New Philadelphia Law Aims to Regulate Mobile Addiction Services in Kensington
Mobile restrictions in Kensington's van services, set to commence on Sunday in Philadelphia, will see a delay in the implementation of the newly enacted law for enforcement.
As of July 2025, mobile service providers in Kensington, Philadelphia, are subject to new regulations involving permits, following the signing of a bill into law by Mayor Cherelle Parker on May 28 [1]. However, the city has yet to announce the date for enforcement to begin, as regulations related to enforcement policies are still in the process of being finalized [2].
The new law requires mobile providers offering medical services, such as opioid use disorder medication and HIV testing, to operate at specific locations and times. Non-medical services, like distributing food and clothing, can operate anywhere but must relocate every 45 minutes, moving at least 1,000 feet away [1].
The restrictions have raised significant concerns among harm reduction groups and service providers, who fear the new rules will limit their ability to provide essential services to vulnerable populations, including the homeless and drug users. The permit system and operational restrictions may hinder the delivery of critical services such as substance use disorder treatment and harm reduction tools [1][2][3].
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, who represents District 7, was the prime sponsor of the legislation. Lozada stated that the new requirements would help improve quality of life for local families and permanent residents [1]. However, Nicole Bixler, founder of Operation In My Backyard, a grassroots harm reduction organization, expressed concern that the new law's impact on supportive services remains unclear [2].
Bixler and other service providers are focusing on ramping up services and keeping people informed about the upcoming changes. Angels in Motion, which offers medical care, harm reduction, treatment referrals, substance use disorder treatment, food assistance, clothing, and other services in Kensington, is one such group [1].
The city has not specified which agencies or departments will process applications for permits, and the delay in the permit system has caused uncertainty for service providers [2]. The city does not yet have a permit system in place for medical and nonmedical mobile providers as required by the new rules and needs time to establish regulations "to govern enforcement" [2].
Enforcement of the law is on hold until the city completes the permitting process. Once finalized, providers will be given ample time to apply for and receive permits before enforcement begins [2]. Limiting harm reduction services is not expected to help the community, according to addiction medicine experts [3].
Community concerns about quality of life issues, such as open-air drug use and litter, prompted the legislation. However, outreach groups argue that these restrictions could exacerbate problems rather than solve them by limiting access to vital services for those in need [3].
References:
- Philadelphia Inquirer. (2025, July 1). New law restricts mobile addiction services in Kensington. Retrieved from https://www.inquirer.com/news/kensington-mobile-addiction-services-restrictions-20250701.html
- Philadelphia Magazine. (2025, July 1). Kensington's Mobile Addiction Services Face New Regulations. Retrieved from https://www.phillymag.com/news/2025/07/01/kensington-mobile-addiction-services-regulations/
- WHYY. (2025, July 1). Philadelphia's new Kensington law aims to regulate mobile addiction services. Retrieved from https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphias-new-kensington-law-aims-to-regulate-mobile-addiction-services/
- The new law in Kensington, Philadelphia, raises concerns among harm reduction groups and service providers, as they fear the regulations may hinder the delivery of critical mental-health and health-and-wellness services, such as substance use disorder treatment and harm reduction tools.
- The City of Philadelphia has yet to specify which agencies or departments will process applications for permits required by the new law, leading to uncertainty for service providers in the areas of policy-and-legislation and general-news.
- addiction medicine experts have expressed concern that limiting harm reduction services might not help the community but potentially exacerbate problems related to health-and-wellness, mental-health, and quality of life.
