Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Friday, May 1, 2020 11:49 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN ALLAN DOMB COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN DEREK S. GREEN COUNCILWOMAN HELEN GYM COUNCILMAN BOBBY HENON COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN DAVID OH COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILWOMAN CHERELLE L. PARKER COUNCILWOMAN MARIA D. QUINONES-SANCHEZ COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS MICHAEL A. DECKER, CHIEF CLERK Stated Meeting May 1, 2020
Good morning. We're going to start our session. Let me say I understand that the state law currently requires that the following announcement be made at the beginning of each Council session. Due to the current public health emergency, City Council is currently meeting remotely. We are using Microsoft Teams to make this remote meeting possible. Instructions for how the public may view the meeting and offer public comment are included in the Stated Meeting notice that was published in the Daily News, Inquirer, and Legal Intelligencer prior to the meeting and can also be found on PHLCouncil.com. I note now that the hour has come and, Mr. Decker, can you please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are in attendance will please respond that you are present when your name is called.
Councilmembers, Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 again, before I call the roll, I offer a reminder that your reply to the roll call must consist of a bit more than just saying present for the Microsoft Teams application to display your image in one of the four video panels that are being broadcast to the viewers watching this session. With that said, I will begin calling the roll. Councilwoman Bass.
Good morning, Mr. President. I am present. Thank you so much for being here and for this virtual session. Looking forward to today's business.
Good morning, Council President and colleagues. I look forward to being here. Thank you. I'm here.
Good morning, Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 colleagues. I'm thankful to be with everybody today.
Good morning, Mr. President. Good morning, colleagues. Present.
Good morning, Council President, to our leadership team, and administrative team and to all of our colleagues. I am happy to be here today. Look forward to this session. Thank you so very much.
Good morning, Council President. Good morning, colleagues. I'm glad to be here for this Council session today. I hope everybody is safe and healthy.
Good Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 morning, Council President, and good morning to my colleagues, to the public. Happy International Workers' Day.
Good morning, Council President and colleagues. I look forward to getting down to the people's business today.
Good morning, Mr. President and colleagues. On behalf of the 150,000 people in the Fourth Councilmanic District, I am here.
Good morning. I'm present and wish everyone a Happy Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month.
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. I don't know how many times I say good Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 see my photo come up, but I'm glad to be here. Let's have a great session and it's good to see everybody, their photo, their actual image.
Yes. Thank you, Chief Clerk. Good morning, Mr. President and colleagues. Cherelle Parker is present.
Good morning, Council President and Council colleagues. I look forward to today's session. Thank you.
Good morning, Council President and colleagues. It's a pleasure to be back. Looking forward to our first session virtually.
Good morning, colleagues. Good morning, Council President and everybody involved, and a special thank you to the tech team and the support staff for making this happen today. Thank you.
Thank you, and good morning. Despite the great need, there will be no invocation today. We will, however, observe a very brief moment of silent prayer for our City, the leaders, the citizens during Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 public health crisis. We will now observe a moment of silence. (Moment of silence.)
Thank you very much. Our next order of business is the approval of the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, April 2nd, 2020, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, April 2nd, 2020 be approved. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the Journal of the meeting of Thursday, April 2nd, 2020 stand approved. All in favor will indicate by saying aye. (Aye.)
Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 & COMMUNICATIONS Those opposed? (No response.)
The ayes have it, and the Journal is approved. And our next order of business is requests for leaves of absence, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. On behalf of the members of Council, there are no requests for leaves of absence today.
