of unit one is to the left here in this basement entry and unit two, the entire first floor is
unit two and half of the second floor. So it's a bi-level apartment. And then it's the identical
situation just in reverse, excuse me, going from the second to the third floor for unit three.
and so although the entire although this property and the entire block has been multifamily since
the 50s some much before the 50s and the proposed variance is a reduction in density
uh to what's historically been there um brotherly love investments bli prides themselves on making
um positive community impacts as part of their model and thought it was important to talk
directly to the neighbors on the block about their proposed project. I'm pleased to report
that the immediate neighbors support this project, some of whom I believe are on the
call today to testify. Brotherly Love Investments was able to obtain over 20 signatures of support
from immediate neighbors that either live on the block or on the block cluster that the property
is placed on or across the street. I will say that the demographics of the community are such
that there are many elderly individuals who could not necessarily navigate accessing the
community meeting. Therefore, we end up actually having to have two community meetings with the
RCO, Nicetown, and Tioga Approvement Team. The first meeting we attended, essentially no one
attended. That was outside of the RCO board. And so they didn't have enough of a quorum to even
take a vote. That sort of speaks to, you know, the difficulty of being able to get
community members to access it. And then so we scheduled a second meeting, presenting the project
again. To our surprise, after the second meeting, the RCO took a position of opposition. The votes,
as they did do a roll call, and the votes were from residents that were further away from the
property than most nearby neighbors who have had the trouble accessing and unfortunately their
support of the project was a little overshadowed because of that they weren't able to actually call
on and speak um for themselves we were just we were forced to have to represent their position
which I under you know I understand that at an RCO meeting that you know that's kind of taken
with a grain of salt um by the organizations and so they were kind of had to go with with who's
there. I would like to reiterate that our signatures of support double the amount of
double the amount of people who even attended the meeting. As for where those signatures are from,
people who even attended the meeting as for
because that's the natural next question, every one of our signatures are either on the block
cluster that the property sits. Actually, let me bring it up. It'll be easier to show you than tell
you. Every one of our signatures are on this block cluster or across the street. So that includes
Venengo, this is Lennox here, this is 15th, and this is a Carlisle here. And so every one of our
signatures are on this block cluster or across the street on Carlisle or further down here on 15th.
And so these are the people that are the most directly affected. These are the people that
would have to deal with any issues that would arise from a residential property. Now,
they all live near residential properties anyway, as I stated, because literally every house on this
block is multifamily. So in conclusion, the proposed variance is one, a reduction of the
historic use of the property, because we're going from four units to three units. Two,
it squarely fits within the character and context of the entire block, as this has been multifamily
for frankly longer than I've been alive. Three, it supports the comprehensive plan of the city
and planning department, and probably maybe most importantly, the most immediate and near-adjacent
neighbors support the project. And just as I add on, this board recently approved an identical
application two doors down that was less de minimis than us because they require actual
full demolition. And lastly, just for the sake of the record, there is a hardship here. It's a
physical hardship due to the physical condition of the property that they did not create, I want
to reiterate. The property itself is already framed as a triplex, and to have to go in and
literally tear out framing, which includes load-bearing walls, is a hardship. And so for
all these reasons, we respectfully request that the board grants our variance. If the board doesn't
have any questions. Well, let me ask if the board has any questions. If not, I'll ask if Alex Robles
from Brotherly Love Investments could raise his hand and be recognized to adopt and affirm my
testimony. Does the board have any questions? No, Madam Chair. No. No. Thank you. Okay, can you get
your client so he can adopt your testimony. Thank you, Mr. Chair. It should be Alex Robles or
maybe it's Luis. Good afternoon. This is Alex Robles and I, sorry, repeat it for me.
