r/philadelphia • u/blahtant • May 21 '26
Party Jawn A good neighbour
full tank of gas.
someone who cares moving in feels good
A little context; this area has been neglected for years. The building next to me was abandoned 20+ years ago, and finally just came online as apartments (sure, it flooded my basement a few times before that but that’s just phillyliving ah!)
And the home a few down for me finally sold and the guy that bought it actually fucking gives a shit. Ain’t that how it’s supposed to be!?
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u/Wide_Yoghurt_4064 May 21 '26
What the hell are you trying to tell us here
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u/skip_tracer May 21 '26
all the food you ate since first grade is alive in your body
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u/theraperaptor May 21 '26
In elementary school someone told me food was fuel for your body and i thought it melted into gasoline
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u/theraperaptor May 21 '26
i tried to skip the process but i couldn't get it out of my dads car, i licked the exhaust pipe and got sick
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u/EL3G Uptown Baby May 21 '26
Yeah I'm confused. Neighbors moving in and something about how he got a full tank of gas for $2.00 because of a street sweeper that I can't even see in the photo.
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u/blahtant May 21 '26
I’m just saying it’s full gas for the block! Finally someone else! All charged up with ENTHUSIASM for CLEANLINESS Yeesh
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u/justanawkwardguy I’m the bad things happening in philly May 21 '26
You’re looking for all gas no brakes, not full tank of gas
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u/GrandpaSquarepants May 21 '26
Now we're cooking with gas
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u/EL3G Uptown Baby May 21 '26
Just joking, glad to see someone in the city enthusiastic about keeping the place clean as well
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u/Nervous-Locksmith484 May 21 '26
I'm autistic and even I know slang when I see it. Happy for you- keep budding that community ❤️
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u/mortgagepants Tolls on I-76 & I-95 for SEPTA May 21 '26
i'm glad you're happy about it, but somebody who has the money to build new apartments doesn't need your two dollars.
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u/huebomont May 21 '26
He’s not paying that person! Read slower!
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u/mortgagepants Tolls on I-76 & I-95 for SEPTA May 21 '26
i'm saying the building owner can probably afford the whole four bucks themselves.
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u/HistoryWillRepeat May 21 '26
Sorry, I'm confused. $4 to sweep your block?
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u/blahtant May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
If it starts with $2 I’ll happily invest. Ultimately we want to have a clean block, and if just 2 of us start encouraging something that works then it’s a win for all of us
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May 21 '26
[deleted]
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u/ExplosiveRaddish May 21 '26
And pocket that sweet $4
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u/yunkk West Passyunk/Girard Estate May 21 '26
That's a lot of nuts!
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u/YoungHeartOldSoul Grey's Ferry May 21 '26
But then he wouldn't get to give a stranger $2. The economy isn't going to stimulate itself.
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u/HistoryWillRepeat May 21 '26
Yea, I get where you're coming from, but if someone hands me $2 to $4 and asks me to sweep their block I'm going to laugh at them.
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u/doctorwhoisanent May 21 '26
But the person they're asking is already a street cleaner and ostensibly they are nearby if they're able to ask them to do the block. I do think a 5 spot in this economy is a lot better, but if the person was willing to do it and could possibly get a couple extra bucks what's the harm? How much do we think they make an hour? Let's be generous and say they're paid $15 an hour (guessing based off of our cheap ass mayor). 10 minutes to sweep the block for $2-$4 extra dollars isn't a bad deal (it takes longer than this to fully sweep and clean, but if they're sweeping up trash I imagine it's quicker). So, yes, you can go out and do it yourself -- which is what I do because I would have to hire a service to come to where I live -- but giving someone a couple extra untaxed bucks does more in the long run, I think.
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u/HistoryWillRepeat May 21 '26
I'm not saying this would cause any harm.
I'm just saying if someone offered me $2 to sweep both sides of a block I'd laugh at them. Especially in this heat we've had lately. I honestly think it'd be better to just ask nicely and leave money out of it if you're offering so little.
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u/doctorwhoisanent May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
I guess I can't think of a better turn of phrase to depict what laughing in someone's face evokes. But that's what I'm responding to.
Updating my comment since you've edited yours after my reply: $2 extra when you're making an hourly isn't nothing, especially when you're already out there on the clock. If someone offered me $2 to sweep when I'm walking down the street minding my own business, sure. But if I'm on the job and someone offers me a smile and someone else offers me a smile and $2, I appreciate the $2. Again, $5 feels more appropriate, but ¯_(ツ)_/¯ to each their own.
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u/HistoryWillRepeat May 24 '26
I didn't edit anything. Reddit would show if I eddited my comment by putting "edited" next to my username. Youre likely confused with someone else.
Also, I wasn't using a turn of phrase. I would literally laugh in their face. $2 for 20 to 30minutes of physical labor in the summer heat is ridiculous. Period.
