Resolution 250221
Condemning the Trump Administration for its reprehensible actions to drastically defund the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will have a devastating effect on the enforcement of fair housing laws, damage communities, and escalate the affordable housing crisis.
Introduced by
From the floor
Passages in the official transcripts that cite this file number. Every quote links to its exact place in the record.
“Good morning. My name is Kenneth Bare. I'm here on behalf of Bill No. 250221. I'm a member of POWER Interfaith, okay, thank you, which is representing Arch Street United Methodist Church, which is in Councilmember Squilla's District. There are many different housing issues confronting the city, but I am most concerned about making improvements for the homeless and ensuring that they minimally have consistent roofs ov…”
Mr. Bare · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
“Good morning, Council President Johnson and members of City Council. My name is Garrett O'Dwyer and I'm the Associate Policy Director for the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations or PACDC. Thank you for the opportunity to offer testimony and support Resolution 250221, condemning staffing and budget cuts at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. PACDC is a leading voic…”
Mr. O'Dwyer · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
“Hello, everyone. My name is John Busby. I'm a member of POWER Interfaith, and I want to address Bill No. 250221. Arch Street United Methodist Church is in District 1, Mark Squilla's District. And we would like to invite him to a town hall later in the spring. We want to partner with him. I also work at Arch Street United Methodist Church as a sexton. I deal with homeless our population every day signing people in, an…”
Mr. Busby · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
“Hi. My name is Tess Feiler speaking in support of Bill 250221. I'm also a member of POWER Interfaith, representing Arch Street United Methodist Church which is in Councilmember Squilla's District. Arch Street's a nonprofit. The center is a drop-in center providing daytime services to our unhoused, unsheltered neighbors. I'm sure you all see the line outside of the building, either walking by it to or from City Hall.…”
Ms. Feiler · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
“Buenos dias, Good morning, Councilmembers. My name is Julian Rios. I am the Bilingual Collective Impact Coordinator at Ceiba, a coalition building organization in Philadelphia's Latino community, and the backbone to the Latino Equitable Development Collective. We applaud City Council for considering Resolution 250221, calling attention to and seeking to stop the devastating cuts to staffing and funding at HUD. These…”
Council President Johnson · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
“Good afternoon. I'm Lynn Landes of Smallstreetsphilly.org. Regarding Resolution 250221, where once again City Council is condemning President Trump. This time it's regarding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. City Council would do well to focus more of its attention on our own shortcomings, specifically on our own Department of Licenses and Inspections and the devastation brought down on many of ou…”
Ms. Landes · Stated Meeting, March 20, 2025 · Mar 20, 2025 · official transcript, this passage
Status timeline
- Mar 13, 2025Introduced and Ordered Placed On Next Week's Final Passage Calendar · CITY COUNCIL
- Mar 20, 2025ADOPTED · CITY COUNCIL
Official documents
Documents open on the City of Philadelphia’s legislative site.
Full text
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..Title Condemning the Trump Administration for its reprehensible actions to drastically defund the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will have a devastating effect on the enforcement of fair housing laws, damage communities, and escalate the affordable housing crisis. ..Body WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was established on September 9, 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, as part of his "Great Society" initiative to better address urban problems and coordinate federal housing programs including community development and affordable housing; and WHEREAS, HUD's mission is to increase access to affordable housing, expand homeownership, fight housing discrimination, tackle homelessness, and strengthen communities through economic development. HUD's goal is to create sustainable, strong, inclusive communities with quality affordable homes for all; and WHEREAS, HUD's core functions are to increase fair housing, homeownership, provide community development block grants, and develop and administer housing and community development programs in partnership with cities; and WHEREAS, HUD's record of accomplishments span 60 years due to the thousands of communities and millions of Americans that have benefitted from HUD's community development programs and housing; and WHEREAS, President Trump created the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force on January 20, 2025, by executive order in a mission to slash federal spending. This task force is led by billionaire Elon Musk who was not appointed through a Senate confirmation hearing but now has unprecedented control and access to federal government systems and agencies; and WHEREAS, DOGE's goal is to cut any federal spending that doesn't align with Trump's Project 2025 agenda. The projected slash to federal spending would be $500 billion in annual spending, which is represented by about 7% of the federal government's $6.7 trillion in annual expenditures; and WHEREAS, The DOGE Task Force has proposed cuts to HUD's workforce by 50% with deep cuts to the offices nationwide. Targeting the HUD workforce threatens to disrupt HUD's core functions across the country, harm the economy, and critically disinvest in communities that depend on affordable housing; and WHEREAS, These thoughtless and reckless cuts from DOGE to HUD's funding and staff will further damage communities, including Philadelphia, and prevent HUD's ability to continue to maintain and build our nation's supply of safe and affordable housing and address the affordable housing crisis; and WHEREAS, By virtue of this resolution, we reaffirm the City of Philadelphia's commitment to protect the rights of our most vulnerable residents in the midst of an ongoing housing crisis by condemning cuts to federal funding and support for community development and affordable housing programs; now therefore, be it RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHA, That it hereby condemns the Trump Administration for its reprehensible actions to drastically defund the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which will have a devastating effect on the enforcement of fair housing laws, damage communities, and escalate the affordable housing crisis. ..End