Um, there is a total, um, in the entire property of, of 10 bedrooms, um, with six bathrooms.
with six bathrooms. And this, at one point, the property was legally able to have 11 bedrooms.
And this, at one point,
Again, I'll get to that as I get to the history of the property. But in these bedrooms,
depending on the size, there can be up to five individuals in the bedrooms.
This is the previous zoning permit that was granted in June of 2014. Again, it relocated
the lot lines for this particular property and allowed us to erect the fence and have
our use for personal care. Again, as you can see, the proviso is not specific. It just
says five-year temporary permit.
Here's a copy of the previous application
so the board can see exactly what was granted.
There was an application for a personal care home
with a serving of food for up to 32 individuals
living in this property.
And they're also, again, with the legalization
of some storage and to relocate some lot lines.
Excuse me, I'm going too fast here.
Um, again, this permit was granted by the board, um, on November 19th of 2013, um, with
a five-year, um, uh, proviso.
And again, those provisos were not, uh, specific at the time.
Uh, this is a little history of the property.
It just, again, shows that, you know, there has always been a similar breach, uh, on the
properties.
This is in 1985, um, when the property was, uh, used as a six-family dwelling.
Again, right now, there's a single-family zoning classification. However, this property has always, the history has always been of some non-conforming uses in this neighborhood.
Again, 1985, there's a permit for six families.
This permit is in, I believe, 1981, where this property was used as a boarding home with 11 rooms for 25 boarders.
and again this is in 1949 um this property was used as a six family uh dwelling um with
in a prior use uh was uh commercial um offices uh as well
here's a copy of our notification letter that we sent out to the community
we sent out a total of 112 letters to the neighbors
And this is our proof of mailing to the neighbors, which you can see all stamped by the United
States Postal Service. Here's our letter from the Allegheny West Civic Association.
We held our meeting back in February. From the attendance at the meeting, there was no opposition
from individuals who attended, from residents who attended the meeting, hence you see the
support letter from the coordinating RCO, Allegheny West Civic Association. Here is
the proof of the meeting and what the indication was. Again, there was no opposition to the meeting
and the votes were taken from those affected addresses who showed up to our RCO meeting.
Just to give the board a sense, this is a picture of the property.
This is the six-foot fence that starts here where the mouse is that leads to the rear of the property.
Again, this is the other side of the property where we have the other six-foot fence as well.
Here's a picture of our posting of the property.
This is the front door.
This is the rear of the property.
and again the yard where you can see the eight foot fence
this is the lounge of the property this is a similar hallway leading down to
the offices on the first floor this is the picture of our kitchen and then just to give
you a sense of the layout of some of the bedrooms again some bedrooms have up to five twin size
beds to house the occupants and each bedroom has a again a similar layout
and with that I would like to ask the board if they can bring on Dr. Sherlana Dash who is the
Chief Operating Officer of Self Inc to answer any questions and adopt a testimony.
Thank you.
Do we see him in the audience?
Her name is Dr. Shalana Dash.
He's in the audience. I see him.
Dr. Dash, please raise your virtual hand and wait to be sworn in.
Hi, could you please state your name and spell for the court stenographer?
Still no hands raised, sir.
okay do we share in the audience
wait the hand just went up okay okay they've been allowed to speak hi could you state your
name please and spell it for the court stenographer yes dr sharlana dash s-h-i-r-l-a-n-a
last name dash d-a-s-h do you swear or affirm to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but
the truth? Yes, I do. Proceed, counsel. Thank you. Dr. Dash, could you tell the board your position
at Self? I am the chief operating officer at Self Incorporated. Thank you. Dr. Dash, did you
my testimony? At the zoning hearing, yes, I did. Thank you. And is my testimony true and
accurate to the best of your belief? Yes, it is. And would you adopt my testimony as if it were
your own? Yes, I would, sir. Thank you, members of the board. You're welcome. Questions from the
board? No, Mr. Chairman. No, Chair. Questions or comments from the virtual audience?
sir i have a hand raised from a number a caller whose number is ending in the three five five two
yes please let her let it please have her come on understood
star six to unmute please wait to be sworn in hi could you state your name please and spell
for the court sonographer.
Yes, my name is
Adrienne Fernandez. My last name
is spelled F-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-V
Swamp Little Neighborhood
Process Association out here.
Right. Do you swear or affirm
to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
Hello?
Adrienne?
You must have dropped off, sir.
Okay, let's wait a minute until she gets back.
Right.
Is she back?
No, sir.
Hillary, we do have her letter, right?
We do, but I think she just came back on.
Okay, good.
but Adrian?
Hello, I'm going to speak again.
Hello.
Hi, Adrian.
I'm sorry.
Yes, I'm sorry.
I was disconnected.
Did I swear you in?
Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth,
the whole truth,
nothing but the truth?
Proceed.
I sent in a letter of opposition.
we have it okay and um could you adrian i know it's hard could you try to speak up a little bit
i think the court's now we're having a hard time hearing you yes thank you chair okay great thank
you is it better now yes it is okay trying to volume okay um the public meeting um was attended
I think by about maybe 20 to 30 people um but there were no affected addresses from that 2120
to 22 Tioga Street or within 250 feet of the address including um one or two of the affected
RCOs that live right around the corner or in that affected area. Also at the meeting
I voted in opposition for a sponsor to RCO.
So I don't know this included on the meeting summary form
because the affected RCO does acting as RCO
accordingly though she did not distribute the that summary
memo to all affected RCOs. So I've never seen it.
In my letter I spoke about the fact that this this address
was initially granted a temporary variance of five years, and Dr. Dash reported at the meeting,
It was reported at the meeting, the public meeting, that the permit had expired five years after 2013, which was, I guess, five years before the public meeting.
the public meeting, that the
So this operation has been carrying on without a permit.
