Closing the real estate opportunity gap | Morning Newsletter
And, it’s cold.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hello, dedicated readers of the Inquirer Morning Newsletter.
First: Today’s the day the Black Real Estate Impact Fund will be announced to address the real estate opportunity gap.
Then: Hope you haven’t put away your outerwear just yet. Here’s everything we know about today’s freeze, and some good weather news to look forward to.
And: This May 13 will mark 36 years since the MOVE bombing changed Philadelphia forever. Now, new questions have emerged over how two universities have treated the remains of one victim.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Consortium of Black developers taps Wall Street vet to help close Philly real estate opportunity gap
A consortium of Black Philadelphia developers is teaming with a Wall Street emerging-markets veteran to raise investment dollars for their real estate projects.
The strategy of what’s being called the Black Real Estate Impact Fund, being formally announced today, is to address the wealth and opportunity gap that the city’s developers experience. The Collective, as the consortium is known, tapped former Merrill Lynch executive John Morris’ 17 Asset Management to work with the group to raise capital from institutional funds and wealthy private investors who want to make a positive social impact and get a healthy return. What they’re seeking to raise at the outset: $100 million.
Read on for reporter Jacob Adelman’s story on this move to address the real estate opportunity gap.
It’s still officially spring after what has been a long, rough winter for so many of us, but the frigid temperatures are back to grip the region today. But not forever.
After those sun-dappled days, a chill has arrived to make its presence known. Philly and South Jersey could see wind chills drop into the 20s, and a “freeze warning” is up for all of Chester County and parts of Bucks and Montgomery Counties for subfreezing temperatures early today.
In fact, temperatures today might not get any higher than the low 50s. For some perspective on how low they’ve plunged, that’s 12 to 15 degrees below normal for what the region sees this time of year. The good news: It’s going to warm up to 60 by tomorrow, potentially 70 on Saturday, and we could get a beautiful, warm week next week.
Reporter Tony Wood has the latest on today’s frigid weather.
🆕 There has long been evidence that COVID-19 transmission is rare outdoors, but masks have moved beyond a public health precaution over the last year. Let’s look at what the science says about situations where where masking outdoors is still important, whether you’re vaccinated or not.
🆕 Shingles is not caused by COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s the science.
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
Here’s how to prepare for your vaccine appointment.
If you booked an appointment on your own or if you’ve already received the vaccine, you can take yourself off COVID-19 vaccine waitlists in Philly and the suburbs.
And seven experts ranked the risk of everyday activities once you’re fully vaccinated.
What you need to know today
Eleven bodies were found in the rubble of the MOVE rowhouse decades ago. But questions have emerged about how two universities treated the remains of one victim, who was never conclusively identified. The decades of custody of the remains was brought to light in an op/ed article published by The Inquirer and written by freelancer Abdul-Aliy Muhammad. Muhammad calls for Penn Museum to apologize and give “restitution to the MOVE family for this egregious act.”
A state Senate committee overwhelmingly approved legislation to temporarily allow survivors of decades-old child sexual abuse to sue their perpetrators.
Mindfulness and meditation sessions have helped Philadelphians of color cope with stress.
The teachers’ union is getting involved in the evolving story on PSERS. Members are not happy.
A shooting near a Wawa in Lehigh County left two people dead, including the suspect.
Feds say an ex-lawyer from Camden County stole $2.4M in a fraud scheme. One example: Authorities said he fraudulently sold an Eagles Stadium Builder License to a victim and then deposited that money into an account at the Golden Nugget casino.
A Vietnamese gang leader pleaded guilty to playing a leading role in a plot to collect a drug debt that ended with three men stabbed, weighted down with cement, and thrown into the Schuylkill to die.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
It’s not easy standing out in cherry blossom season when you’re not a cherry blossom, but this house does the trick.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout-out!
That’s interesting
🎞️ Philadelphia Film Society is leaving the Roxy and taking over a different venue.
🏡 Take a tour through a four-bedroom rowhouse that’s been renovated top to bottom.
🦅 Eagles coach Nick Sirianni will not name Jalen Hurts as the starting quarterback juuuust yet.
🌎 Happy Earth Day. This is what you can do to make your home — and your neighborhood — more climate-friendly.
🎨 And officially open today: A large outdoor art exhibit called “A New View — Camden.” It’s in conjunction with Earth Day to draw attention to the illegal dumping of bulk waste in the city.
Opinions
“Whether murder occurs at the hands of authorities or the hands of each other there can never be any real peace without real, lasting justice for all.” — columnist Helen Ubiñas writes about how families of murdered Philadelphians processed Derek Chauvin’s guilty verdict as a traumatizing reminder of a long road to justice that some may never get.
Kendra Brooks’ eviction bills that could increase access to information on landlords and tenants might have finally cracked the code for fair housing, writes The Inquirer Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
Now is the time to talk about Earth’s unsustainable population growth, writes Terry Spahr, executive director of Earth Overshoot.
Want same-day delivery? As people demand ever-faster delivery, that’s going to force warehouses closer to our neighborhoods, architecture critic Inga Saffron writes.
What we’re reading
Billy Penn has a guide to explaining the Derek Chauvin verdict and the racism it illuminated to kids.
The New York Times asks what happens now that George Floyd’s murder ignited a movement.
Meanwhile, about the glut of houseplants popping up during the pandemic: The Atlantic notes there may be a downside to this relationship with nature.
Labyrinths, which have one clear path, are a whole different story than mazes. Because jaunts around lush paths are self-care, these are the labyrinths in the Philly area to try.