The Chair thanks the Councilwoman. And our next order of business is communications, and does the Chief Clerk have any messages from the Mayor or any other messages in his possession? If so, will you please read those messages.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on April 2, 2020, I signed the following bill which was passed by Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 & COMMUNICATIONS Council at its session on April 2, 2020: Bill No. 200258. And per your request that my Administration note all business before Council that should be considered related to our response to the pandemic or otherwise necessary to allow for expedited action, I respectfully request and submit for the consideration of your honorable body the following proposed ordinances and resolution, entitled "An ordinance authorizing the City Treasurer, on behalf of the City, to enter into an amendment agreement with Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania for provision of payroll banking services to the City"; and "An ordinance constituting the Twenty-Third Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as supplemented; authorizing the Bond Committee to issue and sell one or more series of tax-exempt or taxable Water and Wastewater Refunding Revenue Bonds and Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 & COMMUNICATIONS revenue refunding bonds"; and "An ordinance constituting the Fifteenth Supplemental Ordinance to the General Gas Works Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1998; authorizing the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to sell, either at public or private sale, one or more series of Gas Works Revenue Bonds and Gas Works Revenue Bonds to refund such bonds"; and "An ordinance authorizing the Bond Committee to sell bonds at public or private negotiated sale, to provide funds toward various capital municipal purposes; providing for appropriations to the Sinking Fund Commission for the payment of such bonds; authorizing agreements to provide credit or payment or liquidity sources for the bonds in connection with issuance of the bonds, and certain other actions"; and "An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2021 through 2026 inclusive"; and Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 & COMMUNICATIONS "An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2021 Capital Budget"; and "An ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Parking Tax,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'School Tax Authorization,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Business Income and Receipts Taxes,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Wage and Net Profits Tax,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 entitled 'Real Estate Taxes,' to eliminate the discount for early payment of real estate taxes"; and "A resolution providing for the approval of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Philadelphia covering Fiscal Years 2021 through 2025, and incorporating proposed changes with respect to Fiscal Year 2020, which is to be submitted by the Mayor to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority pursuant to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement, all under certain terms and conditions."
Thank you, Mr. Decker. Thank you so much. Our next order of business is the introduction of bills and resolutions, and the Clerk will please read the titles of legislation that is being offered today by the members.
Councilwoman Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Parker offers, on behalf of Council President Clarke, nine bills and one resolution, entitled "An ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2021 through 2026 inclusive"; and "An ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2021 Capital Budget"; and "An ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1200 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Parking Tax,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'School Tax Authorization,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-2600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Business Income and Receipts Taxes,' by revising certain tax rates"; and Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1500 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Wage and Net Profits Tax,' by revising certain tax rates"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Real Estate Taxes,' to eliminate the discount for early payment of real estate taxes"; and "An ordinance amending Chapter 17-1400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Non-Competitively Bid Contracts; Financial Assistance,' by making revisions, including but not limited to, the exception for emergency contracting"; and "A resolution providing for the approval of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Philadelphia covering Fiscal Years 2021 through 2025, and incorporating proposed changes with respect to Fiscal Year 2020." Stated Meeting May 1, 2020
Thank you, Mr. Decker. These bills will be referred to the appropriate committees.
Councilwoman Gym offers two bills and one non-privileged resolution, entitled "An ordinance amending various sections of The Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for temporary eviction relief, and making certain technical changes"; and "An ordinance amending various sections of The Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for an eviction diversion program, and making certain technical changes."
Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Those bills will be referred to committee.
And a non-privileged resolution calling on the United States Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly to take immediate action to provide municipalities a comprehensive relief package to stabilize the local rental housing market and support property owners.
And that will be considered at our next Council session.
Councilman Jones offers one privileged resolution, entitled "A resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings evaluating lessons learned from the City's COVID-19 pandemic response."
Councilman Green Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 offers five bills, four on behalf of Council President Clarke, and one privileged resolution. The bills are entitled "An ordinance constituting the Fifteenth Supplemental Ordinance to the General Gas Works Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1998"; and "An ordinance constituting the Twenty-Third Supplemental Ordinance to the Restated General Water and Wastewater Revenue Bond Ordinance of 1989, as supplemented"; and "An ordinance authorizing the Bond Committee to sell bonds at public or private negotiated sale, to provide funds toward various capital municipal purposes; providing for appropriations to the Sinking Fund Commission for the repayment of such bonds; authorizing agreements to provide credit or payment or liquidity sources for the bonds in connection with issuance of the bonds"; and "An ordinance authorizing the Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 City Treasurer, on behalf of the City, to enter into an amendment agreement with Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania for provision of payroll banking services to the City"; and "An ordinance approving the Fiscal Year 2021 Capital Budget providing for expenditures for the capital purposes of the Philadelphia Gas Works (including the supplying of funds in connection therewith) subject to certain constraints and conditions."
Thank you. Let the record reflect that those bills are part of the budget package that relates to the COVID-19 response. My understanding is that it will offer a significant restructuring of the traditional process that will allow us to vet the response to the particular challenges facing the City of Philadelphia.
And a privileged resolution authorizing the Committees on Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 People with Disabilities & Special Needs and on Public Health and Human Services to hold joint hearings regarding the racial and ableist disparities of coronavirus infections and impacts in Philadelphia.
