Isn't it customary to notify the District Councilperson when something like that occurs?
When -- is it customary to notify a District Councilperson -- 143 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
-- when the RDA acquires properties on their behalf; is that the question?
Well, it wasn't on my behalf. It was done before I got there.
Even though I had called repeatedly because I knew I was a neophyte and I kept questioning about the status of everything in the district.
Ms. McColloch, I had both -- before September 20th, I had verbal and written confirmation that no funds were expended for the acquisitions I cancelled. Having reached out to the residents of 144 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 the 4th Council District and hearing the many stories my staff had told me about the problems of low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners who came and applied under the 4th District Council Basic Systems Repair Program, I decided to prepare a Council resolution and move another $1.3 million from the NTI 4th District acquisition budget to the NTI 4th District Basic Systems Repair. That resolution was introduced on September 20, 2007, and was unanimously approved by this body. Now, over four months since I first requested documentation regarding these acquisitions, you come to me to tell me that my resolution cannot be carried out because I cannot cancel the acquisitions and that you have spent funds on these acquisitions -- all contrary to what your office and the RDA told me. Mr. Hanna comes and meets with me and tells me that it cannot be done 145 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 because City Council already approved these acquisitions by ordinance. Then I find out that two out of three had not been approved by ordinance. Why suddenly, after four months of requesting data on these acquisitions, does the data suddenly appear? I believe there was and is a deliberate effort being conducted by members of this administration to thwart my attempts to serve the residents of the 4th Council District. If it is not deliberate, then the level of incompetence at the highest levels within OHCD is beyond my imagination. Ms. McColloch, I may not be a lawyer, but I know detrimental reliance when I see it. I exercise my right under the ordinance that created NTI, and I rely on information provided by OHCD and RDA to move NTI funds to a program that homeowners in my district need and deserve. If there is a problem, it is 146 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 of your creation and you need to solve it. I will not accept one dime less than the $1.3 million that those under your supervision told me was available. I cannot, and will not, let you or anyone else stand in the way of the needs of my constituents. (Applause.)
Are there any other questions or comments for these witnesses? Councilwoman Tasco?
I request that I get a list of the seven houses or properties that were done in my district. I request when they were approved, and I request when they were completed and the amount used for completion and all of the documentations associated with that.
Yes. I would like to say a copy of any 147 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 resolutions that are pertinent to the information that I was given today under testimony. I want to see all data, all records. And, Mr. Chairman, I think that it would only be right for us to issue a subpoena for Mr. Hanna because we need to get him here to answer some questions for us.
Mr. Hanna did call me Saturday and say that he was going to be in North Carolina or South Carolina until Sunday night, but this morning, he was coming back, he would be back Sunday night and would be flying out this morning to San Francisco.
You spoke About Act 94. Could you explain what 148 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 that, please, what Act 94 -- what powers it gives the RDA.
The difference between Act 94 and the urban renewal process that requires an ordinance is that all of the approvals are administrative. The properties have to be -- by policy, have to be blighted and vacant. "Blighted" has been taken to mean vacant and tax-delinquent, similar to the sheriff's sale process in that typically two years, there's more than, you know, 800 or $1,000 worth of delinquency.
You can acquire them administratively. Do you have to come to Council to dispose of them?
But if 149 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 they're not in a Redevelopment area --
So if they're not in a Redevelopment area, you can dispose of them based on the authority of the board of RDA?
No. They're both under the State Eminent Domain Code, but it's just the one process can be done administratively as long as the Revenue Department and the L&I Department certify the blight and the tax delinquency, and as long as City Planning and the Vacant Property Review Committee certify --
So it does go through the Vacant Property Review Committee.
Okay, all 150 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 right. That's what I wasn't sure of, okay. Thank you very much.
I would like to request a copy of the resolution. I see you have listed Daguette Street as an expenditure, and I would like to have a copy of the resolution that authorized that. MS. McCOLLOCH: I don't believe we have anything with us. We don't have any documents today to provide to you, but we can provide the information -- the other resolutions. There is no resolution for Daguette Street. Daguette Street I can provide to you a copy of a letter -- two letters, which I was going to do in response to your letter to Mr. Hanna, a letter from then-Councilman Nutter directing us to use $250,000 of the 4th District NTI acquisition budget, and then a letter from me to Herb Wetzel, then-Director of Redevelopment 151 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Authority, directing the RDA to carry that out. And as part of that, it's the RDA's responsibility to prepare the resolution. So if the RDA never prepared the resolution, I would not have known about that, but I can provide both of those documents to you to show why, from my point of view, I believe that the $250,000 was being charged to the acquisition budget.
