for the win!
Kimberly Wingfield is a DIY enthusiast and architecture geek living in West Philly. She's a real estate agent who loves helping people find affordable housing and home improvement solutions.
Market Urbanism Report is sponsored by Panoramic Interests, a progressive developer in San Francisco. Panoramic, which is owned by Patrick Kennedy, specializes in 160 sqft micro-units (called MicroPads) that are built using modular construction materials. Panoramic has long touted these units as a cost-effective way to house San Francisco’s growing homeless population. But Panoramic also builds larger units of between 440-690 sqft. To learn more about Panoramic’s micro-unit model, read MUR’s coverage on the firm in its America’s Progressive Developers series. Or visit Panoramic’s website.
Market Urbanism Report is a media company that advances free-market city policy. We aim for a liberalized approach that produces cheaper housing, faster transport and better quality-of-life.