Here Today. Here To Stay!
NSCAN’s mission is to preserve and expand affordable housing, expand economic opportunity, and engage Norris Square residents in efforts to shape the future of their neighborhood.
What We Do
NSCAN provides a platform for homeowners, renters, and small business owners alike to voice their concerns, share ideas, and collectively organize to influence the physical environment and future of the Norris Square neighborhood.
🏠 Housing Policy
As a member of the Philadelphia Coalition for Affordable Families, NSCAN collaborates to amplify the voices of low-income and working class tenants to seek housing policy reforms aimed at expanding and preserving affordable housing.
🎨 Cultural Preservation
As a member of the Friends of Norris Square Park, NSCAN actively participates in efforts to preserve the park as a hub for cultural activity, with murals and gardens reflecting the neighborhood’s deep Puerto Rican roots, amidst ongoing gentrification.
🛡 Public Safety
As a member of the Philadelphia Police District Advisory Councils (PDACs), NSCAN collaborates to foster partnerships between residents and local police to reduce crime and improve safety. NSCAN also facilitates communication and hosts community meetings.
History
In 2019, a group of neighbors—homeowners, renters and small business owners—boldly came together to organize a protest against a high-impact housing development on Howard Street, in the Norris Square neighborhood.
Read Full History
The Norris Square Community Action Network (NSCAN) covers a section within the southwest Kensington area known as Norris Square, well-known for its historic Norris Square park, named after 18th-century Quaker merchant Isaac Norris, who donated this 5.8-acre green space in 1848 to remain a public green and walk forever. The land originates from a 1683 grant by William Penn to Isaac Norris.
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surrounding area was a thriving textile industrial hub, but it declined in the 1920s and later suffered from deindustrialization. By the 1970s and 1980s, the park suffered from extreme neglect and crime. In the late 80s, it was reclaimed by local residents. Today, it is recognized as a hub for cultural preservation.
Vision
We envision the Norris Square neighborhood as a vibrant, thriving and diverse community, that is not exclusive, with a full range of housing, business, cultural and recreational offerings that enhance the quality of life for all of its residents, in particular, low and moderate-income families.
Mission
NSCAN’s mission is to empower Norris Square residents to actively shape the future of their neighborhood in order to preserve and expand affordable housing opportunities based on local needs, secure improvements in economic outcomes, build a healthier built environment, and ensure that government resources are allocated according to community needs.
Upcoming NSCAN Events
Meetings, clean-ups, and gatherings are posted here as they’re scheduled — check back often.
No upcoming events at this time. Check back soon!
Region Map
The borders are N: Huntington; S: Montgomery; E: Front; W: 3rd St.
Supporting Organizations
City Activities Fund · Bread & Roses Community Emergency Fund