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Stated Meeting, September 18, 2025

Philadelphia City CouncilSep 18, 2025

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COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA STATED MEETING Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, September 18, 2025 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCIL PRESIDENT KENYATTA JOHNSON COUNCILWOMAN NINA AHMAD COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KENDRA BROOKS COUNCILMAN MICHAEL DRISCOLL COUNCILWOMAN JAMIE GAUTHIER COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON COUNCILMAN JIM HARRITY COUNCILMAN CURTIS J. JONES, JR. COUNCILWOMAN RUE LANDAU COUNCILWOMAN QUETCY M. LOZADA COUNCILMAN BRIAN J. O'NEILL COUNCILMAN ANTHONY PHILLIPS COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA COUNCILMAN ISAIAH THOMAS COUNCILMAN JEFFREY YOUNG, JR. ELIZABETH McCOLLUM NAZARIO, CHIEF CLERK

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Council President Johnson

I note that the hour has come and that a quorum of this Council is present. This Council session has now come to order. I'm asking for all members to please take your seats. All visitors, please return to the seats outside the rails. And before proceeding, I would like to ask all those present to please set your cell phone to silent and/or vibrate. I will also ask for all sidebar conversations to be taken outside of the Council chambers. To give our invocation morning, the Chair recognizes Reverend Carolyn Cavaness, Senior Pastor of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. She is here today as my guest. I will ask all members and guests to please rise. (Councilmembers, guests and visitors rise.)

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Reverend Cavaness

Good morning. Let us pray. God of all creation, God of our weary years and silent tears, God of richer, God of poorer, God of Sarah, God of Hercules, God of Moses, God of Christopher, God of Richmond, God of Giles, God of Austin, God of Paris, God of Joe, God of Hercules, God of the judge, God of us, all we gather as public servants to seek your guidance, wisdom and grace. As we carry out this work entrusted to us, we acknowledge the sacrifices, who came before us. Those whose names we know and those whose names are lost to history, but whose lives and labors laid the foundation for the freedoms and opportunities we now enjoy. God of justice, remind us that our duty is to serve all people with integrity and compassion. As we deliberate and make decisions, may we be mindful of the least among us, those who struggle, those who are unseen and those who have been silenced. Let our actions reflect your love and righteousness and may we always strive to do what is just and fair in your sight. God of mercy, bless this Council and this great city of Philadelphia. Grant us the courage to face challenges with strength, humility, to listen with open hearts and the perseverance to work together for the common good. Help us to be instruments of peace and unity in a world that is so often feels divided. God of hope, inspire us with the knowledge that each of us has the power to make a difference. May we leave this place emboldened to serve with purpose, rooted in the faith that your life will guide us through every trial and triumph. We pray this in your holy name, asking your blessing upon this assembly and upon this great city we are called to serve and we say together Amen. (Amen.)

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Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson

Thank you, Mr. President. I move that any of the following matters, if considered today, may be added to the agenda for this session of Council, and as required by law, subsequently published on an amended agenda after the consideration of those matters: resolutions authorizing hearings, amendments to bills on first reading, the reconsideration of a bill vetoed by or re-called from the Mayor, amendments to bills re-called from the Mayor, resolutions taking substantive action to be voted on in this session, a motion to withdraw a bill or resolution that is not on the Calendar, and a motion placing a bill or resolution on or returning a bill or resolution from the Suspension Calendar that is not listed on today's Calendar. The purpose of this motion is to provide the public with notice concerning possible Council that arose too late to be included on the Calendar that was published prior to today's session. (Duly seconded.)

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Council President Johnson

The ayes have it and the motion carries. with the regular order of business to recognize the guests and visitors joining us in chambers this morning. On behalf of all members of City Council, I welcome you to our Council session. We appreciate your taking the time to join us as we attend the legislative affairs of our great city and we certainly invite you to come again. Also, I want to take a moment to acknowledge in our presence today we have a new class of Assistant District Attorneys joining us. It's a lot of y'all. So let's give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

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Councilman Harrity

Thank you, Council President. Today I'm honored to recognize Rose for her dedicated service as an intern in my office this summer. Rose is a rising senior at the Academy at Palumbo. She has distinguished herself academically with honors like student of the quarter, an award in AP, U.S. Government and Politics. Rose founded her school's PA Youth Vote Chapter, leads in Turn Up Youth Vote and serves in multiple leadership roles, including junior class secretary and Debate Captain. Rose represents the best of our city, our city's future, smart, driven public service. We thank her and proudly celebrate her today. Rose, can you please stand? (Applause.)

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Councilwoman Gilmore Richardson

Thank you very much, Council President. Today I'd like to welcome a special guest to Philadelphia City Council. He is a resident of the great 4th Council District represented by my colleague and District Councilmember, Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. He is also a recent graduate of Temple University. So he is Temple made. He is here to watch government in action and also of the 4th Council District. Please join me in welcoming, and giving him his flowers, to Philadelphia City Council. (Applause.)

