Residents in the Whitman area have seen plenty of changes in their neighborhood. Some they like, but many they don’t.
Topping their list of dislikes is the increasing prevalence of illegal drugs, according to a survey of more than 600 parishioners at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church.
Respondents named narcotics as the greatest problem by a 3-to-1 margin, said the Rev. Ken Sharp, pastor of Mount Carmel.
Last Wednesday, Father Sharp invited Whitman residents, along with local police and city representatives, to his church at 2319 S. Third St. About 150 people showed up to voice their concerns.
"We have a large number of people who love this neighborhood, love this community," Father Sharp said. "They want to still be a part of it and want to do things to try and improve it."
Encompassing 2,500 families, Mount Carmel is the largest church in Whitman, which spans Snyder Avenue to Bigler Street between Lee and Sixth streets. Father Sharp believes it is the mission of the church to improve the neighborhood.
The meeting kicked off a campaign to unite the community. The momentum started building several months ago when officials from the Eastern Pennsylvania Organizing Project asked Mount Carmel to join its alliance of South Philly clergy.
Father Sharp said that meeting with other local religious leaders gave him the opportunity to discuss the issues facing other communities. The pastor then invited all his parishioners to participate in what he called a leadership team to hold similar discussions about the problems closest to home.
The leadership team compiled a list of concerns and distributed it at Mass. Parishioners were asked to identify the neighborhood’s most urgent concerns.
Father Sharp and others met with representatives from the city’s Public Nuisance Task Force, police and the Department of Licenses and Inspections. They asked the city officials if they would be willing to meet with residents every other month.
They agreed, Father Sharp said, and during last Wednesday’s meeting, they introduced themselves to the community.
Mark Moore, an assistant district attorney for the city, was among the speakers. Moore covers the South Philly area for the Public Nuisance Task Force of the District Attorney’s Office.
The task force works with residents and police to eliminate drug houses, prostitution and nuisance bars. Last Wednesday, Moore joined Fourth District Capt. Tom Thompson and L&I; Deputy Commissioner Robert Solvible in addressing residents at Mount Carmel Church.
"It think it is outstanding that they are organizing," Moore said during a phone interview on Friday. Like Father Sharp, Moore said the most frequent complaints from residents have been about illegal drugs.
"They are very interested in trying to eliminate this problem," he said. "That helps us."
Moore recommended neighbors always call district police if they witness a crime, such as a street-corner drug deal. District police can immediately dispatch patrols to catch the culprit in the act, he said.
Residents should call the Public Nuisance Task Force if they observe a pattern of suspicious activity. One definition of "suspicious" would be a property that is visited by strangers driving vehicles with out-of-state license plates at all hours of the day and night, Moore said.
"If it looks funny to them," he said, "it’s worth giving [the address] to us." Moore works with undercover narcotics detectives from South Detective Division.
"They’re the ones that can actually do an investigation," he said, "maybe [send in] some undercover buyers."
Drugs can lead to other problems for the community, the prosecutor noted.
"I can tell you from my experience, prostitution usually follows drugs," Moore said.
People in Whitman and the rest of South Philly can contact Moore at 215-686-5858. Callers may remain anonymous, but Moore said it is important they provide an accurate address for the problem property.
Another concern cited on Mount Carmel’s survey was abandoned homes.
The prevalence of vacant houses can make it easier for drug dealers to conduct transactions away from plain sight, Moore said, but added that neighborhoods with vacant properties do not always have problems with drugs.
Mount Carmel conducted its survey independent of other churches and organizations in the area, but welcomes outside input, Father Sharp said.
Janet DeGiovanni, executive director of Whitman Council and a parishioner at Mount Carmel, participated in compiling the survey as a member of the leadership team.
DeGiovanni said she was impressed with the community’s response at last week’s meeting.
"It showed that people do care about their community," she said. "The more people you have involved and concerned about your community is the most significant part of this."
She also agreed with residents who identified illegal drugs as the overwhelming problem in the area.
"This is not what they want for their children," said DeGiovanni, a resident of the 2500 block of South American Street.
Father Sharp said this is just the beginning of the process that aims to eliminate a variety of problems in Whitman.
"This is going to be an ongoing effort to assist in trying to get this better," he said.
Early next year, Father Sharp plans to conduct a similar survey to gauge the needs and issues of the youth in Whitman.
