Why We've Been Radio Silent: Work Over Hype

Social media is an important tool for storytelling and mobilization. But for organizations like ours, there's always a balance: do we focus on posting updates, or do we focus on the deep, slow, unglamorous work of advocacy, research, and coalition-building?

Over the past few months, our focus has been on the latter. We've sat through endless meetings with city officials, researched the devastating public health crisis caused by mold in housing, strategized with partners across sectors, and drafted the building blocks of lawsuits that will demand accountability from the systems that profit off of our community's suffering.

We may not have posted every step of this work, but trust us—it's been happening nonstop. Now we're ready to share where we are and invite you to join us in the next phase.

The SAMAA Policy: Fighting Philadelphia's Black Mold Crisis

One of the central campaigns we've been pushing forward is the SAMAA Policy, an ambitious and necessary effort to address Philadelphia's widespread black mold problem.

Mold isn't just a nuisance—it's a life-threatening issue. In communities across Philadelphia, especially in older public housing units and city-funded shelters, toxic black mold creeps into walls, ceilings, and HVAC systems. Families live with constant respiratory problems, children miss school, adults face long-term health risks, and far too often, landlords or agencies shrug off responsibility.

The SAMAA Policy—named after the communities who demanded action—would create enforceable standards for mold inspection, require transparent reporting from housing authorities and shelter providers, and ensure tenants and unhoused individuals alike have real recourse when they are placed in unsafe, mold-infested housing.

This policy is about public health, but it's also about dignity. No Philadelphian should be forced to choose between homelessness and a home that makes them sick. By continuing to push for this legislation, PPOH is fighting not only for individuals struggling today, but for a future where safe housing is the norm, not the exception.

The Homeless Bill of Rights: Protecting Our Unhoused Neighbors

Another major front in our work has been advocating for a Homeless Bill of Rights in Philadelphia.

What does this mean? Across the country, cities like Rhode Island and Illinois have passed versions of a Homeless Bill of Rights, which establish clear protections for unhoused people: the right to move freely in public spaces, the right to equal treatment by government agencies, the right to vote and access ID, and the right not to be discriminated against simply because of housing status.

Philadelphia—despite being one of the poorest large cities in America—has yet to pass such protections. This means that unhoused people are routinely harassed, criminalized, or pushed out of public spaces without due process. Shelters and city agencies often operate without accountability, leaving vulnerable people with no recourse when they face abuse, neglect, or unsafe conditions.

The Homeless Bill of Rights campaign is about shifting this power imbalance. It's about ensuring that unhoused neighbors are recognized as full human beings with legal protections—not as invisible burdens. It's about fighting back against criminalization and moving toward solutions rooted in housing, health, and human dignity.

Lawsuits Pending: Why Legal Accountability Matters

Policy advocacy is crucial. But sometimes, policy alone isn't enough. That's why PPOH has been working with legal allies to prepare lawsuits that will hold institutions accountable for their failures.

We won't go into too much detail yet—some cases are still in motion—but what we can say is this: when city-funded shelters operate in unsafe, retaliatory, or abusive ways, when mold-infested housing is rented out knowingly, when people are stripped of their rights, lawsuits can be a powerful tool to force systemic change.

These legal challenges aren't just about individual cases—they're about sending a message. If you profit off of the suffering of our community, if you operate without care or accountability, expect to be challenged in court.

Upcoming Community Events

Philly People of Hope is committed not just to policy and lawsuits, but also to building community power in everyday, tangible ways. That's why we have two upcoming events we're excited to share:

The Bigger Picture: Local Struggles, National Context

Both the SAMAA Policy and the Homeless Bill of Rights are part of a broader fight for justice in housing and human rights. Across the U.S., cities are grappling with homelessness, housing shortages, unsafe living conditions, and public health crises tied to neglect. Philadelphia is not unique in its struggles—but it is unique in its potential to lead.

By winning local fights here, we create models that other cities can adopt. By pushing lawsuits here, we send signals to housing authorities everywhere. By building community power here, we strengthen a national movement for housing as a human right.

How You Can Support

We can't do this work alone. Here's how you can plug in:

• •Volunteer at upcoming events or join our advocacy campaigns.
• •Donate to support legal costs, community events, and organizing.
• •Amplify our campaigns by sharing our updates on social media and with your networks.
• •Show up—whether at City Council hearings, rallies, or neighborhood events, your presence matters.

Closing: We're Still Here, Still Fighting

Silence on social media does not mean inaction. Philly People of Hope has been hard at work, and as we look ahead to the coming months, we're more committed than ever to fighting for policies that protect our people, legal accountability that shakes corrupt institutions, and community events that sustain our spirits.

We're still here. Still fighting. Still building hope.