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Council President Johnson

Thank you. Congratulations and welcome to City Council. At this time, the Chair recognizes Councilwoman Lozada, who will present a resolution recognizing and honoring distinguished Latino leaders and community advocates in the city of Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage Month. Will Luis Hincapie and Amy Eusebio, please join the Councilmember at the podium. And everyone else who is being honored, you can also please come on up as Councilmember at the podium. Joining Councilmember Quetcy Lozada is Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad, Councilmember Mike Driscoll, Councilmember Cindy Bass, Councilmember Jeffrey Jay Young, Councilmember Rue Landau, Councilmember Dr. Anthony Phillips, Councilmember Jim Harrity, Councilmember Majority Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Councilmember Minority Leader Kendra Brooks, Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, Councilmember Brian O'Neill, Councilmember Mark Squilla. Is it safe to say this is everybody? Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (Councilmembers and guests approached podium.)

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Councilwoman Lozada

Thank you, Council President. Muy buenos dias. Happy Hispanic Heritage Month. For me, it is an honor to have all of these individuals stand with me as we recognize Latinos who have contributed to the growth and the impact that they make every day in the city of Philadelphia. It is important to honor individuals like this during Hispanic Heritage Month, not just as a celebration but as a powerful affirmation of their impact. These leaders reflect the strength, resilience and brilliance of our community. By recognizing their work in education, health, the arts and civic life, we uplift the values of equity, representation and service that make my district and our city stronger and more So we recognize and honor distinguished Latino leaders and community advocates in the city of Philadelphia during Hispanic Heritage Month. Whereas, Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from October 15 to -- from September 15 to October 15 to recognize and honor the history, culture and contributions of Americans whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America; and Whereas, Philadelphia's Latino community have long enriched the social, cultural and economic fabric of our city, distinguishing themselves as business owners, educators, civic leaders, artists and essential workers who build stronger neighborhoods and inspire generations; and Whereas, while the art achievements and enduring legacy of Hispanics and Latino communities should be honored throughout the year, Hispanic Heritage Month offers a dedicated moment to celebrate the resilience, vibrancy and immeasurable impact on the life of our city and the nation.

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Ms. Eusebio

I'm I got you. Good morning, everyone and thank you so much, Councilmember Lozada, and this Council body for recognizing me and these other nine individuals as part of Hispanic Heritage Month. Today's beautiful celebration of the power of Latino community and coming together and Councilmember Lozada. As the Latina on Council, I'm grateful to know that I can count on you for always lifting up our community's stories and experiences, so thank you. I wanted to take a brief moment to share some personal reflections about Hispanic Heritage Month and what it means to me, especially at this moment in time in human history. This celebration is not just about celebrating us specific individuals up here together, but it's really about uplifting whole communities, about community power. It's about (Spanish translation), we are here and we deserve to be equal players in all aspects of civic, economic and cultural life. This month also invites non-Latinos to stand in solidarity with us, to listen and truly value the voices of Latinos and groups in our city, your neighbors, your coworkers, your children's classmates and teammates, folks in your faith communities. This is a time for us to stand together. I know historically Philadelphia has been a very Black and White political city, but I wanted to share some additional perspectives and invite folks to lean into the growing diversity of 2025 PEW State of the City Report, the racial and ethnic mix of our city has been slowly changing over the last 30 years. The report points out that our city is now 33% White, 38% Black, 16% Latino, 8% Asian and 5% other. What this means is that there is a growing collective other beyond Black and White residents in this city, representing nearly 1/3 of the city's population together, and those voices must be listened to and those experiences must be included in all policymaking decisions. I encourage each of you here today to learn about the diversity of your districts, consider if you are doing your best to engage all the residents in your neighborhoods, especially at this time, a time when our country's Supreme Court has authorized racial profiling, a time when our city needs to have a preparedness plan in case the National Guard comes forcibly into our space. Our communities are terrified. Meanwhile, federal agents have already been steadily disappearing more Philadelphians of all racial immigrant communities day after day, utilizing aggressive and illegal techniques that violates the constitutional laws of this country. We should all be clear that an attack on any Philly resident regardless of where they were born is an attack on all of us. None of us are safe. It is a matter of time before they come for people in your neighborhood, immigrants and citizens alike. We've seen this in with McCarthyism and COINTELPRO. I urge you to continue to stand firmly in our welcoming values, recognize the contributions of Latino and other communities, Asian, African, Caribbean, Arab. We are part of the future of the city alongside our Black and White brothers and sisters. I urge you to include us in every day and not just during our month or weeks of celebration, as the Councilmember shared. Inclusion and belonging is really on all of us. It's about choosing to show up and stand with each other, especially when it's hard. Thank you for allowing us to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and thank you for allowing me to share some remarks.

