Opioid settlement fund use sparks disagreement in Philadelphia

Opioid settlement funds are being distributed to cities across the U.S. The federal settlement doesn’t say exactly how local jurisdictions should spend the funds, but the idea is that it should go toward addressing and preventing addiction.

But in Pennsylvania, state officials have told Philadelphia it is spending the money on things that are too off the mark, such as repairing homes, schools and parks in Kensington, a poor neighborhood that the overdose epidemic has ravaged. Local residents say addressing the root causes of poverty and addiction is exactly what’s needed to heal the community. The city is appealing the ruling.

Emily Rizzo reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.