Yes, we can hear you. Just wait to be sworn in, Alex. Hi, can you put your name on the record
and please spell your last name sure my name is alex robles and that's r o b as in boy l e s
thank you do you swear or firm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth
okay you may proceed okay mr chair sure uh alex did you hear the testimony that i provided to
the board this afternoon yes i did do you confirm the truth of my testimony and adopt it as your own
Yes, I do.
Thank you.
And is there anything you feel like you need to add to the record?
No, I feel like you summarized everything.
Thank you very much.
Planning Commission?
And Chair, we do have people with their hand up.
Yeah, I strike what I said.
Is there anyone in the virtual audience who would like to testify?
And Ms. Phillips, you can unmute yourself and wait for the Chair.
Ms. Phillips yes ma'am can you hear me I'm sorry can you hear me yes ma'am okay hi Ms. Phillips can
you put your name on the record and spell your last name for the court stenographer and then I'll
swear you in. Yes, Antoinette Phillips, P-H-I-L-L-I-P-S. Do you swear if I'm to tell the whole truth and
nothing but the truth? Yes, I do. Okay, you may proceed. Okay, first of all, I was at the RCO
meeting last month and our community voted no for the overuse of the property. It is zoned for RSA
It is zoned for RSA family, and it's overuse of property with 10 bedrooms and a property that's for a single-family home.
family and
And also, there are other houses on that block that are single-family homes.
I live in the 1500 block of Vidango Street, and I was at both of the meetings.
And we, as our community, said no because of overuse of the property.
Okay, is there another witness who would like to speak?
Yes, Chair, we have Mr. Louise.
Yes, I am here.
Okay, can you put your name on the record, and can you spell your last name, and then I'll swear you in.
Yes, Luis Luciano, and then my name's spelled L-U-I-S-L-U-C-I-A-N-O.
Thank you. Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Thank you. You may proceed.
I am part of the applicants and I'm obviously in support of 1439 West Fendango
project. Okay, great. Is there anyone else in the virtual audience?
Yes, we have Ms. Young. Ms. Young, you can unmute yourself.
denise young you can unmute yourself
yes good afternoon good afternoon can you put your name on the record spell your last name
and then i'll swear you in yes my name is denise young y-o-u-n-g
do you swear for him to tell the whole truth and nothing about the truth
Yes, I do.
Okay, you may proceed and tell us what your thoughts are about this application.
Okay, I was also at both meetings, and the community stood firm 13 to 2 against this project.
One of the big objections is the digging up of the front of the property to make a basement entrance for an apartment.
Also, we were rejecting the overuse of the apartments.
10 bedrooms is excessive in our community.
We don't want our community to become overrun with multifamily housing.
We are a community of houses that are owner-occupied.
Almost all of the houses in our community are over-occupied.
And I'm also questioning all of these signatures because those people had an opportunity.
to come to two community meetings, and they were not there.
We were there.
Excuse me.
Are you saying that the homes there are over-occupied or owner-occupied?
A lot of the homes, most of the homes are owner-occupied.
Okay, great.
Thank you.
But you can continue.
we uh we just reject the overuse 10 bedrooms in a house that size is excessive and we just um
as a community we rejected the overuse and we would like our wishes to be considered by the
board we took a vote the vote was 13 to 2. thank you thank you and i'm sure just for the record
I just want to correct something. There was only one vote taken at the second meeting because only
one person attended the first meeting. In the second meeting it was 11 to 1 and that's the
only vote that was taken so I'm not really sure. It was 13 to 2. If the chair would like I could
I could share actually are you seeing this the letter of opposition on the screen?
yes this is the letter from the rco so it was 11-1 right just for the just for the record um and
So it was 11.1. Right, just for the just for the record. And, you know, for the sake of time, I didn't go through every property. I mean, in terms of the actual use of those properties that because I anticipated that would be a reference because I know it's a common sort of point of contention to maintain single family housing and communities throughout the city.
You know, I only went through about seven or eight of them, but, you know, I have about 10 more that I can go through on this, on the same block that are all, they're all multifamily and they've been so, as I stated, most of them since the 50s, some 70s, but for the grand majority of it, it's been since the 40s and 50s.