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Mr. Hincapie

Good afternoon. First and foremost, I'd like to thank City Council, especially Councilwoman Lozada and her team for this honor, and in this building in this city where democracy started it reminds me watching her team and how tirelessly they work in our communities why I do what I do. You know, we have voices. Our community does not have voices. We live in an environment today that is very easy to just throw in the towel and give up. If we give up, there's a whole community behind us that will be failing because they have no voices, and it is an honor for me to receive this because it fortifies why I do what I do in our that we have forgotten to lead with humanity, not party lines, and I think that we need to reflect and go back in time and just use our humanity to be leaders that we are. Our community puts us in certain places to be leaders. Let's lead with humanity. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Chief Clerk

A resolution approving the 2025 through 2026 Housing Opportunities Easy, H.O.M.E. program, annual program statement and budget, which addresses expenditures by various agencies in the first year of the H.O.M.E. program; and An ordinance amending Title 20 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Officers and Employees" by changing the compensation of members of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, all under certain terms and conditions; and A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 4152 Viola Street, 4154, 4200, 4202, 4204, 4220, 4227 Viola Street, 4153, 4157, 4205 Leidy Avenue, 1703, 1711 North 42nd Street, 1129, 1135, 1201, 1205 and 1207 North 41st Street in the 3rd City of Philadelphia, and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code; and A resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 2806, 2903, 2907, 2913, 2917, 2919, 2925, 2937 and 2939 Cecil B. Moore Avenue located in the 5th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code; and A resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1811 North Bucknell Street, 1818 North 23rd Street, 1805 North Ringgold Street, 1850, North Ringgold Street, 1937 North 19th Street, 1939, 1945, 1935, 1947, 1907, 1913 and 1931 North 19th Street, 1909 North Van Pelt Street in the 5th Councilmanic District of the city of Philadelphia, and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405, of The Philadelphia Code. And to the President and members of the Council of the City of Philadelphia, I am pleased to advise you that on September 16, 2025, I signed the following bill which was passed by Council at its session on September 11, 2025: Bill No. 250530-A. President, there are no further communications in my possession.

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Chief Clerk

And a non-privileged resolution authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 4152, 4154 4200, 4202, 4204, 4220, 4227 Viola Street, 4153, 4157, 4205 Leidy Avenue, 1703, 1711, 1129 -I'm sorry, 1711 North 42nd Street, 1129, 1135, 1201, 1205 and 1207 North 41st Street in the 3rd of the City of Philadelphia, and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title discussed properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code.

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Chief Clerk

A authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to 1811 North Bucknell, 1818 North 23rd Street, 1805, 1850 North Ringgold Street, 1937, 1939, 1945, 1935, 1947, 1907, 1913, 1931 North 19th Street and 1909 North Van Pelt Street in the 5th Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia, and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405, of The Philadelphia Code.

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Chief Clerk

An ordinance amending Chapter 9-4900 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Prohibition on Use of Certain Bags by Retail Establishments," to modify certain definitions, require retail establishments to charge a fee for the provision of a bag to customers and require signage, all under certain terms and conditions. COUNCIL PRESIDENT JOHNSON: This bill will be referred to the appropriate committee. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Cindy Bass.

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Council President Johnson

Thank you. Before considering these bills and resolutions, we would consider public comment as follows: The public comment must concern matters on the Second Reading and Final Passage Calendars for possible action at today's Council session. All speakers must sign up in order to testify. If you have not already signed up for today's session, please do so now by giving your name to Ms. Hasson at the table outside the rails to my left. Once you have signed up, you will be called in the order in which your name appears on the sign-up sheet. Under ideal circumstances, public commenters each will have three minutes to speak. However, this time limit may vary from session to session. Today the time limit will be two minutes. In order to be fair to all those wishing to speak, I intend to hold faithfully to the two-minute limit. When you begin speaking, you will see a green light on the podium. When there are 30 seconds remaining to your time, the light will turn yellow which is your reminder to conclude your remarks. Once two minutes have passed, the light will turn red and the Sergeant-at-Arms will disconnect the microphone. At that point, please yield the podium to the next speaker if you have not already done so. I also reserve the right pursuant to our rules of Council to limit repetitious comments on the same subject matter. I will now ask the Chief Clerk to please read the name of our first speaker.

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Ms. Forgeron

Good morning. My name is Darren Forgeron and I am a paralegal at Community Legal Services of Philadelphia. I am here to speak in response to Resolution 250743. I want to thank Councilmember Landau and City Council for highlighting the importance of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps. New SNAP work requirements apply if someone is age 18 to 64 if they don't live in a SNAP household with children under 14 and they don't receive a disability benefit. If these adults cannot prove they are exempt or working an average of 20 hours per week, they may only get three months of SNAP every three years. These harsh rules threaten to take away food from tens of thousands of hardworking Philadelphians like our clients, but it's not too late to prevent hunger in our communities. The best way to protect SNAP is to help people get an exemption from the work requirements. An exemption will allow SNAP recipients to keep their SNAP safe until their next annual renewal even if their circumstances change in the meantime. SNAP recipients who work are exempt from SNAP work requirements if they earn at least $217.50 a week before taxes. Recipients are also exempt if they have a medical condition that reduces their ability to work, are taking care of a sick family member, are pregnant, are unable to work because of domestic violence or are experiencing homelessness. There are many more exemptions that will help Philadelphians struggling to afford food. Visit clsphila.org/snapchanges for the full list of exemptions and instructions on how to help people claim them with the county assistance or welfare office. Councilmembers, you also have a flyer on your desks with additional information. Cuts to SNAP are cuts to the health of Philadelphia. Our city must come together to keep our community fed. I thank City Council for all of your work to help families keep food on the table. (Applause.)

