Okay. Would you identify yourself for the record, please.
Good evening. My name is Norma Walker. I'm a tenant of Lindley Towers, 1220 Lindley Avenue. My testimony is tonight when the tenants call L&I, we do not get a timely response. We have to call numerous times about the problems that we have. And when L&I come out, they only go to certain areas. They don't go to the areas that we complain about. I'm 246 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. part of the Tenant's Council here, and we pay our rent, but we don't get the service that we get. We're living with mice, rats, roaches and everything else, trash back down the back of the stairs, the fire exit. And I think we need more standard better living conditions than what we're getting there. Glenda.
I do think that issue was raised with that building the other day when L&I was in here. Ms. Johnson is following through on that. But I understand what you need, because I heard you.
Yeah. Like this morning, I had to walk down six flights of stairs. I volunteer two hours every day at a daycare. When I came home last -- when I left out yesterday, the elevator was working, but when I came back after two hours, it was broke down again. And this is constantly.
Hi. Yes. My name is Glenda Frazier and I am the Vice-President of 1220 Lindley Towers and I'm here to discuss numbers of violations in our building, including this fire safety, public safety and our human rights. My testimony is is that we have the elderly that live there, people --
Yeah, I'm in the same building. The elderly, the people that can't get around, you know, in wheelchairs and stuff like that. There's numerous times that our elevators are down, and if the ambulance come or anything like that, they can't get in numerous times because the doors are not safe for us. The fire exit is not safe. It's locked at night and we can't get out. And it's a lot of drug traffic and everything else, you know, that we have 248 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. to deal with. And we have women, children, single parents, you know. And that's my testimony. And sometimes I fear for my own life.
Good evening. Are you telling me that fire exits are locked? When you say "locked," what do they do, put chains through the panic bars?
They are locked from 8 o'clock at night until whenever they open it up in the morning.
We tried to close the building down some years 249 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. ago, Councilman. It's just very difficult. Yes. Are you going to testify?
Yes. I'm Albert Searight, organizer for the Tenant Action Group. In dealing with the L&I piece as the organizer for the Tenant Action Group and TAG previously for over 11 years, many times when we get into a 12 building like this, it gets into a 13 situation where because of the lack of 14 proper response from the City and once it 15 become public and once the City get 16 involved, the option is to close the 17 building down, and we feel as though 18 that's not a good option for many 19 families. 20 So we're not saying that we want the buildings closed down. We want buildings to be able to be maintained for families.
I agree. We talked to the L&I Acting Commissioner 250 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. after the testimony last week. So he called us back and we gave him all the information about the building. But he heard your testimony also.
Okay. Good. What I'm going to actually testify to in closing is that we're asking City Council to oppose the repeal of the Cohen's rebate law, because TURN provides services to thousands of Philadelphians, and through our services at TURN, 90 percent of our clients are in fact low-income families and individuals, and the needs of these families are great, as determined and seen when we have rental assistance or homeless prevention funds to assist families to pay back rent or security deposit. Sometimes our numbers swell to the point that we really have to get space outside of our office to service them. And these families are doing the best they can to maintain decent housing for their families, and it's important that as 251 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. these families try to continually be a meaningful part of Philadelphia, that we not use them to in fact try to deal with the City fiscal shortcomings. It's important that we do not repeal the Cohen tax rebate law, because it's not correct and proper to use the poor and the low-income individuals to in fact deal with other fiscal issues and concerns. We feel as though that's very important.
Thank you. Thank you so much for your testimony. We appreciate you very much. MR. McPHERSON: The last two witnesses that I have are -- (Applause.) MR. McPHERSON: -- Priscilla Santana and then after her will be Jan Sklaroff. (Witness approached witness table.)
Good evening. My name is Priscilla Santana and I am a 252 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. former parent truant officer, and I come here to speak on how terminating the program has not only affected me, but has affected our youth and their parents. First and foremost, I would like to speak on how this has affected me personally. It's been very hard for me as a single parent with two children to find employment that I really enjoy doing. The services that I provided for these parents and their children made me feel like I have accomplished something. So I really, really think that this needs to be looked at, because it has not only affected me, but has affected our community. Can you imagine a proud woman working, struggling to try to provide for her kids and the program has been shut off? So I urge that everyone looks at this problem and sees that this is great for children. Thank you. My testimony was 253 4/16/08 - WHOLE - BILL 080022, etc. short and sweet.
Thank you very much for your testimony. MR. McPHERSON: The last witness that I have is Jan Sklaroff. (No response.)
Thank you. There being no other witnesses, this meeting is recessed until May 1st at 9:00 a.m.
Thank you. (Committee of the Whole adjourned at 6:55 p.m.) - - - 254 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on April 16, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)