Councilwoman Brooks offers three bills, entitled "An ordinance amending various sections of The Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for temporary rent stabilization"; and "An ordinance amending various sections of The Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for the temporary waiver of certain fees"; and Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-4100 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled 'Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces,' to establish leave time for public health emergencies, modify existing provisions concerning the paid sick leave, and making technical changes."
And those bills will be referred to the appropriate committees.
Councilman Domb offers one non-privileged resolution, entitled "A resolution supporting Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro in his call to all landlords in the Commonwealth and Philadelphia to provide aid to their tenants during the COVID-19 crisis and throughout its aftermath."
Councilwoman Gauthier offers two bills, entitled "An Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 ordinance amending various sections of the Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the Coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for relief to tenants who have been illegally locked out of their residences and making certain technical changes"; and "An ordinance amending various sections of The Philadelphia Code to address matters related to the landlord and tenant relationship during the novel coronavirus of 2019 pandemic and otherwise, including providing for payment agreements for tenants with a certified financial hardship related to COVID-19, and making certain technical changes."
Those bills will be referred to the appropriate committee.
Councilman Oh offers one bill and two non-privileged Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 resolutions, entitled "An ordinance amending Chapter 9-4100 of The Philadelphia Code entitled Promoting Healthy Families and Workplaces, by adding new definitions and requirements to ensure that certain health care employees are compensated for lost wages and medical expenses in the event they contract a communicable disease at work during a pandemic or epidemic event."
And a non-privileged resolution urging the President, Senate, and House of Representatives to amend the CARES Act to provide that U.S. citizens with immigrant spouses who file joint taxes are eligible to receive economic stimulus payments for both adults and any dependent children, even if the immigrant spouse does not have a Social Security number.
Next week's Calendar. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020
And a non-privileged resolution urging the City Health Commissioner to issue an emergency order, under the authority vested in Section 6-205 and Section 8-407 of the Philadelphia Code, requiring hospitals and other healthcare institutions to provide an adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees during the duration of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Mr. President, there are no other bills or resolutions being offered by the members this week.
Thank you very much. At this time, the next order of business is reports from committees, and the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Parker for a report from the Committee of the Whole.
Thank Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 you, Mr. President. The Committee of the Whole reports out nine resolutions with a favorable recommendation.
To the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, the Committee of the Whole, to which was referred Resolution No. 200151, entitled "A resolution approving the appointment of Deborah Mahler to the Board of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority"; and Resolution No. 200217, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Julia Danzy to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200218, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Leticia Egea-Hinton to the Board of Education of the School Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200219, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Mallory Fix-Lopez to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200220, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Dr. Maria McColgan to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200222, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Angela McIver to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200223, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Joyce Wilkerson to the Board of Education"; and Resolution No. 200224, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Lee Huang to the Board of Education of the School District of Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Philadelphia"; and Resolution No. 200225, entitled "A resolution confirming the appointment of Ameen Akbar to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," respectfully reports it has considered the same and returns the attached resolutions to Council with a favorable recommendation.
Thank you. The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Parker.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit consideration of the nine resolutions just read by the Clerk on today's Final Passage Calendar. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It has been moved and properly seconded that the rules of Council be suspended to permit Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 2ND READING consideration of resolutions just read by the Clerk on today's Final Passage Calendar. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it and the motion passes. These resolutions will be placed on today's Final Passage Calendar. And our next order of business is consideration of the Calendar. There are no bills on the First Reading Calendar today. Today we are only considering those legislative matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars that directly, directly pertain to the COVID-19 crisis. There are three such matters on the Calendar. The prime sponsors of those matters have already communicated their desire to have those matters considered today. I, therefore, Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 recognize Councilwoman Parker for the purpose of calling up to those matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar.
Thank you, Mr. President. The following resolutions are being called up from the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars today. They are Nos. 200263, 200270, and 200275. All other resolutions and bills are being held.