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Ms. Gordon Claire

Good morning. Thank you to Councilmember Landau for introducing this resolution, and thank you to Philadelphia City Council for recognizing the Education Law Center of Pennsylvania on our 50th anniversary. My name is Deborah Gordon Claire and I ELC's Executive Director. When ELC opened its Philadelphia office in 1975, a small staff began developing an ambitious mission to ensure all children in Pennsylvania have access to quality public education. From landmark cases that secured rights for individual students here in Philadelphia to systemic victories that dismantled discriminatory policies and challenged our state's unconstitutional school funding system, ELC has been proud to stand with families and communities in the fight for education justice. Through individual representation, impact litigation and policy advocacy, we work on behalf of students in poverty, students of color, students with disabilities, students in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, multilingual learners, LGBTQ youth, students experiencing homelessness and students at the intersection of these identities. On behalf of the Education Law Center, I thank you for recognizing our legacy and for standing with us as we look to the next 50 years of advancing equity and opportunity for every child. (Applause.)

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Ms. Curlin

My name is Roseanne Curlin. Good morning, Council President and City Council. I'm here talking on Resolution 250734 about the city on properties used for community benefit. I support that. I support that resolution, but the disability community is being left out. Since the Carousel House was closed in 2021, wheelchair basketball and many other activities for the disabled have been displaced. We need to reopen and repair the Carousel House. Many promises have been made, but none have been kept. Please City Council help us repair and reopen Carousel House. (Applause.)

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Mr. Martin

Esteemed members of City Council, my name is Michael Martin. Thank you for your service to this great city. I am speaking on Resolution 250735 about the Land Bank and city property. I am in favor of this resolution. I believe there's a clear plan for property transfer in this city for community benefit. And community benefit is why we are all gathered here today. I would ask that City Council in the interest of community benefit become actively involved with reopening Carousel House Recreation Center. Carousel House was a completely accessible center that was built and operated for 50-plus years for the disabled community of Philadelphia. Promises from Rebuild have been unfulfilled. Our programs are dying a slow death as we share an already overcrowded Gustine Recreation Center with able-bodied residents of the East Falls neighborhood. The programs we are able to relocate to Gustine are operating at 50% capacity. We would ask you to please come to the aid of the disability community of the city. We need your help. Thank you very much. (Applause.)

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Councilman Jones

Thank you, Madam Chair. So when people are right, they're right. I stand up for those who are right. I want to say that promises were made under a different administration that called for and we approved in this body $12 million to rebuild the Carousel House. The delays, the inflation has moved that project up close to $40 million, so I stand with them. And if I could have gotten over there to take a picture and hold up and speak over on that side, I would. But let me assure you of one thing, when I make a promise, I keep it. We're going to rebuild Carousel House. (Applause.)

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Councilman Jones

In the interim, colleagues, we have moved people to Gustine, which is also in the 4th District. But to their point, when you mix those populations of individuals who have special needs with people who are trying to hog up the court, sometimes that can bump heads. So a particular rec facility just for this population is going to happen. I'm going to give you this one too. There was a plan in another administration and I'm not trying to -- the good thing about seniority and longevity is you remember the promises that were made then and in different administrations you intend to make sure they hold to it. They said what the design was is to build some aspect of special needs in every one of the rec centers around the city. Well, that does not work. And so, we're committed. We're putting 10 toes down to rebuild Carousel House. My name is Curtis Jones and you got my word on it. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Ms. Perez

Kate Perez. SNAP is the largest anti-hunger program in the U.S., supporting about a third of Philly's residents, improving health outcomes, stimulating the economy and helping us recover from natural disasters. Hunger is dangerous, leaving people desperate, unable to perform regular functions and especially dangerous in the early stages of life, where nutritional stunting increases risks of infections, disease, limits the body's ability to develop their skeletons and intestines, impairs cognition and increases overall mortality rates, creating lasting damage on the human body. We have a country where working families cannot adequately feed our own children. And instead of having a budget that ensures all Americans can eat, SNAP is reduced and defense is skyrocketing. Money we could be using to eat has been selling weapons to an occupation, maintaining a complete blockade since March forcing parts of Palestine into Stage 5. Irreversible famine, hunger stumps their growth as well as their exposure to white phosphorous bombs, tear gas, shrapnel, direct bombings, burnings, maimings and amputations, without any medication or anesthesia available. Babies are reported too hungry to cry. There's no hospitals left fully operating and children we've seen begging for medical evacuations on Instagram for months have been killed. Administrative barriers impact the most vulnerable first, such as seniors or people with disabilities who are unable to go back and forth with the SNAP benefits office. This resolution also ended SNAP eligibility to thousands of immigrants with lawful status, such as refugees and asylum seekers. We have Palestinian medical evacuation asylum seekers here and they're going to be left to starve again. I join you in condemning our administration's ill-advised -- and I also want to join you -- I would also like you to condemn their lifting of the sanctions against Israel and their attempts to crush our First Amendment rights by doing -- I'm sorry. I'm overwhelmed. But we need a free Palestine and to stop sending arms to the occupation. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Ms. Dolan