Well, my understanding was that no property could be acquired without a resolution. MS. McCOLLOCH: I understand that. All I'm saying to you is that the responsibility to prepare those resolutions is carried out by the RA. And so the documents that I have, which I was presenting to you to show why, from my point of view, the $250,000 was to come from the NTI acquisition budget for the 4th District, was the original letter from then-Councilman Nutter and 152 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 my letter to Herb Wetzel, then-Director of the Redevelopment Authority, to carry this out.
But it wasn't a resolution. MS. McCOLLOCH: But it was the RDA's responsibility to prepare that resolution.
But that's not my fault. MS. McCOLLOCH: I didn't say --
Well, I'm just saying. MS. McCOLLOCH: I understand that. I'm simply saying to you why I had the information. You questioned why I had information that there was $250,000 --
No, I didn't question; I asked you for the resolution that authorized it. There's a difference. MS. McCOLLOCH: Okay.
153 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Mr. Koontz, let me just go back because Derek Green reminded me of something. In the NTI ordinance, it says that all properties have to come back -- disposition of properties that are acquired or disposed of through NTI dollars have to come back to Council. Do they fall under Act 94? Because in the ordinance, as he explained to me, NTI action has to come back to City Council.
Where is it? Here it is. It says: No real estate, or any interest in any real estate, shall be acquired with the proceeds of any bonds until the Mayor shall have submitted to City Council and City Council shall have approved by 154 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 resolution a land bank management program unless City Council shall have specifically approved such acquisition by resolution or ordinance.
No, I thought you were speaking of disposition. I'm well aware that no properties are to be acquired without a resolution of Council. I -- I'm sorry. When I originally spoke, I thought you were meaning properties being disposed of without Council approval.
Right, but if we're using NTI dollars to acquire the properties --
-- I understand that we need a resolution from City Council to approve the acquisition, but we don't necessarily need a resolution 25 from City Council for the disposition. 155 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
So if you acquire a property -- if I ask for you to acquire a property in my district with NTI funds, you can -- you will acquire it, right?
So if you want to dispose of it, you can just dispose of it without Council's resolution or input?
Traditionally, we wouldn't dispose of it without City Council's input, but I wasn't aware of anything that said we needed a Council resolution to dispose, unless it was in --
No, this is under Act 94, you're talking about blighted properties, right? 156 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
So if a property is not blighted, we ask you to acquire it, and we ask you to acquire it. And then you can dispose of it -- it's not a blighted property, but it's a property in the 9th Councilmatic District, and I ask you to use NTI proceeds to acquire this property, do I have any say in how we dispose of that property?
We typically request input from staff before we dispose of any property, from the staff of the appropriate Council District. But I didn't know if -- I didn't know that the law required that there be a resolution of Council to dispose of that property.
Okay. Any other questions for these witnesses? 157 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 (No further questions.)
That's it. We're now -- well, so that everybody in the room knows, what we're doing now is, we're trying to acquire a new date certain for another hearing. When we recess this hearing, we're permitted to do it to a date certain without advertising, so we're intending on developing the legal requirements to get Mr. Hanna here for the next hearing. If there are people here who would rather wait to testify at the next hearing, we welcome you to do that. If there are people here who want to testify now, you're also welcome to do that. But we'll be having another hearing on a date certain, and you will know this before we recess this hearing. I think we're through. I don't know whether or not -- UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Can I ask a question? 158 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
Why don't we just take a short recess now until we get a date and then you can ask a question. (Short break taken.) * * * (Proceedings resume.)
We are going to recess the hearing to a date certain, which is November 27th, at 10 a.m. in this room, at which time we will hope to have had the legal documents necessary to get Mr. Hanna here. Hopefully, he will agree to come and testify voluntarily without the subpoena, but we'll prepare it anyway. In the meantime -- and, councilwoman Campbell, you can comment -- I believe there may be some commitment from OHCD and BSRP to try to move some of the stuff quicker than they've been moving it because the heating season is coming up, and there's people who need heaters and 159 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 things like that. So I don't know whether or not you guys want to come back, Deborah and (indiscernible) and maybe talk about how we can try to resolve the immediate problem of the people that are sitting in the room.
