I'm not understanding your question. Is it a waste of money to build a home to create jobs?
I think you definitely understand my question, and public subsidy is public subsidy, whether it's done through affordable housing, whether it's done through ten-year tax abatements.
So don't just talk about one waste of money without talking about the other.
But thank you for your comment. (Audience member yelling out.)
May I just simply respond to your question here and give you the answer you're asking. The affordable homes that are built in Point Breeze have tax abatements, sir. Every one of them has a tax abatement.
And I do not believe it a waste of money to stimulate development in Philadelphia by offering a tax abatement. I do not believe it to be a waste of money, no, sir.
As long as certain people are given the public subsidy.
I think everyone should have an opportunity to that. I think we should take the precious money we have and build on the lots we already have. I want to build more affordable housing, not less affordable housing. This bill builds less affordable housing, sir.
We actually can put more money into affordable housing when we begin to modify the ten-year tax abatement. Thank you for your comment.
Is there money to build 311 homes, because that's how many vacant lots are out here.
There will be once we begin to deal with the ten-year tax abatement, but thank you for your comment.
Chester Skaziak, commenting on 120720. (Witness approached podium.)
Good morning, Honorable Council President Clarke and distinguished members of Council.
I support development in Councilwoman Blackwell, but not the acquisition in this form. As I said, my name is Chester Skaziak. I'm a Philadelphia resident and taxpayer. At the November 13th hearings, I raised the following questions in the Bill No. 120720. There are 17 properties to be acquired. Two of the properties mentioned were previously owned by the City. They are 3608 Mount Vernon and 3612 Mount Vernon. Why have we not included 3610 Mount Vernon? These were three of a 14-property transaction which took place on February 21st, 2002, giving the ownership to the Montessori II for $1. They never rehabilitated or built on these properties. They have not fulfilled their obligation under The Philadelphia Code, Chapter 16-400, Vacant and Surplus Properties, or Philadelphia Code 16-404, The Vacant Property Review Committee. It states: (6) The Vacant Property Review Committee shall, in cooperation with the City Planning Commission, determine the conditions of the title to be incorporated into the deed for each property to be disposed of pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Failure of compliance with the said conditions will cause title to the property to revert automatically without conveyance thereof being required, upon notice that such failure exists and no attempt is made to remedy such failure. Such conditions shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, the following: (A) The property shall be developed and used in accordance with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the City of Philadelphia; (B) The property shall be rehabilitated and/or improved, and said rehabilitation or improvements to be completed within one year of acquisition of title, unless practical cause is shown why the time for the completion should be extended, provided that no extension of time shall be for more than 60 months, except with further approval of the Vacant Property Review Committee. (2) All properties sold or transferred by the development pursuant to this chapter shall be for development and used in accordance with the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of the City of Philadelphia. I'm providing a copy of policies for the sale and reuse of the City-owned property. See their , appropriate and timely development of properties that I have given to each one of you. Also attached, there's a color-coded map of the area in question and the various ownerships. The yellow block of properties represents those given for $1 to the Montessori Genesis II. Why are we purchasing these two properties we once owned? What will the cost be to obtain possession of them today? What will the 12 other properties now in the hands of Montessori Genesis II cost we, the taxpayers, in the future? This will be a hidden cost to us, the taxpayers, at a time of the new tax of the AVI is upon us. There were hearings held on June the 1st, 2006. Mr. Wetzel accepted a request by a member of Council not to implement eminent domain on 3619 and 21 Haverford Avenue. While this property is not in the bill, it is situated right in the middle of what is considered center of the land. This property was purchased for $173,000 in 2005. It's being sold for 2.2 million bucks. They are only paying $800 in taxes. They don't have any permits issued to them. They are renting. We are losing tax dollars.
Next time I come in, sir, I will speak faster, because there's more issues like this within that area.
I understand. Thank you for your statement, sir.
Jihad Ali, commenting on 120755. (Witness approached podium.)