Good morning, Councilmembers, and thank you for the opportunity to speak. My name is Emily Dolan. I'm here on behalf of Neighborhood Gardens Trust to express deep gratitude on behalf of several neighborhoods for the passage of three resolutions today that will enable the permanent preservation of four beloved community gardens. They are Cleveland Street Garden in Point Breeze, Oakford Street Garden in Grays Ferry, Viola Street Garden in East Parkside and the Farm on Florence in Kingsessing. Together today's resolutions, which are Bill Nos. 250730, 250734 and 250735 authorized the transfer of 10 total parcels of land to Neighborhood Gardens Trust for permanent preservation. These lots are not just plots of land. They are vibrant, life-giving spaces where neighbors grow food, flowers and community. They represent resilience, connection and care. We applaud Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier who introduced today's resolutions for their leadership and collaboration with the community. We also want to thank Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson for her support today as well. This action reflects a powerful commitment to preserving Philadelphia's neighborhoods and we thank you for recognizing the value of these spaces. We look forward in the future to working with all Councilmembers to preserve gardens in your districts. These are spaces that deserve our protection and investment. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Ms. Riley

Good morning. My name is Tamar Riley and I would like to thank the Council for allowing me to speak today. I'm here alongside other supporters of the Carousel House Recreation Center. I'm here also to show my support and my approval to support Resolutions 250734, 250735 and 250736 as well as the support for the Council's mission to return underutilized properties to productive use and to foster diverse communities. However, I must raise the issue of the Carousel House, located at 4300 Avenue of the Republic, which served as a vital recreation center for people with disabilities. The Carousel House has been closed since June of 2021 due to safety concerns. Since its closure, supporters, including participants as well as the surrounding committee, have only received broken promises regarding the rebuilding. We are here today to ask the members of City Council to help us by urging rebuild to begin fulfilling their commitments and to start work on restoring the Carroll house immediately. It's been too long. We also are deeply concerned about the ongoing lack of communication from both rebuild and the department of recreation. Thank you for your time.

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Mr. Smith

Good morning, Council. My name is Randy Smith and I'm a gardener at Viola Street Garden and I support 3025734. On May the 25, 2022, Councilwoman Brooks in partnership with Councilwoman Gauthier, former Councilwoman Gym, the Neighborhood Garden Trust and other organizations chose the Lila Street Garden to launch the Restore Community Land campaign. Now, on September 18 I stand before City Council to thank all the people and organizations that made this dream come through for Philadelphia gardeners. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Mr. Hover

Good morning, Council. I want to start off by thanking all of the members of the Council for the continued support. My name is Benjamin Hover, Director of Community Engagement and legislative representative for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. And on behalf of President Steinberg and the over 14,000 members of the PFT, I speak in support of Resolution 250303, sponsored by Councilmember Isaiah Thomas, which honors the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Service Center School. I also speak in support of the recognition of the Education Law Center and the great work that they have done in support of the children of Philadelphia. This Council has repeatedly shown a willingness to support the educational programs and staff at all levels to enhance the development of our city's number one asset, our children, on this National Constitution Week. And also on Saturday, September 20, which is National CARE for Kids Day, there's nothing greater than we can do than empower our children to read. So I'd like to invite all members of Council to this weekend's Literacy Fair, which is a collaboration between our National Union American Federation of Teachers, the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson's office and Councilmember Jeffrey Young as well as State Senator Vincent Hughes. And before I leave, I do want to also give a special thank you to Majority Leader Councilmember Gilmore Richardson's office for their instrumental work. We've been working on this for over six months. We're planning to have it in the spring and then other things intervened and pushed it off to the fall. And just the amount of work your office has put into it has been tremendous and I want to thank you. I do have flyers for everyone here -- we can applause. We should applaud her office. (Applause.)