We all have some witnesses here that have come here since early this morning.
Yeah, yeah, I understand. But there were also some people that they had diabetes issues and they needed to eat and get some medicine, so...
Could you come back, please, and kind of talk about what it is you can do practically now to help resolve some of these problems for the people that are represented by Councilwoman Campbell. (Witnesses return to witness table.) 160 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
Identify yourself for the record, whoever is going to speak. Just re-identify yourself for the stenographer. MR. MacINTOSH: Anthony MacIntosh, Executive Vice President for Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation. As of this date, Councilwoman, we have 34 cases that have been approved. I am prepared to move forward with assignments this week on the first 34, and we will move forward as expeditiously as possible to move through the next set. As I indicated, we had a special intake session this past Saturday, where close to 200 people were scheduled to come out, so we can and will begin to move forward as expeditiously as possible.
What does that mean in numbers? MR. MacINTOSH: With respect 161 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 to -- as I indicated, the first 34 should go out this week. And each week thereafter, we should have a similar number to be assigned a contract.
The first 34? What should go out, the contracts? MR. MacINTOSH: Yes, the assigned contractors, that's correct.
Tell me this, please. I had raised the issue to you about an 86-year-old woman who had called my office, and she couldn't touch her walls because her walls were so hot because of electrical wires. In this 34, how many of them are dangerous situations; do you know? MR. MacINTOSH: What we will be doing is using the criteria that has been recommended that I shared with your staff last week, and we would be moving forward with that criteria. With respect to the lady with the hot wall, Miss Bessie McCloud, as 162 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 soon as you brought that to my attention, I had an inspector dispatched immediately. He went out to the property and what was determined was that there was a dimmer switch that the lady was using. And when you use dimmer switches, a lot of times when the light is not on the full capacity, the load is maintained at the switch, and she had an old switch, but there is no fire hazard.
Can I also suggest that maybe you try to prioritize the work as it relates to the need for heating? Because, I mean, today is probably the day we start to get shocked back into the fact that it's fall and coming towards winter. And there was also one lady in the audience who said that they had come to her house and started to work, 163 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 dug up her basement, exposed all her pipes, and then were pulled off the job. So could you try to look at things like that to try to make people whole again? 'cause their houses are kind of ripped apart, some of them. MR. MacINTOSH: Absolutely, Councilman.
And that commitment you're making for the record. MR. MacINTOSH: Yes, that's correct.
Thank you. Who is left in the audience who wants to testify? I see one, two -- why don't I bring up these three ladies here as one panel. They're going to stay. And then we'll bring up the three more on this side, okay? (Witnesses come forward.)
First, thank you for coming and thank you for your patience. There were a lot of things to hash out with the officials 164 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 here, and we appreciate your patience. You have to pull those microphones close to you because they're old. And please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Darnell Helen. I live in the 4th Ward, 1st District. I went down Saturday to be interviewed for the program, and the woman that took my application, she didn't go on the computer system once. I didn't have the documentation with me but it was in the system. She never once went into the system to retrieve my information. My copy of the deed was in there. My SSI information was in there. And she told me that I would have to go gather these documents and bring 'em back when all she had to do was turn on her computer and get 'em. So they gave me an envelope and told me to come back. I don't think that I should have to go back 165 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 down there. They call people in at the last minute to gather -- to say that they're doing these applications when they're not completing the applications once you get down there.
I would request that Mr. MacIntosh take notes for these properties so that we can address the problems directly. And he has -- so he is -- Mr. MacIntosh here will be taking the information and will make sure you get an answer on whether or not you have to get those documents or not.
They told me that they were up on the 20th floor through the orientation. And when I got back there, they told me that I wouldn't need 'em, but when I got back there, the girl that was waiting on me, she didn't complete the application.
