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Condemning the lack of transparency and community participation in the implementation of supervised heroin injection sites and urging the Mayor and Safehouse to stop further development of supervised injection sites so that the impacted residents, businesses and institutions can be informed and heard.
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WHEREAS, Supervised heroin injection facilities are unlike any health facility that has ever existed in Philadelphia or the United States and remains uncontemplated in the City Code; and
WHEREAS, The unprecedented site to open in South Philadelphia was organized without, and will be implemented without, any input from the Council or impacted communities; and
WHEREAS, Residents are rightfully concerned about the potentially devastating impact a supervised injection site would have on their neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, These sites rely on users bringing and consuming heroin and other illicit drugs on their premises under medical supervision, and allows them to return to the streets in impaired condition; and
WHEREAS, The proposed safe injection site in South Philadelphia will be placed directly in a residential corridor with restaurants, shops, schools, and daycare facilities within a block away; and
WHERAS, The location was chosen without giving any notice, consideration, or respect to the impacted stakeholders in the community; and
WHEREAS, As the first City in the U.S to propose the location and operation of a supervised injection site, the City shall ensure there is an adequate time period for public comment and ensure that all factors that may affect the surrounding community are properly evaluated; and
WHEREAS, The administration must halt the implementation of any other supervised injection site until further consideration can be provided to impacted community members; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby condemns the lack of transparency and community participation in the implementation of supervised heroin injection facilities and urges the Mayor and Safehouse to stop further development of supervised heroin injection facilities so that the impacted residents, businesses and institutions can be informed and heard.
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