Central North Philly--Cool, Nice Place

I’m a native of Central North Philadelphia. It is a low income, predominately African American community. North Philadelphia has a lot of character. All and all it is a beautiful struggle.

Just like any other decision in life there are a host of pro’s and con’s that you must think about before you make an educated decision. The following are a few negative things to consider about this section of Philadelphia. North Philadelphia is an inner city neighborhood that definitely has it's share of problems. Someone that is not familiar with the big city’s hustle and bustle may have a tough time adjusting. With that being said, I have lived in North Philadelphia all of my life. I have never had any altercations with anyone. I have never been robbed, burglarized, beat up or anything crazy like that. For the most of it, the people of North Philadelphia are just hard working families that are just trying to make it through life. No one has any intensions on harming anyone.

The following are some pros. If you want a real big city experience and would like to connect with the community you serve, North Philadelphia is a good place to choose. You can get to almost anywhere in Philadelphia from North Philadelphia via public transportation. Central North Philadelphia is fairly close to center city. It takes approximately a half an hour to reach the office. Another community that is fairly close to North Philadelphia that is a popular place to hang out is Northern Liberties. It has a host of cozy neighborhood-style bars and restaurants and a nice size concert venue.

As far as serious logistics, it is fairly inexpensive to get housing in North Philadelphia. For example, my team mate pays $315 dollars a month to share a three story house with two people. If you live near the Temple University campus as I do, you have the luxury of living in a down to earth neighborhood and having access to things that are not traditionally in a blue collar neighborhood. Temple University has drawn many large name franchises to North Philly that traditionally didn’t service this community. Just to name a few: Starbucks. Subway, Foot Locker, etc.

As far as safety goes, two different police forces serve Central North Philadelphia—the Philadelphia police department and the Temple University Police department. Temple University Police is accredited by the state and has the power to make real, authoritative decisions. If you have any concerns about them check out the Temple website. I hope this was helpful in helping you to make your decision on where you would like to live.

Michael, 23, corps member, Glenmede City Heroes Team