Well, now he has your information and will go get you an answer. 166 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Diane Archer. PHDC came out to my house in 1997. They granted me $27,000 to get the work done on my property. I had structural done on a house that I bought from HUD. The structural damage was on the house when I bought it. Nothing was on my Licenses and Inspections paper pertaining to structural damage, so I went to PHDC to try to see if I could get this problem resolved. Okay, they came out with all the different documents telling me what I qualify for and everything. I had to pay for engineers to come out and look at the property. They came out, they dug up my basement to put plumbing work in. All of a sudden, they were called off of the property. My basement is still left in deray [sic] with the piping, the hole. 167 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Now the wall is in worse shape than it was before they came out and dug up that outer wall. My house is getting ready to fall. So I went and got an engineer to come out in 2006 so that they can write up a report about the damages that's been done to my home. I am in desperate need of repairs to this house that I bought from HUD. They never should have sold this house in this shape. And every place I've been -- I just took out a loan, trying to get work done. I wasn't trying to get anything for free. I went to Neighborhood Housing. Neighborhood Housing had me put in for a loan. I qualified for the loan. I talked to Neighborhood Housing last week; I no 22 longer qualify for the loan because I don't have enough money for all the damage that this house have. And I need some help. 168 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
Make sure that you leave the address and all the information. I guess the best clearinghouse is Councilwoman Campbell's office.
I've been fighting this every since I bought this home. Years go by and they say, Okay, you qualify for a program. You have to wait till they get the engineers to come out, and years and years and years go by. I come back and file for another program. Then they told me they lost my paperwork. I have all of the names of the people that I've talked to dealing with this problem with this house. I have everything documented right here. 169 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 I have the plumber that came out and worked on my house and dug my house up. They left my house just that way. My house is getting ready to fall. It needs to be tore down.
When you said the plumber came out, was it someone that PHDC sent out.
And they have not come back to look at what they've done or anything?
No, ma'am. Every 170 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 time I call somebody, they send me to somebody else. I spoke to this gentleman right here; he sent me to somebody else. I've been floating around all this time. Nobody wants to hear from me.
Mr. MacIntosh, can we maybe get this problem solved? MR. MacINTOSH: Let me look into it.
Could you look into it and get back to us. MR. MacINTOSH: Yes, sir.
The question comes down to who's monitoring the contractors?
As the chair of this committee, since it's not in Councilwoman Campbell's district, it is in Councilwoman Blackwell's district, I would strongly request that you get back to me as the chair of the committee to tell me what you've doing to solve 171 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 that problem. MR. MacINTOSH: Very good.
Thank you. We'll stay on it. Ma'am, please identify yourself for the record.
My name is Josephine Simmons. I'm here to represent my mother, Marie Simmons, who has cancer, she had a stroke, and they found a brain tumor all within the space of two years. And she has seizure disorder so it's hard for her to get around. I have a spinal cord injury, and I have sarcoidosis so I'm not in the greatest shape, but I barter and trade to get things done that she needs done. She's got exposed wires in her house. She was the first one to move on Cambridge Street back in the '50s, and she's been in that house ever since. It's a gorgeous house from the 172 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 outside, but on the inside, I see exposed wires. There's a shutoff valve for the water in the basement that goes to the outside; I have it duct-taped because the valve doesn't exist anymore. Someone came in to do plumbing and broke it. There's a leak that comes in her bedroom from the roof. Even though the roof has been redone, it comes down through her room, and there's an electric wire outlet right underneath it. I'm afraid there's going to be an electrical fire one of these days.
Okay. Councilwoman Campbell's office will coordinate with OHCD as to the disposition of this and where it's at in 173 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 the process and try to get it done ASAP.
Thank you for coming in. Show of hands, please. Three people come up 'cause we only have three chairs. So we'll hear you all. It's just a matter of... (Witnesses come forward.)
Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
I'm Debra Archie, and I live at 7164 North 20th Street. And my problem is, I did have some repair done by the program. It took me almost three years to get that done. I appreciate what they have -- what they did. And -- but the roof -- the weekend when it rained, it rained all the way from my living room window, bay 174 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 window, all the way down to the basement. Also upstairs in my bedroom closet and a light is there, and it's raining right near that light. They promised me they was going to do it, and nobody came out. The only man that came out, he told me they didn't do roofs. And I was told by several people they do do roofs. Look, I worked 35 years on one job. I paid my dues, I paid taxes. I paid double taxes 'cause I worked double shifts. And I feel as though I'm alone now, my husband is deceased, and I need a little help, and this is all I'm asking, for them to give me some help. I have a little pipe in the kitchen and I paid different ones to try to fix it. It's a little pipe like a S up under there, and they said they do small plumbing. I can't get that done. And the back window in my back 175 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 bedroom, I can't open it. I -- we don't even touch it 'cause it will fall out. And I asked them when they did the work for me, they said they didn't have enough in the grant for me, only $3,000, and they couldn't do the work that they did for me. And what they did I appreciate it. But I really need those things done and I think I'll be okay.
