Analyzing the Affordable Housing Crisis in West Philadelphia

The Center for Civil Discourse continues its popular, longstanding Pennoni Panels series — free and open to the public — where select experts offer a range of opinion on hot-button and controversial topics in front of an enthusiastic audience. A recent installment, “Exploring the Affordable Housing Crisis” — in collaboration with the Office of University & Community Partnerships and the Office of the Provost — was no exception. The scheduled panel discussion was initially disrupted by protestors (including students of Pennoni Honors College, allied with Drexel for Justice on behalf of community neighbors seeking affordable housing in Philadelphia).

Dr. Ayana Allen-Handy and four panelists representing this work found themselves confronted by the student activists, standing one by one to raise concerns related to a weeks-long sit-in at Main Building. Dr. Allen-Handy, the panelists, and audience all listened to the frustration and demands voiced by the protestors, who eventually dispersed and the discourse got underway.

The ensuing panel discussion uncovered complexities in affordable housing, the relationships between neighborhoods and educational institutions, the realities of political and financial constraints, and how key advocates can work to effect and sustain positive change.

“UC Townhomes is scary to most people like me who work in this space because we knew it was coming,” s ays panelist Tya Winn, executive director of Community Design Collaborative, a non-profit that partners with communities to strengthen neighborhoods. “It was not a surprise. And there’s six more right behind it. So what is the precedent that we set? And what are we going to do next time, because the next time is going to be in six months.”

Scan the QR code here to view the event and protest in full — and please join us for a future installment of Pennoni Panels. —Brian

Kantorek