And the ones that had any records of approval before the 50s were actually higher density because they were essentially rooming houses because they had these living quarters for, I guess, housekeepers, for lack of a better term.
And so in terms of this property specifically, what we're proposing is a reduction in the density.
The four, you know, I know people keep stating 10 beds, but the three units, the intention here is to be a family size unit.
And that's exactly how the applicant is able to participate in these housing choice of voucher programs for the affordable housing because that's what they need the most.
That's what it's hardest for them to place, to be able to place families that are seeking affordable housing because there just isn't enough available.
And so it's not only, I think, support city policy, but the housing authority is something that they've communicated to the landlords that are participating in their program.
Like, look, we're trying to find homes for families.
And so that's the intention here.
Okay. Does the board have any more questions?
No, Madam Chair.
I think there may be more.
Do you think there are more people in the virtual audience?
I believe so.
Yes, Chair. We have Gregory.
Mr. Gregory, you can unmute yourself.
sir can you hear me
if we could just remind people to press star six maybe now
we had the same issue with the community meetings it's just no that's only for a phone call
he just has to press unmute star six is four if you're on the phone sir if you can't unmute we
are moving on i did i did unmute do you hear me now uh we can hear you now can you put your name
on the record spell your last name and i will swear you in my name is gregory brought my last
name is b-r-o-u-t-h-t-o-n thank you do you agree to wave the read and strike that do you swear
from to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth? I do. Thank you. You may proceed.
My name is Gregory Broughton and I live at 1437 West Benangelo Street which is adjacent to the
building and we're speaking on 1439. It's been vacant for quite a moment. I've been living on
this block for four years and it's been empty 40 years or better prior to me arriving on this block.
I approve of this situation myself I need I need some I need for it to be done because it will help
my building as well I've been here for a while and it's been vacant for a while as well as the
building 1435 and I support the project because I need we need improvement on the plot
thank you is there anyone else in the virtual audience
yes chair we have eva
miss eva miss eva you can unmute yourself okay um eva eva can you put your name on the record
and spell your last name and i will swear you in i thought i did i just typed it in
where do you want me to put it under chat can you speak can you hear me yes i can
Okay, tell me your name and spell your last name.
Eve Williams, W-I-L-O-I-A-M-S.
Okay. Do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
Okay, do you swear or affirm to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?
I sure do.
I sure do.
Okay. You may proceed.
I live in the area and I've noticed this building has been down for a long time. As long as I've lived in the area, I do caregiving there. I live in and do part-time work at Temple Hospital.
Let me interrupt you. Can you put your address on the record?
I did. I put it there.
What, can you say it again?
1425 East Van Angle.
Okay, and how far is it from this project?
It's on the same block.
And I think that this, I totally am for this building
because a lot of my coworkers,
they do look for rooms to rent that are near the job,
right in the area by temple.
Also, I think that it would be a convenient thing to do.
I am for it.
Thank you.
Thanks for taking the time.
And no more hands, Chair.
Okay, I'm gonna go to Planning Commission.
Good afternoon, Chair.
Peter Bernard for the Planning Commission.
The comprehensive plan recommends multifamily
residential at this location and has not yet been remapped. Additionally, this proposal
advances the comprehensive plan's goal of increasing density and close proximity to
public transportation. Accordingly, the Planning Commission recommends the Board grant the
variance.
okay um we have a letter in opposition from nicetown tioga improvement team
and councilwoman bass uh opposes this calendar number three two one one
1439 west venango street my vote is no professor plaza my vote is no
James Snell. My vote is no.
Thomas Harleman. My vote is yes.
Calendar number 3230-2339, North 10th Street.
The attorney is Alan Nockramson.
And we have Clemente Amazon coming in as a panelist now.
Great.
Good afternoon, Amanda.