They did the work it has been about a year now or more 'cause it's been like three years now.
No. He said it wasn't enough to do the window. He knew I need the backroom window 'cause I can't raise them, I can't touch it. And the roof, one guy said 176 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 they didn't do roofs, the other mand said I didn't have enough money to do the roof.
Okay. We'll -- just stay here for a moment. We'll talk to you at the end of the session.
Ma'am, when you're finished with the panel, you can go back to your seat, and then someone will come from Councilwoman Tasco's office. Could you identify yourself for the record, please? 177 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
I'm Janice Strium, 624 North Frazier Street. I had applied through PHDC for a heater. This -- I've been having a problem for about two or three years. It's one of the reasons I believe I'm on oxygen, because when the heater went, the whole house just blacked; I had to leave. So I applied, I was approved, and I haven't heard anything. I call every day, two, three times a day, and I leave a voice mail so I'm sure somebody at PHDC knows my name. All I get is a voice mail. In fact, about a week and a half ago, I called again and I finally got someone, and I was told they wouldn't even be considering to do heaters until after the 15th of November. Now, earlier this year, before I came to Councilperson Campbell's office, I had called and I was told it 178 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 wasn't heater season. So I'm trying to figure out what am I supposed to do.
I was told earlier this year, when your program came out. I had already been approved, but when I called PHDC, I was told it was not heater season.
Mr. MacIntosh, are you hearing this testimony? (Indiscernible; parties talking over each other.)
And every day since then, like I said, I call and I leave my name, my address, my phone number on the voice mail. I know the specialist who I leave this information with. Sometimes it's to the point where 179 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 her voice mail is so full you can't even leave a message; it will hang up, it will hang up.
But I finally got her about a week and a half ago and I was told that they wouldn't even be considering putting in heaters in until after the 15th of November, so I'm trying to figure out --
(Addressing Mr. MacIntosh.) If you want to testify, you have to come -- sit at the Council's seat there, and we'll turn the microphone on there. MR. MacINTOSH: Okay.
It's interesting to watch you sit in the seat because you're going to get an idea of what we deal with when it comes to dealing with constituents. And you're in Councilwoman Campbell's seat, so you're going to be on her hot seat for a while. 180 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 So please, could you discuss the heater season. MR. MacINTOSH: Uh, with respect to the heater system, the only time it's not the heater season, I would say, is during the summer months. But even during those months where we have heaters to go in, we put 'em in. And I will look into this matter and get back to you.
Well, he's telling you now in front of Councilwoman Campbell and Tasco and Councilman Savage on the record in front of me and in front of everybody else. So maybe it took this to get you what you need.
Mr. MacIntosh, can I ask you a question: Do you have a certain number of heaters that you get per season, per year? MR. MacINTOSH: We have a certain amount of dollars that we allocate to address the heater 181 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 replacements, yes.
So do you average out the costs of what it might be for a heater replacement? MR. MacINTOSH: Oh, absolutely, yes.
So do you have some idea of about how many heaters you might be able to install? MR. MacINTOSH: That's correct.
Okay, so how many do you think you can install during a period of time? MR. MacINTOSH: During the heater season?
Well, I mean, heater season, that just doesn't make sense.
Whenever 182 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 it's needed.
Why would you get backed up in the winter when people are really in danger of -- MR. MacINTOSH: We try not to, Councilman, we try not to.
But if you put 'em in in the summer, you won't get as much backed up and -- MR. MacINTOSH: Absolutely, but what happens is, people tend not to call in until it gets like today.
Well, she's been on the list a long time now. What happened to her? MR. MacINTOSH: That's one of the things I really need to look into because, as I've indicated, we prioritize heaters every year, all right? And on an average, we're doing over 300 heaters through the program. But with respect to --
But you know you have 4,000 people on the list 183 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 and so many of them need heaters. Can't you just begin to rotate those people right on out the door. MR. MacINTOSH: That's what we're trying to do, Councilwoman, and --
I mean, you just said they wait to call. They can't get a heater if they call today 'cause about five, ten, a hundred people are before them, so those people that are before you, you tell them that they're on the list, but you got to service all those people on the waiting list now waiting to get a heater. So those people who have been on the waiting list for ten years to get a heater ought to know sometime in life when they're going to get a heater. MR. MacINTOSH: Let me just say this, Councilwoman. There's absolutely nobody on a waiting list for a heater that's been there ten years, and I'll stretch out because I haven't been there 184 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 ten years myself, but I'll tell you, there's nobody on the waiting list that is waiting for a heater for ten years.