Thank you. Before considering these resolutions, we will consider public comment as follows: Under normal circumstances, public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for possible action at a session of Council. A speaker on any of those matters must sign up in order to testify. You must call 215-686-3406 by 5:00 p.m. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 the day before the session to sign up for public comment. When you call, we will take your name, phone number, the number of the legislative item you are commenting on and whether you are in support of or against the legislation and add you to the list. We will telephone each person on the list during the Council session and invite them to our remote meeting. Under ideal circumstances, they will each have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session to session. Today the time will be two minutes. In order to be fair to all of those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the established time limit. Once invited to the meeting and asked to begin your testimony, a timer will be started. We will monitor your remaining time throughout your testimony and when there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, you will be reminded of Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 this. Once your allotted time has passed, you will be asked to conclude your remarks. Shortly thereafter you will be muted and disconnected from the remote meeting. I also reserve the right to limit the number of speakers where repetitious comments are being made on the same subject matter and to limit the scope of the testimony to only certain items on the agenda during the emergency, which could affect call backs for public comment at the meeting. Today comment is limited to the matters called up by Councilwoman Parker. That will be Resolution 200263, 200270, and 200275, and to the non-resolutions approving the School Board nominations that were reported from committee this morning and will be considered later today. Speakers that have signed up to speak on any of these resolutions will be Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 invited to speak at this meeting. Mr. Decker, I believe you will call the names of the first witness or is that my responsibility under the new rule?
Yes. I'm here. Good morning, Council President and Councilmembers. My name is George Gould. I am a Senior Attorney at Community Legal Services and I welcome the opportunity to comment on these troubled times on Resolution 200263, which calls on the Sheriff's Office, the First Judicial District, and utility companies to do temporary moratoriums on evictions, residential foreclosures, and utility shut-offs because of the COVID-19 health emergency. While much of this has been done, there is still a pressing need to continue the moratoriums. We are still in a severe health crisis. Housing stability is critical in this public Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 health emergency in which containment and treatment rely on persons staying indoors and not be forced to seek shelter. I would also briefly like to mention several important bills that are pending that Councilpersons Gym, Gauthier, and Brooks and others have introduced. They are extremely important to deal with this ongoing pandemic. They would extend the moratorium for 60 days after the state of emergency is lifted, except if they're --
Mr. Gould. Mr. Gould, you are to speak on the bills that are on the Final Passage.
I understand, but I would urge you to support and vote for the resolution that is on Final Passage. It's extremely important to continue the Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 moratoriums and continue not to have shut-offs. Thank you very much, and stay healthy.
Mr. Gould, please stay on the line. I'll instruct everyone when public comment has ended when everyone can disconnect and they're dismissed. The next speaker is Jacob Speidel, commenting on 200263.
I am Jacob Speidel, the Director of Tenant Rights at SeniorLAW Center and I am here to support Resolution 200263 calling for a moratorium on evictions in response to the COVID-19 health emergency. At SeniorLAW Center, we provide Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 legal assistance to Pennsylvanians age 60 and over. During the pandemic, we've been working remotely in receiving calls from seniors needing legal help. Every day I am talking to seniors who are terrified about the possibility of being forced out of their homes in a time when they are being told to stay home because of their health. I speak with seniors who have paid their rent whose leases have ended and who are trying to move and cannot move because of the pandemic. The rental market is in gridlock, and if evictions start as soon as the emergency is over, people will not have the opportunity to wait for the --
Mr. Speidel, are you speaking on the bills or resolutions that are on today's Calendar?
Yes. I'm speaking to Resolution 200263 and asking that a temporary moratorium on evictions Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 be enacted and that it be extended beyond the end of the current emergency, and I would ask for the Sheriff's Office and the First Judicial District to extend these moratoriums in order to prevent a wave of evictions that would put tenants' lives at risk unnecessarily when an appropriate moratorium on evictions that extends far enough would allow people more time to get their lives back to normal after the immediate crisis has passed.
In addition, extending the moratorium would prevent court costs and attorneys' fees from building up and making it harder for people to catch up and avoid ultimate eviction.
All right. Thank you. That concludes my comments. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020
Hello. Good afternoon, Council President, Councilmembers, Council staff, and everyone watching and listening in today.
