Ardmore prepares for a downtown; Philly opens Pa.'s first LGBTQ-friendly homeless residence | Morning Newsletter

It’s been a rainy start to the week, but we just may see a pleasant change today in Philly: the sun. Change is afoot in Ardmore, too, where a developer is pushing to bulldoze two car dealerships to make way for a sprawling mixed-use apartment/retail complex and the beginnings of a walkable downtown. There’s also new housing in North Philadelphia, where Pennsylvania’s first LGBTQ-friendly permanent homeless residence has officially opened its doors. And, stick around to read Frankford native and Penn State defensive star Shareef Miller’s story on why his mom didn’t want him to come home to play for the Eagles, and why she’s glad he did.

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— Oona Goodin-Smith (@oonagoodinsmith, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

With a developer’s plan on the horizon to raze two car dealerships and transform the town’s commercial district with a massive housing and retail development, change could be coming to Ardmore.

And while officials hope the new development serves as the backbone for an attractive, walkable downtown to come, some residents are less keen on the idea, worrying their small and eclectic town will become a denser suburban metropolis.

Pennsylvania’s first LGBTQ-friendly permanent residence for young adults has opened in North Philadelphia, providing housing for those 18 to 23 who have aged out of the foster care system and/or are homeless.

The four-story residence, which includes 30 one-bedroom apartments, is named after Gloria Casarez, Philadelphia’s first director of the Mayor’s Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Affairs.

Facing social stigma and discrimination, nationally, it’s estimated that people identifying as LGBTQ make up a disproportionate 40 percent of all people experiencing homelessness. Nearly 1,000 people live homeless on Philadelphia’s streets, with an estimated 5,000 living in shelters or using homeless services through the year, according to city figures.

Though overdose deaths dropped slightly in Philadelphia last year, the city’s opioid crisis remains among the worst in the nation, with an overdose rate more than triple the homicide rate, according to new figures from the Department of Public Health.

Deaths declined in most demographic groups, but escalated sharply among residents ages 55 and up.

After years of steady increase in overdose deaths in Philadelphia, officials are crediting the decrease to the fact that so much naloxone — the reversal drug also known by its brand-name, Narcan — has been distributed that people often are saved from a deadly overdose by friends, family, police, even strangers.

At least we’re getting some May flowers along with the leftover April showers. 🌸 Thanks for the shot, @victoria_stetskevych.

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!

“Attacks on our communities’ most vulnerable populations are unacceptable. We know how dangerous cutting safety-net providers, such as Planned Parenthood, out of Title X will be. With the implementation of this new rule, many Pennsylvanians would be forced to go without health care.” - U.S. Reps. Madeleine Dean, Chrissy Houlahan, and Mary Gay Scanlon on the Title X gag rule.

It’s peak artichoke season, and this year, Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan says he’s cheering on the ‘chokes. From Queen Village to East Falls, here’s where you can eat your heart out.