How about two? MR. MacINTOSH: No, and I wouldn't really agree with two. There are extenuating circumstances, all right. For example, where a person may need a roof in addition to a heater, well, we're going to try and put the roof in and then put the heater in. So sometimes we have to coordinate. Sometimes the heater may require electrical service in order to run the heater and things of that nature. And coordinating those coordinate those services sometimes may delay the process, but if someone is just coming in and all they need is a heater, believe me, we do not have them waiting around for months, no less years.
Okay. 185 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Thank you. Ma'am, could you please identify yourself for the record.
I had some work done on my house previously, and they did my roof a few years ago, but the A-frame on the back, they did not do that. And they came and took X-rays and said that it was leaking from the A-frame and they don't do that. And that water is coming in from the A-frame, so he said, and rolling down 186 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 the pipes and goes into my middle bedroom. And the ceiling fell, you know, that came through. So that's problem number 1. No, that's not problem number 1; that's on the side. But my heater is number 1. Last year, in January, I went in for knee surgery, knee replacements. I came out in the last part of the January. February, my heater went, and I had called them the year before last. The man came out, did a little -- cleaned it out a little bit, left, and said to call in the summertime and they will come out and clean it and redo it, blah-blah-blah. I called them last winter -- last summer. They came. About 21 minutes, if that much. I'm finished. 22 That quick? Yeah, when you know what 23 you're doing, it don't take long. 24 When heater time came in 25 '07 -- he did that in '06. In '07, 187 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 when I came out the hospital, I woke up and the whole house is white, and I didn't know what it was, if it was the heater or what. And I called 9-1-1, the police, the patrol things, all the fire engines and everything. They came and looked to see if it was carbon monoxide, whatever you say, and they said it wasn't that but I couldn't stay in there. I had to leave the house. And then the man came that next day. I called down to the heater hotline, and they sent somebody out and they worked on it a little bit. We need a part. They go to get a part. We need this. It went on five times; five different people came out there. Until a supervisor named Tony, he said he was the supervisor, and he came and he worked on it all day. Still couldn't go back in there. He came back that Sunday and had to go get a piece, and 188 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 he put it in. He told me -- and now when it's time to turn the heat on, to call him. I called him three times. He hasn't called me back yet. And I'm afraid to turn the heat on. With my knees, it was freezing last night, and they still cold. And I can't turn the heat on because I'm afraid, you know, it might fog up again or what might happen if I do turn it 'cause he told me to call him. And he said he would apply for -- put me down for a new heater. And he said but before I get the new heater, I'm going to be on the waiting list to get the new heater, so call him 'cause he know what he did to make it come on this year. And so I'm waiting.
And cold. MR. MacINTOSH: We'll contact 189 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Tony; he's with our heater hotline service.
It's apparent that there are some problems here. MR. MacINTOSH: Absolutely.
And if do nothing else -- if we just take care of these people here and just get them done today, I think -- the day will be worth it just to get these people fixed. There used to be a show -- I don't know if you remember -- "Tell It to the Mayor," when Jim Tate was the mayor. It was on Sundays for half an hour, and he'd take 25, 30 calls, and all of those things got done. So today, we're telling it to Mr. MacIntosh. If we get these things done, we'll all feel better about it 'cause I feel kind of terrible right now listening to what I'm listening to. MR. MacINTOSH: We'll follow up, Councilman. 190 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
Ma'am, either one of you, could you identify yourself for the record.
Good morning. My name is Jacqueline Carthon, and I don't want to make you feel any worse, Councilman Kenney.
It's okay 'cause your living with it, so I can take it.