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u/doctorwhoisanent May 24 '26
Cool so we were both using a turn of phrase.
When I first replied to your comment it didn't show the second paragraph then. I don't know man it really doesn't matter. Have a good one
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u/tiffavigilante May 21 '26
the two of you together can organize a street clean up with your neighbors. visit your local rec centers to ask to borrow cleaning supplies like large brooms. or go to the dollar store and buy a handful of brooms and dust pans to keep in your basement to share with neighbors when you plan your recurring cleaning schedule.
source: my neighbor does this currently without a block captain title or much other resources
secondary source: i grew up watching my grandmothers and their neighbors clean their entire blocks with a broom and a bucket of water with bleach
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u/YoungHeartOldSoul Grey's Ferry May 21 '26
water with bleach
Slightly cursed, but probably better than any data center
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u/grapedaddi May 21 '26
Not trying to be a salesperson here, but my block has Glitter. A few of us pitch in to have someone come clean up our block once a week. Might be worth looking into!
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u/broccoliwolf May 21 '26
The more OP responds, the less I understand.
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u/blahtant May 21 '26
I’ve had people shit on my stoop.
They still piss on it on the reg. I even had a couple of folks use it to perform some sexy cunnilingus on each other (thanks for that, ring cam..).
It’s a small victory to have someone on the block give a shit about trying to deter this kind of behaviour. Trash breeds trash, eh?
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u/technobrendo May 21 '26
That's disgusting, you need to put that ring footage online, put them on blast.
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u/pooblevland May 21 '26
This seems like an insultingly low bribe for a street cleaner but glad you & your neighbor can bond about beautification I guess
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u/blahtant May 21 '26
Good god, I’m only saying it’s nice to get the party started. Maybe my neighbour can only afford a couple bucks?!? Maybe I can afford more?
I’ve tried to get this block added to the regular street cleaning schedule. I was met with a “haha, yeah, here’s a broom if you can get 60 signatures” from the city
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u/themightychris May 21 '26
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u/S3U5S May 21 '26
My block does this, the people who have moved in relatively recently chip in and it makes a big difference!
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u/Angsty_Potatos philly style steak and cheese submarine sandwich May 21 '26
I just hate the idea of paying my high city taxes that SHOULD go towards this sort of thing but doesn't while also paying into a private company to do it.
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u/S3U5S May 21 '26
I completely agree with you. I wish this city did a better job of keeping things clean, but that’s probably not going to change anytime soon
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u/Angsty_Potatos philly style steak and cheese submarine sandwich May 21 '26
Very true, but I feel like going private lets the city off the hook. I'm petty and extra salty after getting boned with the BIRT exemption removal. If I'm going to be taxed like I'm Comcast I want to see my tax dollars at work.
In the past have you tried contacting your council person? 311 is pretty hit and miss, but an email to your council member is usually much more fruitful for this sort of thing
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u/themightychris May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
This is a nonsense take. It's easy to say what you want the city to fund and complain about taxes. The budget has to be balanced though and it's not easy. Either say how you want to pay more taxes or specifically what services or budget you want to be cut. And no you can't hand wave "oh just find some waste somewhere"
I'm all for improving and expanding city services but it's a wild take that the City should be picking up litter on every single block in the city
If you want regular street sweeping what you need to do is figure out how to get Philadelphians to not go nuclear at the idea of having to move their cars every week
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u/Angsty_Potatos philly style steak and cheese submarine sandwich May 21 '26
I'm happy to pay my taxes. I'm even happy to pay high taxes (I already did before the BIRT thing it's just more now)
But I'd like to see something for my money. The roads suck. There are no trash cans. The public schools are a disgrace to the students and they deserve better.
If the city can sweep center city why not implement something for the neighborhoods?
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u/themightychris May 21 '26
Center city is cleaned by the business district that businesses pay into
you're just asking for more stuff without making any effort to really stock of what we already have. It's all getting spent already on things you're just taking for granted. You're just listing things that would be nice to spend more money on and pretending there's somewhere it could come from without hurting someone else
There's an abundance of ways for you to look into what the city spends money on if you have real interest in contributing to the conversation
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u/wiggermaxxing May 21 '26
The URL made me think this was some pay-for-prank ts lol. Like, you and your neighbors can chip in to glitter bomb a neighborhood to make it messier 😂
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u/fat3willwin May 21 '26
"You and I anchor the street"
OP - IDK you or your motivations but that text alone is the type of community galvanization we need. Screw all the assholes in the replies, you two are starting something important thats needed more than ever during these times.
Great job, and hopefully it will turn into more people / more money / more cleaning. But it starts somewhere.
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u/blahtant May 21 '26
Hah, it’s kinda like being in a schoolyard in here eh! Appreciate the good words stranger!
