In 2018, PennPraxis led the Historic Preservation Citizen Engagement Project, bringing the conversation started by the Mayor’s Task Force on Historic Preservation to neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia. The project was 
funded by the William Penn Foundation, and was led by PennPraxis’ Julie Donofrio and Molly Lester, in partnership with a network of 21 community liaisons, who worked as partners to lead conversations across the city. The resulting Neighborhood Preservation Toolkit is a new, free resource to build a larger, broader constituency for preservation in Philadelphia. The toolkit’s guidebook and poster are available for free download through PennPraxis and on PHLPreservation.org.
The Neighborhood Preservation Toolkit is the receipient of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia’s 2019 Public Service Award, and Preservation Pennsylvania’s 2019 Initiative Award for Education.
The toolkit is organized around 6 different perspectives based on community members’ interests and experiences:
- Chapter 1: I want to…Care for an older home my neighborhood
- Chapter 2: I want to…Improve and maintain the design quality and character in my neighborhood
- Chapter 3: I want to…Strengthen and sustain small businesses and commercial corridors in my neighborhood
- Chapter 4: I want to…Learn and share the history of my neighborhood
- Chapter 5: I want to…Create change and influence policy in my neighborhood
- Chapter 6: I want to…Know who’s who and who do I talk to?
The toolkit can be used by anyone in the community, including homeowners, renters, business owners, developers, and neighbors of all ages and education levels. Download your copy, try an activity, share with your neighbors, and hang the poster so it can be seen by your fellow community members!