And other distinguished members of City Council. I'm here in support of Bill 120755. I'm here in support of Councilman Kenyatta. I'm here in support of the need for black people to obtain decent housing. My issue is with the developer. As some of you know me, I'm here to represent the National Association of Minority Contractors. Our groups consist of both union and non-union firms, but this developer, Diversified, regardless of what he said about, the first speaker from Diversified, who said about lifting all boats, it doesn't lift black boats. So the issue is in construction that I'm concerned about. The need for housing, people need housing. The need for decent affordable housing, people need that. I support that. And black people that live in those neighborhoods, they deserve to stay in those neighborhoods. So I support that. My issue is with the developer who comes down here and makes commitments and doesn't live up to them. He doesn't give opportunities to disadvantaged firms. That's what I just need Council -- and I'm confident in the leadership of this body, that if we pay attention to the detail about inclusion, the bills that Councilman Goode, Councilman Jones, Blondell, Councilwoman Blackwell and all of you have fought for, then we'll achieve what we're trying to achieve, which is lift all boats. Thank you very much.
Charlie Tasco, commenting on 120755. (Witness approached podium.)
Good afternoon. My name is Charlie Tasco, and it is a pleasure to present to you this afternoon, and I stand in for my grandmother, Mrs. Claudia Smith Sherrod. I live on the 1600 block of Wharton Street. Over the past couple years in our community of Point Breeze, I have seen significant changes, changes that I like and changes I do not like. We are building up the community. However, not as it should be, with the houses Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is proposing. Affordable housing has always been a need and will continue to be if we do not address it that way now -- that need now. A balance to the overwhelming greed that comes with market rate housing is needed now, not later. Committee members, I urge you to address the same need the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has addressed on a smaller scale, houses in our community of Point Breeze. The President dealt with the middle class and the underprivileged with his provision in healthcare and not taxing people who earn fewer than $200,000 in yearly incomes. To allow the developers and realtors to come into our community without the thought to the long-term residents is simply wrong. We have history that they are trying to take away. We have houses that they are trying to overprice, and we have a strong name, Point Breeze, that they are trying to change. When is it going to stop? We urge the City Council, please do not let the balance that is so badly needed in our community continue to develop. Let our Councilman Kenyatta Johnson do his job in supporting the needs of the community. Thank you.
Tiffany Green, commenting on 120755. (Witness approached podium.)
Our organization, Concerned Citizens of Point Breeze, have been at the forefront of this regarding housing in Point Breeze. We do support this bill. We do feel that there's further talks with Councilman Johnson that needs to take place, but we support this bill, because we deserve affordable housing. Let's go back to a report from Council President Anna Verna, which is Packer Park, South Philadelphia West. Packer Park, due to our friend here Capozzi, who is the broker and the real estate, they had over 600 market rate houses built in Packer Park and even more. Then they took -- then Passyunk Homes was emptied out and Passyunk Homes was turned into Siena Place, which is now 400 market rate homes. Then you had on the other side of South Philadelphia in the City over 6,000 units had been built over there for market rate housing. You have Greater Grays Ferry that only received 745 units from PHA housing, and then you have little Point Breeze that have only gotten 300 houses, affordable houses, since 1995. We are demanding or requesting that all of the 300 properties be designated for affordable housing. Mr. Feibush has come down here and continued to target our community. In the Philadelphia Inquirer, he stated he has the money to buy all City-owned properties, and in the meeting with the Point Breeze Business Association, he told us that he only do market rate housing. So he's not really interested in affordable housing. This is a ploy because he can't get his hand on cheap properties to flip into $300,000 to $500,000 homes. And we're not going to allow him to come down here and accuse some of these people, some of them what I heard got paid, I don't know, and he's not going to use this as a situation to take away from Point Breeze. We deserve to be stabilized in a situation where our city is moving forward, and we want to stabilize our working-class community. We feel at this point that City Council needs to now support this bill, with further talks, and stabilize Point Breeze and other communities, other communities as far as -- Fairmount has already been market rate, Northern Liberties has been market rate, Brewerytown has been market rate, and it's moving up all into Temple. Let us not be naive about the fact that these developers -- there's nothing on the books that give the developers an incentive to build affordable housing. Where's the incentive? Where is the incentive? There's nothing. The only thing affordable being built is by PHA and the City, and that money is about to be dried up. There needs to be an incentive for them to build affordable housing. We cannot depend on the government to keep building affordable housing. And we're going to continue to fight, because this is nothing but a scam to try to get cheap properties. Thank you very much. (Applause.)
Thank you for your testimony. Mr. Decker, any other names on the list?
