Is Philadelphia's reputation going to become completely tarnished? (Portland: city hall, crime rate)

[Penna76]

In the past decade, Philadelphia has made leaps and bounds to combat violent crimes and its murder rate has severely declined until 2019, 2020 and now 2021.

This year is on track to be the most violent in the cities entire history.

How much longer can this continue before the cities reputation starts to start a new flight and impede new growth and investment?

I am Pro Philadelphia, but I will be honest. This is bleak. Especially since City Hall is nothing but crickets.

[Philly246]

lol. no

[jazzy jeff]

Phila is not the only city with a rise in crime. NYC and Boston are up as well. Some way some how it has to get better. All I have been hearing about NYC for example is it will never come back. Yet construction going on all over the place.

[AshbyQuin]

Not at all. Philadelphia's homicide rate has been higher all but 2 times the past 20 years and yet the media depicts Chicago as the poster-child for out of control crime. Most negative comments I here/see about the city is how fillthy the city and sportsfans are. And ironically, the city began to really grow during the "Kiladelphia" years.

[thedirtypirate]

Philadelphia's violent crime rate has dropped every year in the past decade including last year. Robberies, rapes, assaults, etc. have continued to decrease. Gun violence has seen an increase. The same neighborhoods and communities plagued over and over. All starts at home with the parents. Because after years of following the reports, that's what you realize most of the shootings are between. Literally kids between 16-22 years old. Over and over. It's a culture of violence, anger, and stupidity.



But, if we are really judging overall perceptions, no, I don't think the recent upticks in homicide will have too big of an overall effect to be honest. People who are real plugged into the news will get all hot about it, which is understandable, but most people will just go about their daily lives.

[cpomp]

Its a major problem, but I don't think it will be a long-term hindrance for the city. It helps (sad to say) that most other large cities are struggling with the same problem.

The level of projects in the pipeline right now (office and residential) is still incredibly strong, indoor dining is hitting 50% on Friday, and I hope things only go up from there. Covid threw the city into a rut, but the resiliency will pull it through.

I do agree that city leadership is a general embarrassment...but that is nothing new, just even more of an impediment as we enter recovery mode.

[Duderino]

The COVID-era has been quite rough on Philadelphia, no doubt about it. But I think it's important to underscore just how acute the pandemic has been for all large and dense cities worldwide.

The crime issue in particular is very much widespread across the US: https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/95325...ndemic-in-2020

2021 is primed to be a year of recovery for Philadelphia and other large metropolitan areas. GRADUAL recovery, of course, but by this time next year the city should be very close to resembling its former self (think of the coming boom alone in events when it starts to become socially acceptable again to hold large in-person gatherings).

As in many other points in its existence, Philly took a big punch to the gut last year, but it's still as resilient as it ever was. It's probably the best quality the city can get out of its cliché association with Rocky Balboa.

[lpranger467]

I think its laughable when people blame covid for the increase in violent crime, I have many cop friends and trust me that covid has very little to do with it in any of these cities, as a matter of fact it in theory should lower crimes as that people should be sheltering inside and not on the streets killing each other.

Cops saw politians and citizens stand by quietly while they had bricks, spears and other objects thrown at them. They saw other cops brought up on charges for doing their jobs to appease the masses, even though the DA's knew the charges wouldnt stick so the cops shut down for the most part and it has been a free for all.

Read about The Ferguson Effect, this is why crime has spiked, NYC crime plummeted when they had a mayor who supported law and order, and now that they dont,,,well

[80sportsfan]

Yes. Philly's reputation has been getting worse every passing day. It was all over the news during the George Floyd Riots. For some reason, even though places like Portland (and obviously Minneapolis) had much longer and more intense riots, Philly was a city where the violence was really highlighted.

But beyond that, its reputation for being a violent and dirty city is very prevalent. On this site people talk mention how you are greeted with the smell of pee and poop when you are a tourist near the convention center. And people talk about how filthy the city is all the time.

As someone who went to college right outside of Philly (in the main line), I love the city to death and still visit college friends almost every summer. Philly has become so built up, that I don't believe most people have actually been here when they talk down on it.

But to answer the question, Yes- in terms of violent crime and a reputation of being filthy and grimy, Philly's image continues to be tarnished. When I mention how much I love Philly (I'm in the Midwest) people make negative comments.

[BR Valentine]

No.