I'm not sure they built the fact they requested or not I did include that notice of refusal and
a notice of decision with the letter I submitted so we're asking that this variance be denied
because Dr. Dash also answered my question about drug-addicted persons being able to be housed
there and she said they could be housed there I'm not sure who was living there for the past
five years where there was no permit however um the house was still serving as um homeless
for um we were preferable with families or working families but it was um I guess it was
families and drug addicted persons in the same two buildings or same two addresses um
a detail in the letter what the opposition was most of the safety and the negative impact
especially from fentanyl addicted persons needles in the area being able to shoot up behind the tall
fence that could be observed from nearby houses that have you know a second and third story
and also needle littering in the area where you have families children elders in schools pets
I also listed that we have a hepatitis outbreak in Philadelphia and that would be increased if
we could increase the number of fentanyl addicts in the area I keep this thing I can see um that
was listed with 32 persons and that seems to be high for the two addresses so if this is approved
um we're requesting a temporary variance for three years to be sure that the facility
will comply in the future with the notice of decision because on the notice of decision
it said that the permit would be cancelled if the stipulations on that notice of decision
were not honored and that didn't happen and just kept operating so we're asking for if it's
approved but we are opposed to it for a three-year temporary variant and um we're also asking for
that the nose of decision if it's granted be honored so that if the nose decision is violated
that the permit and special exception are canceled um we're asking for no fentanyl or other drug
addicted persons occupy the property and also that the occupancy be limited the entire address
to 20 or the prior 25 persons because I believe one property may be two floors one maybe three
floors not sure when on five floors uh 20 to 25 persons even with double beds that's a lot of
occupancy that one addressed especially with special needs occupants I'm also asking that
there's no drug drug rehabilitation operations at the address and no drugs stored administered
or dispersed at that address also provisor for no basement occupancy because that can change with
future use also for no roof deck occupancy or mechanic no use of the roof just a roof there
so we don't have any danger of drug use on the roof also asking that there's conspicuous exterior
and interior signage identifying the current site the business
operator whether that be self or subcontractor because it
seems like the property went through several operators
especially during a period where the permit had expired in 2018.
That's pretty much the extent of what we're asking for
and the opposition is also based on the fact that
um these operations in a residential zoning area will represent um overuse of that address
okay thank you and that's everything i thank you for calling in we take for taking time
and your input is there anyone else in the virtual audience
no further answer okay planning commission
good afternoon chair peter bernard for the planning commission
THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN RECOMMENDS RSA 3 SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AT THIS LOCATION.
WE FEEL THE APPLICANT HAS DEMONSTRATED SUFFICIENT HARDSHIP FOR THE FENCE AND THAT A PERSONAL
CARE HOME FACILITY WOULD HAVE NO IMPACT THAN WHAT CAN BE REASONABLY EXPECTED AT THIS LOCATION.
accordingly the planning commission recommends the board grant the variance and the special
ACCORDINGLY, THE PLANNING COMMISSION RECOMMENDS THE BOARD GRANT THE VARIANCE AND THE SPECIAL
exemption for use um mr young as you know we'll wait for the tax uh information before we can vote
EXCEPTION FOR USE.
Thank you.
okay yes mr chair and we'll be in touch when when when we're settled okay thank you very much
Thanks, everybody, for their input.
Number 11, MI 2023-000731-5500 Haverford Avenue.
Robert Careless is the attorney for the owner.
letter of support from HMC Squared based on revised plans with setback on Pearl Street.
Mr. Chair, this is Hillary. I just want to note that we also received a letter of opposition
from a neighbor on Pearl Street. Thank you very much. Mr. Carolis, could you state your name and
spell for the court stenographer? Certainly, Mr. Chairman. Bob Careless, C-A-R-E-L-E-S-S.
Right. Do you swear or affirm to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?
I do. Could you identify your client in a relationship to this property?
I represent the Community Justice Land Trust, which is the land trust for the Women's Community
Revitalization Project. The land trust is the record owner of the property.
Okay. And our vice chair has just a few questions.
Certainly.
Good afternoon, counsel. Do you agree to waive the reading of the refusal and stipulate to its accuracy?
I do agree to the waiving of the refusal. I don't agree to the stipulation with the limited purpose of the open space refusal item on the refusal. Everything else we can stipulate to.
Understood. Have you emailed in all the required documents and exhibits that are needed to proceed with this case five days in advance of this hearing?
Yes, I have.
Excuse me. Thank you. Please proceed and share your screen. Oh, you shared it already. Okay.
Yep. Thank you. And members of the board, again, Bob Carol, Sikosin, O'Connor, on behalf of the Women's Community Revitalization Project, which I'll refer to as WCRP for short.
WCRP is a nonprofit and women-led community development corporation committed to social and economic equity for low-income families.
They provide, among other things, support services and resources for low-income tenants of its properties.
And one piece of data that I'm sure they're proud of is that their income, tenants increased their income by approximately 56% over the first four years of living in a WCRP home.
WCRP has developed and or rehabbed more than 300 homes over the last 30 years in Philadelphia.
In fact, this board might remember, we were before you about two years ago on the Arlene Thorpe Townhomes, which was a low-income housing tax credit development in Graysbury.
The subject development before you today is located at 5500 Habiford Avenue.
It's a 33-unit, four-story, multifamily, low-income housing tax credit development comprised, among other things, of a community center and associated improvements.
And this development will be named after Linda Lockman King, who was a longtime community activist who has since deceased.
And WCRP is proud to name this development in her honor.
As I mentioned, this is 5500 Habiford Avenue.
I'm showing you what I've marked in my packet as Exhibit A5.