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Ms. Wang

Dear Council President and Councilmembers. My name is Eddie Wang and I'm speaking on behalf of my neighbors from the 2700 block of Grays Ferry to express our gratitude for the Grays Ferry Street Garden. When my husband and I first bought a place in Grays Ferry in 2019, there were vacant lots and vacant properties everywhere. Many young people have loved the neighborhood and only the older residents left. Even though the (inaudible) Street Garden was started decades ago by Lydia Wilkins and she still lives on our block and she's the best block captain that we have, she was getting old to maintain the garden by herself. Fast-forward to now we want to thank you for all the initiatives you have started in our neighborhood. Thank you for the affordable housing. Thank you for the Turnkey programs. The families are returning, the young people are returning. I actually saw a bunch of kids playing the biggest elaborate tea party on my front stoop just the other days. We haven't seen kids on our street for years. So we want to thank you. And then we also want to thank you for the playground that we have that was renovated in 2017 and we want to thank you for the park that we have and we want to thank you for the gardens you continue to allow us to have. So right now the garden is actually going to be named the Miracle Garden, and that was proposed by Lydia, because over the years we see how the neighborhood start to change and then there are sorts of people living on our block now. And there are older residents, young residents and all different ages, so we just want to thank you. We also hope that in the future you will support us when we fight against CHOPS 1000-car garage being built next to our D Finnegan Playground. Thank you again for your dedication and your passion to make our city better and better each day. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Ms. Foster

Good morning, City Councilmembers. My name is Maggie Foster. My name is Maggie Foster. This is Millie. I am speaking on Resolution 250730. Thank you for approving the community garden on Oakford Street. I'm a newer resident and already I see how much this means for the families here. A garden isn't just about vegetables. It's about community and about childhood. It's my daughter crouching down to watch bugs chasing butterflies and coming home with dirt on her hands. This garden gives her a space to thrive as someone new to the neighborhood. I've already seen how much Grays Ferry has been asked to carry pollution, traffic and projects that don't put families first. But this garden is different. It's healing. It brings fresh food, cleaner air and a stronger sense of community. I ask you to keep supporting projects like this that have tangible benefits for families. And just importantly, to stand with us against projects that will bring us harm. 1000-car garage across from our playground would only bring danger, pollution and stress to a neighborhood that already carries too much. Thank you for helping us plant something good in Grays Ferry and for standing with both long-time neighbors and new families like mine as we work towards a healthier, safer future. (Applause.)

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Ms. Golden

You know how much I love being here, right. I can be here, like, all the time. It's one of my favorite things. Councilmember Thomas, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are extraordinary for shining a light on our work, for believing in us and for believing in me. I cannot thank you enough and for everyone who's here, you know, that I love you. You know I cherish, I value every single day that I get to do this job. I told The Philadelphia Inquirer there is nothing that I don't love about it. And one of the loves is working with City Council. I value that. When I see you in the neighborhood, when I see you coming to a dedication, when you give me ideas and I can go, yes, yes, let's get that done. Councilmember Jones, we just got that done, right, that big wall. And it's just a pleasure. And I want to say in 1998 when we became Mural Arts, we were on an empty floor. We had a little rickety table. There were four of us and we looked at each other, we're like we're a pro arts program, what are we going to do. And we're like, we're going to do murals everywhere. And that is what we did. And in some way, we've never stopped providing art as a service to citizens across the city. For us, it's a matter of equity. Everyone everywhere deserves beauty and anything less than that is just not acceptable. And we want every child to have art education and people who are in a state prison to the county jail to people coming home to people in the behavioral health system to art education, thousands and thousands of constituents are served every year. And there is more work to do. But that work is made possible, I want to be honest and I say this everywhere and everywhere I go -- I'm invited to Yale University tomorrow and I'm going to Chicago next week, I talk about all of you. And I talk about what an extraordinary public-private partnership this is that allows us to get the work done in the most profound, eloquent way possible. You all know that I always say that art ignites change. I say it because I've been a witness to that change and you are standing by my side and I will be forever, forever grateful to all of you, to the Council President for helping to make the work possible. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Mr. Jamison

Okay. My name is Steve Jamison, owner of Blue Sole Shoes, 1805 Chestnut Street. Good morning, everyone. And thank you, Council, and thank you, Council President Kenyatta Johnson and also Curtis Jones, Councilperson, great support of my business and Cindy Bass. I'm sorry, I'm nervous. I don't have any prepared remarks. The young lady who came before me I love her spirit. Fantastic. Again, I don't have prepared remarks. About a month ago -- Cindy Bass introduced a resolution recognizing my business. About a month ago, an individual threw a brick out of my window, my storefront window, breaking the window. And instead of responding in anger, what I did was I took the boot and cut the boot in half and placed one half of the boot on the inside and the other half of the outside to create an art installation. So it appears as though the boot was going through the window but it's not . So it's now become a piece of art that people when they walk by, they see, they smile, they touch the glass to see if the cracks in the glass are real, if it's just some sort of prop or whatever. But it is real. It's really broken. And Whitney, I thank you also. And so, with all that I say that the resolution talks about the resilience of my business and myself, but that really doesn't speak about me. It's really more about the city and the city that gave birth to me, Nicetown where I grew up, in East Oakland where I now live, and the sports teams and everyone here and City Council, how the public watches you all to fight to resolve issues for the city, to make the city better for all of us. And so, you know, I just offer for you that if you find yourself on the receiving end of an offense, as I did rather than respond in anger, to respond and kindness and grace and to help those who are suffering from what I believe to be the person who offended me suffering from mental illness. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Councilwoman Bass

Thank you, Mr. President. Steve and I went to high school together. It doesn't look like it because it looks like we just graduated maybe five minutes ago. But I just wanted to point out that, you know, a number of our members shop at Blue Sole Shoes, including Councilmember Jones, who I believe is wearing and will model a pair of Blue Sole Shoes today. Thank you. I have more to say during public comment. Thank you, Mr. President.

