🚃 The Girard Avenue trolleys are coming back?!

🏚️ Delays in Addressing Dangerous Buildings

Philly has around 120 properties considered “imminently dangerous” that have yet to be demolished or repaired, and 4,000 others deemed unsafe, according to a new report from City Controller Christy Brady. Per the report, the Department of Licenses & Inspections doesn’t have enough inspectors to keep up with the demand to inspect these properties. [NBC10]

• Related: In Philly, unsafe construction work can go unchecked and lead to tragic outcomes. [City Cast Philly 🎧]

📉 Philly’s Gun Violence Decline

Gun violence in Philly dropped by around 16% in April, as compared to 13% nationwide, according to a new analysis by the Center for American Progress. Philly’s decline is bigger than that of any other major U.S. city. [6ABC]

🏫 Jay-Z Promotes School Voucher Proposal

The billionaire rapper’s entertainment company Roc Nation has been holding informational events in Philly to build support for the controversial Pennsylvania Award for Student Success program, a proposed taxpayer-funded school voucher program for low-income families. [Spotlight PA]

▶️ Anti-Deepfake Bill Advances

Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Senate unanimously approved legislation to ban the non-consensual distribution of salacious and pornographic AI-generated images, as well as the creation and distribution of any such images of children. The legislation now goes to the House. [Associated Press]

🚃 Route 15 Trolleys To Return

Six fully-restored green-and-cream trolleys from the 1940s are slated to make their long-awaited comeback to Girard Avenue on Sunday. Buses will also continue to operate along the route until all 18 trolleys — which were removed from service in 2020 for restoration — are repaired and back on the road. [SEPTA]

Is This $4.5 Billion Program Really Fixing Philly’s Sewer Systems?

In 2011, the Philadelphia Water Department created the “Green City, Clean Waters” program to fix the city’s aging sewer systems. Even though the program was nationally recognized for its innovation, it turned out to be more costly than expected. City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri speaks with environmental journalist Kyle Bagenstose to figure out if the city needs a better plan to handle its sewage problems.