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Philadelphia’s Kensington ‘under siege’ as opioid-linked homelessness soars

The latest number — 703, up from 271 a year ago — shows that despite nearly two years of outreach efforts in Kensington, homelessness linked to the opioid crisis has reached a level unlike anything the city has seen.

Byron Cottom, who is homeless in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, tears up as he talks about the struggles of living on the street.
Byron Cottom, who is homeless in the Kensington section of Philadelphia, tears up as he talks about the struggles of living on the street.Read moreDAVID MAIALETTI / Staff Photographer