PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia’s U.S. Attorney on Tuesday met with Kensington community groups to discuss the ongoing mediation over a potential safe injection site. Some elected officials from Philadelphia are complaining that they were shut out of the meeting.
A safe injection site, also known as a supervised injection site or an overdose-prevention site, is a place where people can use intravenous drugs in the presence of medical staff to prevent overdoses.
U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Romero called the meeting to hear residents’ concerns. Kensington Independent Community Association opposes a safe injection site in their neighborhood — which is the epicenter of the city’s opioid crisis. They fear the mediation between the Department of Justice and medical nonprofit Safehouse will create a path for one.
Mayor Jim Kenney and District Attorney Larry Krasner are backing Safehouse.
KICA’s president, Marnie Aument-Loughry, says Romero balked when they brought along state and local lawmakers, including City Councilmember-at-large Jim Harrity and State Sen. Tina Tartaglione, who are opposed.
Tartaglione said they were left waiting in the hall. “They would not allow us into the meeting, which is a disgrace,” she said.
Romero declined comment but community members, such as Angel Cruz, said it seemed that the mediation is moving toward allowing a site in the city.
“It sounded like this is a done-deal,” Cruz said.
“It’s not just Jimmy Kenney and Krasner that should be heard,” Aument-Loughry said, “especially since Jimmy Kenney will not be our mayor after this goes — and I think that’s why he’s pushing to get it through so much.”
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The Kenney administration released the following statement:
“The Administration is supportive of overdose prevention centers (OPCs) as a proven way to save lives. We welcome the ongoing productive conversations between Safehouse and the Department of Justice about the possibility of an OPC in Philadelphia. As this process continues we remain ready to work with Safehouse, City partners, and the federal government to support a safe and effective operation if a settlement is reached, and we are committed to community outreach as these discussions progress.
"The overdose crisis in Philadelphia takes more than 1,200 lives every year and as this crisis worsens, we believe it is critical to use every available method to save lives. An overdose prevention center would add a powerful tool to our existing harm reduction strategies.”
Romero agreed to a separate meeting, but the officials fear it will be too late to affect the outcome of mediation.
Romero’s predecessor, William McSwain, sued Safehouse in 2019 to prevent it from opening an injection site and won. Safehouse countersued in 2021, and mediation has been going on since.
Safehouse Vice President Ronda Goldfein said she was not aware of the community meeting, but she said she is aware that almost 5,000 people have fatally overdosed since the site was proposed.
There is no clear timetable for how long mediation could last.