SCRUB'S Mission Statement
The Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight believes citizens are our
best hope for improving Philadelphia and that all residents,
regardless of income, education, or neighborhood should benefit from
laws protecting the visual environment and quality of life. As a
non-profit organization based in Philadelphia, SCRUB serves as a
resource for community groups and individuals by:
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Promoting public appreciation and support for policies that protect the
scenic environment and quality of life through workshops and web-based
resources;
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Helping citizens leverage the law by recruiting attorneys willing to provide
pro bono legal services to groups that would not otherwise have
access to the courts;
- Collaborating with government agencies to
ensure consistent enforcement of the law
SCRUB's History
The Society Created to Reduce Urban Blight was
founded in 1990 as a grassroots coalition to stop the proliferation
of billboards in Philadelphia. Victory came a year later, when
Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed two comprehensive
sign-control ordinances. This success was largely the result of
SCRUB’s educational media campaign and its citywide organization of
community leaders who lobbied vigorously in support of the
legislation.
SCRUB has joined with neighborhood civic associations to
provide testimony at more than 50 zoning hearings. SCRUB’s volunteer attorneys
have represented community organizations and local taxpayers in 40 court appeals
and secured the removal of more than 60 illegal billboards located in
Philadelphia neighborhoods. In conjunction with its neighborhood partners, SCRUB
has prevented the construction of an additional 50 billboards and wall wraps.
These successes have elevated SCRUB’s visibility as a leading protector of
Philadelphia’s unique visual appearance.
In 2003 and 2004, SCRUB expanded its scope of work by
launching a pilot program evaluating a commercial corridor of a selected area.
The purpose was to facilitate residents and businesses in developing policies
and practices that would enhance visual aspects in community-revitalization
plans. This was carried out in 2005 when SCRUB, together with the Germantown
Avenue Business Association and Mt. Airy USA CDC implemented the project in Mt.
Airy to help revitalize the Germantown Avenue Business Corridor. This was
accomplished by erecting new on-premise signage and improving facades.
Ultimately, these efforts have generated patron support among the local
community and have attracted new businesses and customers to the commercial
corridor.
Over the years, SCRUB’s persistence,
integrity, and commitment have earned it a highly respected reputation with
neighborhood groups, municipal agencies, elected officials, and even the
billboard industry—worlds that often collide and for whom SCRUB serves as
intermediary. Today, SCRUB is recognized as a leader in community advocacy,
providing technical, educational, and legal resources to over 80 community
groups. We now take a three-pronged
approach to implementing our mission:
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Promoting citizen responsibility and engagement in
government:
SCRUB provides educational, technical and legal
resources to community groups seeking better compliance with codes that
safeguard the neighborhood’s visual character and quality of life.
Through this program area SCRUB has empowered citizens and neighborhood
groups to participate in zoning hearings on issues of visual blight and
billboard proliferation in their communities. By providing legal
assistance and pro-bono attorneys to assist neighborhoods, SCRUB and its
neighborhood partners established the legal rights of taxpayers to
challenge improper zoning decisions allowing them the opportunity to
present the merits of their case to a court of law.
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Expanding public appreciation and support for
policies that safeguard the visual environment:
SCRUB pursues a range
of strategies to gain support for such policies. SCRUB conducts
research, surveys, to provide accurate data and leverage its efforts and
those of its partners. We also act a liaison between government
agencies, elected leaders and neighborhood citizens in the enforcement
of laws protecting public space and the built environment. SCRUB has
attracted significant media attention to billboard blight as well.
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Fostering Neighborhood Revitalization:
In 2003, SCRUB launched a pilot project in Philadelphia’s Germantown and
Mt. Airy neighborhoods to expand its focus from zoning issues to the
revitalization of a neighborhood commercial corridor. SCRUB conducted a
survey to identify the legal status of signs and billboards along the
Germantown Avenue corridor. Besides assisting the neighborhood to secure
removal of the illegal billboards located in their community, SCRUB is
also assisting with merchants on new accessory signs and improvements to
building façades. These efforts are still underway and have already
generated new customers for local merchants and attracted new
businesses.
