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Rats have invaded 2000 S Watts!
This is what happens when trash goes unchecked for years!
Popeyes, Rite Aid, Dollar Value and the vacant McDonald's have become so infested with rats, the rodents are costing neighbors thousands of dollars in car damage!
The 2000 S Watts Documentary
The 2021 film that finally got our block the attention it deserves!
In the years since this documentary, the block has greatly improved, yet the remaining trash from certain businesses has led to a new problem - rats!
Why This Matters!
Do you feel safe when people are lurking in the dark areas on this block at night?
When a residential neighborhood is allowed to look like a landfill, people treat it that way. Open trash, dirty trash storage areas, and trash enclosures are illegal on a residential block. It ruins the quality of life. Illegal trash enclosures on our block also provide dark spaces that are a convenient haven for drug use. And now the trash has fostered an explosive rat infestation!
This is compounded by Punks with Lunch operating around the corner with alarming practices. This organization regularly distributes drug paraphernalia, including needles without requiring a 1-for-1 exchange and crack pipes. Their actions, while intended to support the safety of the addicted community, have resulted in unintended, dire consequences for our neighborhood.
On days Punks with Lunch distribute paraphernalia, there is a clear uptick in drug dealers who openly sell to those receiving paraphernalia, fueling crime and antisocial behavior, such as theft and car vandalism, to sustain drug habits. This noticeable escalation in crime and visible drug use, including individuals incapacitated on our sidewalks, undermines public safety and degrades our community's quality of life, eroding the sense of security and community cohesion. It also leads to an increase in used needles littering our block, risking needle-stick injuries to children and pets.
The goal is not to stigmatize or ignore the needs of individuals battling addiction but to ensure that efforts to help do not inadvertently harm 2000 S Watts residents.
As drug activity in the vicinity of Broad & Snyder continues unchecked, it is up to businesses to be good neighbors and eliminate illegal trash operations and infrastructure that impact the right of way, reduce the quality of life, and diminish the safety of the families of 2000 S Watts. This won't stop every problem but it goes a long way to diminishing it. The progress of the past 3 years has improved conditions on 2000 S Watts... but there is plenty left to do.
If the city refuses to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of drug crimes, then it should enforce trash and infrastructure codes to mitigate the impact of drug activity.
Who's still fighting for you: Counclimember Mark Squilla, South Philadelphia High School to enforce a drug-free school zone, and neighbors - thank you!
Who have gone silent on the issues: State Senator Nikil Saval, State Rep Elizabeth Fiedler have stopped responding. Remind their volunteers next time they knock on your door.
What to Do?
- Contact city councilmember Mark Squilla with your concerns.
- Call 911 to report any suspicious or illegal behavior you see at a dumpster, illegal enclosure blocking a public right of way, or vacant property.
- Even if you don't live on 2000 S. Watts, we implore our E. Passyunk Neighbors to help us fight this fight. S Watts is not only a half block from Broad & Snyder but also from the shops and dining on E Passyunk Avenue; we can’t snap a finger and solve the systemic issues that plague Broad & Snyder but we can do little things that collectively mitigate problems and keep trash, drug use, and crime from taking over S Watts, encroaching on the vibrant businesses on E Passyunk.
Want to Help?
drop a note for more info or to join the fight!