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Ms. Dukes

Good morning, Council President and members of City Council. My response is in opposition to Resolution No. number 25071. My name is Dee Dukes and I am the founding president of the Wynnefield Community Neighborhood Association, a registered community organization with boundaries in Wynnefield and the surrounding areas. I'm also overall a city leader. WCNA supported the variance in the matter of 5052 City Avenue for the following reasons: Appropriate use of commercial space. The proposed use of 5052 City Avenue as a beer distributor is consistent with the commercial character of City Avenue Business District, which seeks to bring positive commercial investment into the community. Two, revitalization of a long vacant property. This commercial building was remained vacant for more than seven years. Testimony presented at the ZBA hearing from a realtor confirmed the difficulty in securing a tenant with only one prior proposed use. During that time, that prior variance was rejected by the community and the applicant ultimately withdrew. 3, significant investment and community commitment. Unlike a tenant, the current applicant is the proposed owner who has committed to making a substantial investment to purchase the property and supports the community. 4, fair and transparent ZBA process. From March through July 2025, a fair and transparent ZBA process was carried out. Multiple community meetings were held and opportunities were available for opposition to be presented, to which there was none. However, Councilmembers and our representative and other RCOs relied solely on a written letter of opposition initially presented to the ZBA and did not participate in all ZBA proceedings. Finally, it is important to note that the ZBA maintains a procedure to hear appeals within an established deadline. Adherence to these timelines ensures fairness and consistency for all parties. For these reasons, WCNA respectfully supported the variance requested for 5052 City Avenue and opposes this resolution. Also, thank you for celebrating my Pastor Bishop Keith Reed, an honor. And thank you for Councilmember Young for the workforce development resolution on my birthday.

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Mr. Pomeroy

Good morning. My name is Eric Pomeroy and I am here to speak on behalf of the resolution on declaring September 21st, Sun Day introduced by Councilman Jones. Thank you very much. We very much appreciate your support. This weekend there will be hundreds of celebrations of solar power across the nation, and one of the largest of those will be just across the street in LOVE Park. And why are these celebrations going on? Well, it's because people are celebrating solar power because an amazing thing has happened over just the last few years. Solar power has always been the cleanest form of energy of course, but solar power suddenly has also become the cheapest and the cheapest by far. And we can see this happening, this dramatic thing happening all over the world with the explosion of solar installations, even in a place like Texas. And because of the promise of solar, we can see a future for our children and our grandchildren where the air they breathe is clean, the energy that they need is cheap and sustainable, and the frightening prospects of climate change are fading. We know that there are significant challenges to making the future a reality and financial barriers especially, but also regulatory ones and perhaps most importantly, opposition from the fossil fuel industry. So this Sunday, we will be celebrating the remarkable technological advances that is solar power and we hope you all will be coming over to LOVE Park to see us. But in the weeks and months to come, we'll be looking forward to working with City Council and other city agencies to see how we can make the lives of all Philadelphians better by a rapid transition to clean energy. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Ms. Mobley

Good morning, Council President, members of City Council. I am Danae Mobley. I am the CEO of Coded By It's an honor to join you today in support of the resolution brought by Councilmember Landau declaring this week National Coding Week here in the city of Philadelphia. Recognizing National Coding Week is more than symbolic. It's a commitment to preparing Philadelphians for the future. Coding, digital literacy and now artificial intelligence are no longer nice to have skills. They are essential building blocks for economic mobility, civic participation and equity in a rapidly changing workforce. At Coded By our mission is to ensure that young people, particularly those that are underrepresented in tech, are not just consumers of technology, but creators and leaders in this space. We work with over 650 young people across the city in every corner of the city, and we know that these are the essential skills that we need them to have in order to win in our next generation. Every day we're working with Philadelphia's youth to cultivate problem-solving, creativity and confidence through these skills and we see firsthand how access to these skills can change the trajectory of a young person's life, opening doors to careers that will define the future of work. This theme of the year for National Coding Week is embracing AI and the future of work, which resonates deeply with our efforts. We believe that AI should be a tool that enhances opportunity, not one that creates barriers. And by equipping our young people with the knowledge and the skills to harness AI responsibly and creatively, we're investing not just in their futures but in the future of the city as a whole. So thank you so much. On a personal note, I see a lot of you show up for our events. You're continuously showing up for our young people and is deeply appreciated by leaders like me. And we know that this sends a message to the city that you value inclusivity, innovation and opportunity. And on behalf of Coded By and the young people that we serve, thank you for your leadership and championing a vision for Philadelphia where technology is not a privilege but a pathway to equity and success for everyone. Thank you. (Applause.)