But first of all, I'd like to greet all of the Councilpeople. And first and foremost, I would like to publicly thank Councilwoman Campbell for sacrificing her summer to work out this District 4 program for us. To me, it demonstrates her concern and the heart that she has for the little people, for disabled people, for senior citizens, people on fixed incomes who struggle with paying Medicare and paying for drugs -- prescription drugs. Thank you. I have to clarify that sometimes. 191 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 It costs a lot. In my case, it's -- and the premiums -- it costs hundreds of dollars a month. So when you have a fixed income and you have to live with conditions in your home that you can't see your way out of to fix, it can be depressing. I lift myself up by helping other people. And so when I saw this program, I really thanked God for her and for all of the Councilpeople who have extended themselves to help people in their districts, 'cause when you're on the citywide program, it does take a long time. I was on the program once for two years to get my leaking roof fixed. By the time the man came, I had forgotten all about that he wasn't even supposed to come. Right now, I have problems in the house and with the wall that I hope won't fall on anyone else. There's numerous things; I won't go into them 192 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 now to give someone else a chance, but I didn't to thank the Councilwoman for doing that for us. And it gives, especially senior citizens, an opportunity to live in a healthy, safe environment. And I think after paying taxes all these years, working all these years, that we should get something back because before now, we got nothing. We pay taxes and we got nothing. And this lady had a heart for us. I pray for her, and God being the omniscient person that he is, he knows our circumstances and knows what we have and what we don't have, and he hears his daughters' and his sons' prayers. And so I just want to thank you, Councilwoman, for doing that. I want to thank you also, all of you, you know, for helping us. I do have numerous problems. 193 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 And what the lady said about not getting answers from 1234 Market, it's true; I've been through that too. It takes a week for them to even get -- and then you got to call their supervisor to get them on the phone. I've been through that, too, just last week. Sometimes they ask for extra documentation that you really don't even need. And it took me two weeks to get them to understand that. I hope that they do now. But we really need help, Mr. McIntosh. My address is 5300 West Berks Street, zip code 19131. And I would really like to have a light in my bathroom I feel awkward sometimes going in there in the dark. We have no 21 lighting in the bathroom and none in the hall so you have to burn a light from another bedroom so that you don't fall trying to get in the bathroom and be sure you take your medication in the 194 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 lighting somewhere, even in my kitchen. We need some help.
My name is Beatrice Chapell, and my address is 49 North Hobart Street. Zip is 19139.
During the somewhere of September 5th is when I went up to the 34th Ward to fill out some paperwork for the Basic Repair Program. I have not heard not one thing not as of yet.
All right. You can see this gentleman right here with the glasses.
Okay. Thank 195 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 you.
My name is Shirley Morrison, and I live at 3228 North Etting Street, 19129.
Excuse me. Could I see hands for any others who needs to testify? Is there anybody other than these ladies? Okay, fine. Please proceed. I'm sorry, ma'am.
Two years in a row, I called the home coordinating agency because I needed some service done on my heater. They said someone would come back too well. Two years in a row, when they tried to get back to me, I was not home. And then when I called back, nobody seemed to know what I was talking about, and they said that 196 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 no one had called. And I need help with my heater. Every year, I have to go down in the basement, turn the water on, fill it up, and I do this a couple times a year.
And I have a roof that's leaking -- not on the roof but it's coming down the wall. And I need help too. I'm 71 years old. I have always maintained my home on my own, and now I'm broke, I can't afford it on $13,000 a year.
I understand. Mr. MacIntosh, do you have the address? MR. MacINTOSH: No, I don't.
Ma'am, could you please identify yourself for the record and proceed.
My name is Elsa Calland. I live at 129 North Edgewood 197 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 Street, zip code 19139. I've been having so much problem for the last year and a half with water, and I had them to come out, and I asked for help and they didn't give me any, so I had to go and sign for the City to do the job from the street, and they charged me like 2500.
They sent a plumber out to do the work. They went out in the street and dug up the street last year and a year ago in August. And so they did the job, and they was so long, and they wouldn't come back and replace the pavement back, so I just 198 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890 kept calling and they came out this year, over a year ago, and they did replace that. And I'm still having problems with water, and I had to call someone out to come and -- they said they opened up the sewer. I had to pay out another 2500 -- I mean $125 out of my pocket. And so, by having the problem, I'm having water in the ceiling came down, the piping in the bathroom is ruined and everything. I had to put in a water heater this year. I had to pay for that 'cause I couldn't get any help. And I'm a senior citizen, I'm 83 years old, and I have arthritis real bad. And I really need help.
I've been maintaining this house for 50 -- I think 52 years, and I've never had any help, never. 199 10/29/07 LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT/RES. 070882, 890
Well, you're going to get some help now from this gentleman with the glasses right here.