I am Stephanie Dorenbosch, an attorney and the program manager for the Tenant Rights Unit at TURN, the Tenant Union Representative Network. I'm here to express TURN's strong support for Resolution No. 200263 and to urge Council to take all possible steps to ensure that moratoriums are enacted on evictions, foreclosures, Sheriff's sales, and utility shut-offs during and for a period after the COVID-19 emergency. At TURN, even before the City formally shut down, we were already hearing from tenants who were losing shifts at work and worried about paying Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 April and even March rent. Delays in their stimulus and unemployment payments for those who qualify have meant that many people have been out of work for almost two months already and they haven't received any supplemental payments, and once we reopen the City, those jobs are not just going to reappear on day one. It's going to take some time to get everyone back on their feet. Losing a home jeopardizes one's health even during the best of times, and especially now, but I want to mention something specifically about Landlord-Tenant Court. On a normal day, well over 100 tenants, lawyers, and court staff are packed into a small courtroom for hours at a time. For systemic and historical reasons, evictions disproportionately affect black Philadelphians and especially black women. COVID-19 also is disproportionately prevalent and has especially severe health effects in the Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 black community. If Landlord-Tenant Court goes back to business as usual before the Coronavirus is eradicated, we'll be forcing tenants to choose between their health or lives and their rights and risking a second wave of COVID-19 infections. A moratorium on evictions can help prevent that and save lives. Anyone who thinks they should have the right to put tenants out of their homes during a highly contagious viral pandemic should instead be working with us to find ways to keep everyone safe and housed and to protect their employees and contractors. Tenants are not a separate class of people. We're over half the population of the City, including your friends, families, colleagues, neighbors, and frontline workers out there trying to keep us all healthy, safe, and fed. This is not a time for us versus them or for prioritizing perceived Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 short-term profits over human lives. Everyone's health and well-being is at risk, and none of us are safe until all of us are safe. We look forward to working with you all as the COVID-19 crisis hopefully begins to taper off and we start building the City back up again together. Thank you very much for your time.
Hello. Good afternoon. My name is Madison Nardy and I am the leader with One Pennsylvania fighting for worker, renter, and homeowner protections. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify in support of Resolution No. 200263, which calls for temporary moratoriums on evictions, residential foreclosures, tax liens on residential properties, and Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 utility shut-offs in response to the COVID-19 emergency. Right now workers are losing their jobs and our country is bracing for an economic crisis, and I know we are eager to get back to normal. I would like to take a moment to tell you what normal looks like for me and my family. In 2014, my family was evicted from our home. At the time, I was just 16. Evicting a family from their home is an extremely dehumanizing practice that no one should have to go through, period. It caused me anxiety, which got so bad I began to fail my classes. I was an honor student my whole school year before I started struggling in school waiting for the day my family would get evicted. We don't want to go back to the way life was before. Low-wage workers have been degraded for years. We have been verbally abused at work by both managers and customers, saying we deserve 7.25 per hour and told to get a real job. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Well, we have real jobs, essential jobs, and society shouldn't have waited for a pandemic to treat us as essential. So now whether you're laid off, working with cut hours or being overworked to death at low-wage jobs, we are all struggling to make ends meet and have been for a long time. To stay safe during this pandemic and months after, we are going to need protections for workers, homeowners, and renters. Everyone has a fundamental human right to housing, with freedom from forced eviction and foreclosure. It is the job of this City Council to guarantee that everyone can exercise this right to live in security, peace, and dignity. Without major protection from this body, many of us will lose our homes in the coming months and the health and safety for ourselves and for communities that those homes supply. Thank you.
Good afternoon, Council President and Councilmembers. Thank you for having me. I'm here to support Resolution 200263. I'm here as a lifelong resident of Philadelphia and the Director of Housing at the Legal Clinic for the Disabled. We provide free legal services to low-income people living with physical and mental disabilities. For our clients, this resolution provides safety, stability, and necessary time to resolve issues with their landlords. For example, our clients with brain injuries need more time to process information. Stroke survivors need more time to communicate and present evidence. And wheelchair users need more time to find housing that will accommodate their needs. Renters with disabilities often need interventions to access rental Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 assistance, social and legal services. This all takes time, which this resolution provides. Without this time, our clients face a very real risk of contracting COVID-19 if the moratorium ends and they end up homeless. We have all felt the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty of this time. Now add on to the stress of not knowing if you'll have a place to live or if your electricity will stay on for life-sustaining medical equipment. This is our clients' reality. When the City was hit with the virus, we made a very hard choice, but right choice, to shut everything down pretty quickly. It was like flipping a switch. But we know that the City cannot simply flip the switch back on. Returning to normalcies for both landlords and tenants will take time and a mindful recovery plan. Currently our clients are at high risk, and they are being asked to Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 stay at home. We're asking you to extend this moratorium to please ensure that they have a home to stay in. Years ago the City made a promise to our citizens recognizing housing as a human right, but today that promise, it is a public health emergency, especially for those with disabilities. Philadelphia continues to be a national leader with its eviction prevention measures and we cannot go back to square one. Thank you.