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Mr. Hagins

Good morning, everyone. Ogbonna Hagins, President of the Philadelphia Reparations Coalition for American Freedmen and a fourth generation chattel slavery survivor. You know, right after slavery ended the very first thing our people created was an office. It was called the Freedmen's Bureau. And that office wasn't just name on a name on paper. It was survival. It built schools and hospitals. It defended the Freedmen in courts. It supported Freedmen towns and yes, it gave us the Freedmen Bank. In fact, the Freedmen's Bureau is what created everything, Freedmen courts, Freedmen hospitals, Freedmen schools, Freedmen towns. That's the combination to the lock for the constitutional repair of the American Freedmen. Without it, there wouldn't have been a bank. There wouldn't have been structures to start fixing centuries of stolen labor. But that work didn't last. The Freedmen's Bank was looted. It was sabotaged. Freedmen towns were undermined and the Bureau itself was dismantled. Here in Philadelphia the bank operated right in the 7th Ward, in the 2nd District. The 2nd Councilmanic District is where it was. With this historic step, Councilmember Jones has set himself apart from every legislator in the last 150 years. This is the very first time since then that the discussion of an Office of Freedmen Affairs has even been in any legislator in the country. Curtis Jones, you had the fortitude, you had the political will to stand up for your people, the American Freedmen, the ones who built this country and saved this country in the Civil War. And for that, Councilman Jones, you deserve a standing ovation, brother, because you did something that we need to heal the American Freedmen community. Ogbonna Hagins. Over and out. (Applause.)

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Ms. Trotter

Hey. I'm speaking on 25052. Quadir Johnson, better known as the Voice of the Youth, also known as LGP Qua was a community advocate, game-changer, motivational speaker and a leader for the youth of Philadelphia. He was a dedicated brother, father and son. This young man was really amazing. Whenever I called him to do anything for me, to speak to the youth, he would come and do it. And a lot of young people looked up to him. He also had celebrities all over the world, even posting when he passed away. So with that being said, I would like to get the block named after him. Do I name the blocks too or no because I don't know? Anybody? Okay. I'm going to say it then. So also naming 9th Street between Clearfield Street and Indiana Avenue, and also the 900 block of West Clearfield where he was born and raised and we want to name it Voice of the Youth because he was the voice of the youth. That's it. (Applause.)

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Mr. Rushdy

Good morning, Council President, Councilmembers. My name is Mohammed Rushdy and I'm testifying today as a citizen and not on behalf of any organization. I wanted to testify in support of Resolution 250730, for the disposition of land in the 2nd district. But I wanted to take the chance today to thank you, Council President, for the latitude last session and to thank Councilmember Curtis Jones for what I call the Enough is Enough speech, about the atrocities that are happening in Palestine. And I say Palestine. I do not say Gaza. It is Palestine. Council President and Councilmembers, when you put your foot on someone's neck for eight decades, events like October 7th happen. Two years 63,000 people dead, half of which are women and children. The West Bank has no Hamas, but settler terrorists are robbing land every freaking day. The world is rising and the world is speaking up and we need to speak up as well. I get asked, do you believe Israel should exist? Is Hamas a terrorist organization? I will not answer these questions anymore before I get answers to my questions, which are do Palestinians have the right to exist, are the settlers in the West Bank terrorists, is the IDF committing ethnic cleansing in Palestine? This is no longer about Hamas or the hostages. This is about a maniac called Benjamin Netanyahu that has allowed himself to be above international law and above any human law. This is the time to say, stop. There is no other way than a peaceful and a fair two-state solution. Thank you for your patience, Council President. (Applause.)

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Ms. Smith

Good morning, Council President and esteemed City Council. My name is Michael Smith. I'm the Executive Director of Cradles Crowns Philadelphia and thank you for the opportunity, although I'm sad that I have to come back again to talk about National Diaper Need Awareness Week. And thank you, Councilmember Landau, for inviting me today. I'm here to add my voice with other Diaper Banks in the city to bring attention to the dire need for diapers in Philadelphia's babies. Half of Philadelphia families with infants and toddlers don't have a reliable supply of diapers. That's out of every families. Babies need to be changed up to 12 times a day, and diapers cost between $50 and $120 a month. The math can be devastating to a single parent living paycheck to paycheck. Imagine if you could not change your baby or your grandchild in your care. Imagine the health risks, the stress on both baby and caregiver. And also, did you know that caregivers can miss up to five days of work a month because of diaper need. Imagine losing your job because you just could not put your baby in diapers. The good news is that we're making strides in this area. Cradles to Crowns is one of the largest suppliers of diapers in the city, helping 130 agencies to do their work by supplying 3.1 million diapers annually. So diaper need is critical in Philadelphia, but unfortunately 3.1 million diapers just isn't enough, not enough to get parents to work, not enough to send babies to child care and not enough to promote the health and well-being of Philadelphia's youngest. We need more diapers and wipes and we're seeking the support of City Council. Thank you, Councilman Landau, for doing a collection for diapers today. But if you would like to work with us together, we can get more diapers into the hands of children in our city. Thank you so much for your support. (Applause.)

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