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City hauls 338 abandoned cars from Kensington in anti-opioid effort

The Philadelphia Resilience Project was launched after Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order in October.

City workers clear tents and other debris from the Emerald Street encampment in Kensington, Philadelphia, January 31, 2019. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer
City workers clear tents and other debris from the Emerald Street encampment in Kensington, Philadelphia, January 31, 2019. JESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff PhotographerRead moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer

The Philadelphia Police Department said Monday it had hauled away 338 abandoned vehicles from the Kensington area of the city as part of an ongoing initiative to combat the opioid crisis and improve neighborhood quality of life.

Police towed 232 automobiles on Saturday and Sunday along with 106 vehicles from the previous weekend, the department said. The city has removed 537 vehicles from the area since last May.

“We are working with other city agencies to help improve the quality of life for residents of the area,” Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph Sullivan said in a statement. “We know that removing unregistered, uninsured abandoned autos can help do that, especially knowing that some abandoned cars are used to hide drugs.”

The towing sweep was done under the Philadelphia Resilience Project, which was launched after Mayor Jim Kenney signed an executive order in October declaring a disaster in Kensington because of the devastating opioid problem.

Other efforts under the project include the clearing of homeless camps and expanding addiction-treatment services.

The coordinated emergency response is set to run through June.

Anyone in the area needing help with abandoned vehicles, illegal dumping, graffiti, and other neighborhood issues can call 311 and press #4 for the Philadelphia Resilience Project.