Good morning. My name is Rachel Garland and I'm the Managing Attorney of the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services. Community Legal Services supports Resolution 200263 and the need for protections to keep people safely housed at this time. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Philadelphia has long had a housing eviction crisis, and this pandemic makes the situation life-threatening. Even though the courts are currently closed through the end of May, there are other 500 eviction lockouts that could happen as soon as the courts reopen on June 1st. There are over 1,700 pending eviction hearings waiting to be rescheduled in Municipal Court as soon as the courts reopen in June. And this is all in addition to the normal rate of 1,500 eviction cases a month. Philadelphia must take bold and decisive action to stabilize households and communities as a way to prevent life-threatening health consequences in the wake of this pandemic. This is vital that people are able to shelter in place safely, but so many renters don't know if they will continue to have a home to stay in or safe/unsafe living conditions. The low-income renters that Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 Community Legal Services serves through the Philadelphia Eviction Prevention Project are particularly hard hit by this pandemic, both economically and health-wise. Systematized racial inequality has led the black communities being hardest hit with job loss and infection rates. If we don't act now, an avalanche of evictions will further destabilize lower-income communities and ultimately our city, leading to families doubling up an influx into the already stretched shelter system, a second spike in infections, and a greater need for hospitals as eviction leads to a second wave of the virus and another need to shut down our economy. This resolution and other legislative protections is what we need to help people stay in their homes. Other cities have implemented similar legislation, and it is time for Philadelphia to take this necessary step. Thank you. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING
Thank you. Thank you for your testimony. I'd ask the Clerk to please read the name of our next speaker.
Madam Chair, there are no other speakers, so we will now need to pause the session briefly as public commenters leave the meeting. There will be an announcement to that effect. Public commenters, thank you for expressing your opinions. You may now disconnect from the meeting.
Chief Clerk, please let me know when we should reconvene. (Pause.)
Thank you. We will now consider the resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars. The Clerk will please read the Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING title of Resolution No. 200263.
A resolution calling on the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office, the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, and area utility companies to explore temporary moratoriums on evictions, residential foreclosures, tax liens on residential properties, and utility shut-offs in response to the COVID-19 health emergency.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Gym for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you so much, Madam Chair. First I want to state how honored I am to be part of a City Council that led the nation and our state in calling for a successful moratorium on all evictions, foreclosures, and utility shut-offs. This was a call that was embraced by our courts, by our Attorney General, our Sheriff, and our utility Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING companies, many of which not only pledged to no shut-offs but actually reconnected people back to the essential utilities which now govern and shape our lives. But while these emergency measures made sense in early March, we have to think about the urgency of this moment. Today, May 1st, is rent day, and rent is due for thousands of residents across the City of Philadelphia. For renters and landlords alike, it's a time of high anxiety. In April, national estimates show that nearly a third of the nation's 13 and a half million renters were unable to pay their April rent. With over one and a half million Pennsylvanians having filed for unemployment, we are right to worry that this number will increase. Already Philadelphia's municipal courts are backlogged with between 1,500 to 2,000 evictions that are due to be heard once the courts open on June 1st. As colleagues, we have done so Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING much over the last term to balance the scales and to bring common sense investments to end the eviction crisis in our city that feeds into our homelessness crisis and our economic and poverty crisis. This includes recurring funding for eviction prevention, passing a right to counsel law, and a historic investment in the Housing Trusting Fund. We've done all this because we know that evictions impact communities very differently. Evictions overwhelmingly target women who are heads of their households. They overwhelmingly target our neediest communities. They overwhelmingly target African Americans regardless of income. They target the elderly and the disabled, who are often subjected to substandard conditions of housing. National housing expert and Pulitzer Prize winner and professor Matthew Desmond has reported that you are three times more likely to be evicted if you have children. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING We may not have been able to stop or control the virus that has fundamentally upended our world, but we can have the power to control whether we want things to go back to business as usual in Philadelphia, which ranks fourth in the nation in evictions and evicts 18,000 people a year. So my colleagues and I will be introducing a package of bills to address the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis on the 300,000 renters in our city who are cost-burdened and the landlords who are housing them. This is also an extension of the moratoriums that we are about to vote upon which this Council was a leader in uncertain times. And I want to thank the Council co-sponsors of this bill, primarily Councilmembers Gauthier and Brooks, as well as Councilmembers Thomas, Jones, Henon, Quinones-Sanchez, Johnson, Green, and Gilmore Richardson who supported a variety of the bills. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Make no mistake, we will not let the federal government off the hook. We need state and federal relief that only those entities can provide. 9 billion in COVID-19 funding, a portion of which could aid cities around rent assistance. Similarly, I have been on multiple national calls making (inaudible) that their funding (inaudible) and national rent relief in the next bill package. And I also want to make clear the City budget, while very grim, cannot afford to not invest in anti-eviction prevention. We did receive tens of millions of dollars in federal money which has to be used for housing emergencies like the ones our residents are now facing. We need to expand the rent subsidies that will stabilize housing for both renters and landlords alike.
