HERE TODAY, HERE TO STAY!
!No Nos Mudaran!
Our History
In 2019, a group of neighbors came together to form the Norris Square Community Action Network (NSCAN). Since then, it has been organizing residents and collaborating with many groups to improve the neighborhood known as Norris Square, located in Southwest Kensington.
NSCAN is a resident-led coalition; neighbors fighting for equitable development, affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, improvements in health and economic outcomes, safer streets, a cleaner environment, social justice, and for a fair share of government resources.
NSCAN provides a vehicle through which homeowners and renters and business owners can share concerns and ideas, organize and mobilize to improve the quality of life for everyone, and help shape the future of the neighborhood.
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Our Vision and Mission
We envision the Norris Square neighborhood as a thriving, diverse and inclusive community with a full range of housing, business, cultural and recreational offerings that enhance the quality of life for all of its residents.
NSCAN is committed to the preservation of single residential properties, community institutions and historic landmarks, making housing really affordable and accessible for low and moderate-income households, and creating economic opportunities for residents, such as creating a vibrant commerical retail environment and helping to create job opportunities.
We seek to accomplish our work by engaging and training residents to demand a fair share of public resources, ensuring that public investments are aligned with community needs and priorities, and promoting meaningful civic participation.
A Strong Community...
Informed, Caring, and Militant!
Neighborhood protest against the Onion Flats Development
Neighborhood rally in support of owner of HalfTime-Good Times Bar
Joining forces with the Community Liberation Center in a neighborhood clean up
Protecting Residents' Rights and Wellbeing
NSCAN has been in the forefront, denouncing before the City's Streets & License & Inspections Departments, developers who blatantly violate construction regulations, damage adjacent properties, and place the public at-risk. NSCAN has held many developers accountable through the filing of complaints, securing "Work-Stop Orders" and forcing them to compensate home and small business owners whose properties have been damaged during demolition, excavations and/or regular construction.
Besides protecting residents and pedestrians during construction activity, NSCAN has also make demands from developers seeking zoning approvals, to hire residents and minority contractors, consider local andminority small business owners to lease new retail space, and reserve affordable units in their proposed developments.
Public Safety...with Justice
Our Co-Chair, Timour Kamran
NSCAN believes that the interventions and solutions to prevent crime should be aligned with community needs and not lead to the selective harassment of particular groups, particularly minorities, a group historically targeted for aggressive policing programs.
While we recognize that the roots of violence and crime in general takes place in the context of other complex conditions, we also have the responsibility to demand more police patrolling for our neighborhood and adequate levels of public resources to not only make it safer, but to tackle some of the social determinants of crime.
As a neighborhood association we have convened meetings with many public officials, to update residents on regulations, resources and projects, and address a host of quality of life issues. We have also "hit" the streets in solidarity with the families of those killed by the police without justification.
Joining our neighbors to denounce the unjustified police killing of Edwin "Junito" Irizarry.
On April 3rd. 2023, approximately 70 people gathered at a community meeting organized by NSCAN to discuss residents' concerns about the recent rise in carjackings, car vandalism, and assaults in the neighborhood. The meeting was co-sponsored by the W. Kensington Ministries and the Friends of Norris Square Park. Public officials in attendance included Captain Andrew Disanto,, Commander of the 26th Police District, Hon. Quetcy Lozada, Councilwoman-District #7, Larry Krasner, Philadelphia's District Attorney, and Hon. Danilo Burgos, State Representative-197th District.
Our Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Taking Care of Our Own
In partnership with the Community Liberation Center-PSL, NSCAN formed The Unity and Survival Program, to address the needs of vulnerable residents during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With donations from individuals, Phil Abundance, Common Market, Share and Small Things, and support from the Norris Square Community Alliance (which provided storage space), The Unity and Survival Program distributed groceries, fresh produce and personal safety products, free-of-charge and door-to-door to almost three (300) hundred households in zip codes 19122, 19134 and 19133. The program delivered over 350,000 pounds of food products throughout the pandemic.
It also offered a prescription pick-up service for the elderly and people with chronic health conditions, Telemedicine tutorials, and transportation to Covid-19 vaccination sites before one was established in our neighborhood.
RCO Registration
In June of 2022, over one hundred residents endorsed NSCAN's petition to "register" as a Registered Community Organization-RCO. In August of 2022, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) granted the RCO designation.
NSCAN Geographic Boundaries are: North to South: from W. Huntington St. to West Montgomery Avenue; from West to East: N. 3rd St. to Front St. The RCO status allows NSCAN to mobilize residents living within our geographic boundaries and officially represent them, and work with them on issues related to land use, zoning, planning and construction, and to have a say and vote in decisions related to these matters.
As an RCO, NSCAN monitors the variance application process after applications are submitted by developers to the city's Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZBA) and the local/managing RCO. Any issue or recommendation related to zoning, land use, housing and construction, is handled by our Zoning committee, and presented to our area's managing RCO.
Live-long community resident and Captain of the 1900 block of N. Hope Street
Standing Committees
Zoning, Land Use, Housing & Construction Communications & Community Outreach
Public Safety
Legal, Finance & Fundraising
Parks, Transportation & Infrastructure
Families, Health & Wellness
Contact Information:
2254 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133
Email: contact@nscanphilly.org
Facebook: nscommunityaction
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