In the past West Philadelphia's place in the city was characterized by its role as a residential community. Ever since significant portions of the area were developed, West Philadelphia has functioned mostly as a place to live. The vast majority of the housing was built between 1890 and 1930, and was considered one of the city's first “bedroom communities”. This makes West Philadelphia different from North Philadelphia, where the development of major industrial centers created a need for nearby worker housing. However, a closer look at West Philadelphia's land use reveals more non-residential areas: City Avenue's commercial strips, St. Joseph's University at 5600 City Avenue, the Parkside industrial area just west of Belmont Avenue, and the predominantly institutional zone bounded by Market, Haverford, 42nd and 49th Streets. Included in this institutional zone is the Kirkbride Center, the homeless shelter that we conducted our focus group at.
Today West Philadelphia is essentially booming with educational and health care institutions. The University City section of West Philadelphia is a notable area of universities, colleges, schools, major hospitals and research facilities. The city receives many benefits from these institutions such as: accessible health care, enhanced culture and entertainment opportunities and a diverse and international population mix. The employment opportunities generated by these institutions are significant. The universities' 23,000 plus employees and 40,000 plus students supply residents, shoppers and taxpayers to the city. Also contributing are the more than 4,000 hospital employees of University City. Most importantly, as our economy becomes increasingly based in technology and information, and as the health care industry continues to grow, West Philadelphia's institutions have become crucial to the future economic competitiveness of Philadelphia as a whole.
Yet despite all of these assets, West Philadelphia also reflects some of the most serious problems facing the city. Severely deteriorated neighborhoods subsist in West Philadelphia, along with declining commercial strips, poorly maintained playgrounds, and streets and bridges that need repair. Some of West Philadelphia's neighborhoods are lacking in the area of major private investment, and unemployment is extremely high in certain areas. Underlying these weaknesses are social issues that are even more difficult to deal with. These include problems such as poverty, drugs, lack of education, crime and domestic abuse. Over the last several decades the middle class population has substantially dropped, poverty rates have increased extensively, and the deterioration and abandonment of property has also been seen in greater numbers. These trends are persistent and have affected the quality and perception of life in the larger West Philadelphia community. In some neighborhoods, West Philadelphia's problems can seem so overwhelming that it is hard to tell which trend will prevail: deterioration and abandonment or stability and growth.
The West Philadelphia community has significant concentrations of poverty with certain distinctive populations particularly at risk. As is the case nationally, female headed households here are disproportionately poorer than the rest of the population. The elderly poor, especially the very old, are victimized by crime, malnutrition and inadequate medical care. West Philadelphia has a significant population of recent Asian and African immigrants trying to adapt themselves to a new culture and a new way of life.
Almost every neighborhood in West Philadelphia is represented by a community group. The names and boundaries of many neighborhoods were established by the local community organization. Area-wide community organizations (or "umbrella" groups) also exist to incite action on issues that the member groups have in common. Two umbrella groups that are currently active are the West Philadelphia Coalition of Neighborhoods and Businesses and the West Philadelphia Partnership. West Philadelphia also has its own Chamber of Commerce. The volunteers and staff of the area-wide organizations deal with the many interrelated factors that combine to make neighborhoods "whole." Their interests go beyond the familiar concerns of housing and city services; the groups are additionally addressing neighborhood needs such as schools, employment and job training, zoning and development, neighborhood retail services, public transit, parking, the environment, and more.
The Kirkbride shelter has a total of 267 clients. This includes 65 families, 187 children and 79 adults. The building was formerly a hospital and currently there are three floors housing people. Each family is able to stay in their own room, which helps to give some privacy.