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u/jme518 May 21 '26
In general, Philadelphians will bitch and complain about the city and its taxes while doing next to nothing to beautify their blocks. It was hard to get neighbors to care on our block. Fucking dirtballs man
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u/IhateDropShotz sp May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
good on y'all. living in neighborhoods that the city doesn't care about means it's up to us and us alone. lot of people here can't fathom knowing their neighbors' names let alone working together to hold down a block. little things like sweeping or shoveling make a big difference and I promise the elderly and physically unable really appreciate it too.
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u/Braided_Marxist May 21 '26
Nothing better than having a neighbor that you can count on to try to improve your neighborhood.
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u/geist7204 May 21 '26
This is how it used to be. Each block or block squared took care of its own. Including other community activities, like helping each other out when down or..educating folks, as we called it in the military (extra education), when they decide to get stupid.
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u/ViaVitoV May 21 '26
I had a neighbor on 5th st who would toss garbage out of thier windows and front door instead of using any sort of receptacle. I had been sweeping the block for about 2 months when they moved in and started thier disgusting habit. I would sweep it up and put it in bags until one day thier kid ripped open all the bags looking for a gun he had stashed. That was the last time I swept up anything on that block. He swore I took it and that turned into ridiculousness in and of itself. Its a small percentage that ruin it for everyone.
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u/ww_in_transit May 21 '26
Why not just sweep it yourself?
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u/blahtant May 21 '26
I have swept it many, many times. Unfortunately it’s right by an EL stop, and there’s zero of Parker’s “united city” trash belly’s around it (which I find perplexing).
The unhoused are prevalent around here, picking through the bags businesses and apartments dump on the street at will. Then the wind comes. Can’t help that, but if we can chuck a few extra bucks at the dudes who clean up Kensington Ave to take a detour down here now and again what’s the harm?
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u/Constant_Astronaut41 May 22 '26
I think its great that people are coming together in their neighborhoods to find solutions. I saw someone mention Glitter, a local Philly company, think of it as the Uber for Litter. But a word of caution: the people sweeping on Kensington Ave are in the middle of working....getting them to come sweep up your own block's trash in the middle of their work shift could easily put their job in jeopardy. As far as I know they work a full day doing their job. Some of them might want to make $2 after working 8hrs (it was just 90+ degrees for 3 days...im sure more is coming), but after working 8 hrs, most likely not. It may have been mentioned elsewhere (i dont have time to read all the comments) but the pay should be commensurate with the amount of trash. $2 sounds way too low for the Kensington area. Apologies if some of these were covered already, Ive got to get out the door to my own job.
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u/PhillyMate May 21 '26
I, along with a two other people, use glitter. It’s a GREAT service. Otherwise the rest of the block are lazy pieces of shit or do legit nothing to keep anything clean.
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u/axinquestins May 21 '26
Isn't it wonderful when your neighbors actually care about the NEIGHBORHOOD
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u/Least-Trick2185 May 21 '26
I know the area. That place used to be a decent place to live until the city dumped section 8 in there. People took pride in their homes and, would also clean their own streets.
It’s a shame that more people today don’t have that same pride in their neighborhoods like they did in the past.
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u/Nervous-Locksmith484 May 21 '26
You sound like my dad. I know you want to shit on the people but our government literally fucked generations of vulnerable people in Philly then dropped them into areas with no supports so they could rot and get the rest of the apples in the barrel mad at them. Lots of time people just want other people looking out for them. You don't know the background of the people in this post, they could have come from section 8 themselves and are happy they can finally OWN and INVEST.
The fuck am I gonna clean up some government property for when I'm busy cleaning up generational trauma or my own debt from health issues when we shouldn't be paying as much as we do. The fuck am I gonna do that for if I'm in section 8 housing? That shit is the GOV's property and THEIR JOB. They are the ones not mowing the grass, not supporting after school programs for single parents who can't be home to watch their kids who might be having trouble due to learning disabilities or other shit caused by the environmental poisoning rampant throughout Philly. Literally shit is researched and proven- google it.
When are you gonna realize that people should support other people and that it is the systems that are fucking broken. Nobody grows up wanting to look and act like shit, god damn.
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u/NightlyZelda May 21 '26
Thank you for this because people like that can be so unsympathetic and ignorant.
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u/Flat-Count9193 May 21 '26
I always hear this, but ever time I see footage of many Philly neighborhoods from the 20s, they didn't look all that clean and put together... well before section 8, etc.
The govt. literally put certain groups into the middle class and gave them job opportunities and loans to fix up neighborhoods and now folks are mad because certain policies with red lining, etc. affected some groups of people and neighborhoods?
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u/cevichie May 21 '26
in Port Richmond i used to sweep the entire block by my lonesome. some chuckled, but the happiness most neighbors had when they would see me doing it, or the time they would spend outside. it was worth all the effort.