11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Thank you very much. Thank you all for your testimony today. We will now consider the bills and resolutions on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendar. Mr. Decker, would you please read the title of Resolution No. 120864.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Twenty-Fifth Ward of the City of Philadelphia.
The Chair recognizes Councilman Squilla for a motion.
Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for the adoption of the resolution. 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 120864 is passed. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120865.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Twenty-Fifth and Thirty-First Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
The 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Chair again recognizes Councilman Squilla.
Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Resolution 120865 is adopted. Again, Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120884.
A resolution approving the redevelopment contract of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING identified by house number and street address as 2128 East Dauphin Street.
Thank you, Mr. President. I ask for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. Resolution 120884 is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120925.
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Twenty-Ninth and Thirty-Seventh Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 120925 is adopted. Mr. Decker, 120926. 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, without consideration, deeds conveying conditional fee simple title to certain City-owned lots or pieces of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon, situate in the Seventh, Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Thirty-Third Wards of the City of Philadelphia.
That was Greenlee. I'm sorry. I was distracted. I'm sorry; Sanchez. I was very distracted. The Chair recognizes Councilwoman Sanchez.
I move for the adoption of the resolution. (Duly seconded.) 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 120926 is adopted. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120419.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 314, within the area bounded by Lindbergh Boulevard, Dicks Place, Eighty-Sixth Street, Shecktor Place, and a certain pedestrian walkway which extends from the southwesterly terminus of Shecktor Place southeastwardly and southwestwardly to Lindbergh Boulevard.
Council President, I move to withdraw this bill. (Duly seconded.) 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
It's been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 120419 be withdrawn. All those in favor? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 120419 is withdrawn. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120301.
An ordinance continuing the Mt. Airy Business Improvement District beyond its termination date, in an area that generally includes both sides of Germantown Avenue from 6300 to 7631 and certain blocks of streets that intersect that portion of Germantown Avenue and for which Mt. Airy Improvement District, Inc., a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, is the Neighborhood Improvement District Management 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Association for the District.
Thank you. This bill having been read on two separate days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays are zero. This bill having received the 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING majority of all members present, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120661.
An ordinance authorizing the revision of lines and grades on a portion of City Plan No. 271 by relocating the southeasterly curbline of Delaware Avenue from Spring Garden Street to Ellen Street.
This bill having been read on two separate occasions, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.
Aye. The ayes are 15; the nays zero. The majority of all members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120656.
An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by revising lot area and parking requirements in certain districts, and making technical changes.
Hold on one second. Correction for the record. The bills passed earlier, the count is 14-0. Last-minute leave of absence was Councilman Green. So it's 14-0. 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Okay. Mr. Decker, we are on 120925; am I correct?
A lot of distractions up here today. Sorry about that. Bill No. 656. Councilman Greenlee.
Thank you, Mr. President. I offer an amendment to Bill No. 120656. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of Council, and I move for the adoption of the amendment. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and properly seconded. Those in favor of the amendment? (Aye.)
The bill is amended. Thank you. 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING Mr. Decker, please read the title of No. 120658.
Bill No. 120618, an ordinance approving a new plan, estimated costs and proposed method of assessment of the Manayunk Special Services District for and concerning business improvements and administrative services to the Manayunk business district of Philadelphia.
Thank you, Mr. President. I move for the adoption. Whoa. Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to offer an amendment to Bill 120618. The amendment has been circulated to all members of Council. I'd like to move for its adoption. (Duly seconded.)
Been moved and properly seconded. All those in favor of the 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING amendment? (Aye.)
The ayes have it. 618 is amended. Thank you. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120654.
An ordinance amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by revising certain provisions and definitions, and making technical changes, all relating to stream buffers, waterfront setbacks, and certain overlay districts.
This bill having been read on two separate days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll. 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING
Aye. The ayes are 14; the nays are zero. All members present having voted in the affirmative, the bill passes. Mr. Decker, please read the title of 120720.
An ordinance approving the fifteenth amendment of the redevelopment proposal for the Mantua Urban Renewal Area, including the twelfth amendment to the urban renewal plan and the relocation plan, which provides for the additional land acquisition of 11/29/12 - STATED - 2ND READING approximately seventeen properties for commercial and related uses.
This bill having been read on two separate days, the question is shall the bill pass finally. Mr. Decker, please call the roll.