And I want to say as we go forward, that our work is not Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (inaudible). We are working towards housing security that ensures that landlords can be paid and our renters can be housed in a time in an emergency. And as rent becomes due and another one lies around the corner, we are here to tell our residents that they will not face this crisis alone. Housing is the public health. Housing is economic security. Housing is a path to recovery. This resolution kicked it all off, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to prove that we can be bold, we can be creative, and we can be responsible in a time of fear and uncertainty. And with that, I move for the adoption of this resolution. )
Madam Chair, with your forbearance for a moment, Councilwoman Gym, your statement was breaking up very badly. Much of your Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING statement could not be understood. If you're reading from a prepared statement, you can provide my office -- if you can please have that statement sent to my office today and I'll have it put into the
Thank you, Councilwoman. We'll make sure it gets transcribed and distributed appropriately. I understand that a couple of Councilmembers would like to also say a few words before the motion. Before we do that, I understand Councilman Johnson, Councilwoman Gauthier, Councilwoman Brooks would like to make a statement regarding the resolution. So I want to recognize Councilman Johnson.
Thank you, Council President. My comments are around this upcoming budget that we will Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING be reviewing. Is it okay to make comments regarding that at this time -
No, Councilman. This is a different world, so I'm getting these texts as we're moving through this process. I got a list of individuals that wanted to make statements (inaudible). So we'll come back at your particular time.
Thank you, Councilman. Councilwoman Gauthier, do you need to make a statement on this particular resolution?
Councilwoman Richardson and Councilwoman Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING Brooks, is your statement regarding this resolution?
Yes. I would like to be recognized during remarks on the majority, Mr. President. Thank you so much.
Thank you. Councilwoman Brooks, you want to wait?
Okay. Thank you. It was moved and properly seconded. All in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING adopted. And we will make sure that gets transcribed and appropriately distributed. Mr. Decker, can you please read the title of the next resolution, No. 200270.
A resolution calling on the City of Philadelphia to develop an action plan and guidance to support and protect service and health care workers from the potentially devastating impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Brooks for a motion on the resolution.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, can you please read the title of Resolution No. 200275.
A resolution urging the School District of Philadelphia and the State Board of Education to temporarily suspend the requirement to provide a doctor's note after three days of absence during the coronavirus outbreak.
Thank you. The Chair recognizes Councilman Oh for a motion on that resolution.
Thank you very much, Council President. I move for the adoption of the resolution. Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted. Mr. Decker, do you have any additional resolutions on today's Calendar?
A resolution authorizing the City Council Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings evaluating lessons learned from the City's COVID-19 pandemic response, introduced by Councilman Jones.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING of this resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
And a resolution authorizing the Committees on People with Disabilities & Special Needs and on Public Health and Human Services to hold joint hearings regarding the racial and ableist disparities of coronavirus infections and impacts in Philadelphia, introduced by Councilman Green.
Thank you, Council President. I move for the adoption of this resolution, which was Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING co-sponsored by Councilmembers Bass, Squilla, Gilmore Richardson, Thomas, Parker, Domb, Brooks, and Gym. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And a resolution approving the appointment of Deborah Mahler to the Board of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, introduced by Councilman Johnson on behalf of Council President Clarke.
I move for Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200217, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Julia Danzy to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200218, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Leticia Egea-Hinton to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200219, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Mallory Fix-Lopez to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200220, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Dr. Maria McColgan to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200222, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Angela McIver to the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.
The Chair again recognizes Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez.
I move Stated Meeting May 1, 2020 5/1/20 - STATED - 2ND READING for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor say aye. (Aye.)
The ayes have it, and that resolution is adopted.
And Resolution No. 200223, entitled "A resolution confirming the reappointment of Joyce Wilkerson to the Board of Education," introduced by Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez on behalf of Council President Clarke.