Committee Hearing, June 2, 1998

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC HEARING AND PUBLIC MEETING BEFORE THE COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, June 2, 1998 1:00 p.m. - - - BILL NO. 970518 - Amending Title of Phila. Code 7 relating to Zoning and Planning. . . BILL NO. 980168 - Amending Philadelphia Zoning 8 Maps by changing zoning designations of certain areas of land. . . 9 BILL NO. 980271 - Approving redevelopment of the Meadow II Urban Renewal Area. . . 10 BILL NO. 980273 - Approving redevelopment of New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area. . . 11 BILL NO. 980326 - Approving redevelopment of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area. . . 12 BILL NO. 980327 - Approving redevelopment of the Cecil B. Moore Urban Renewal Plan. . . 13 BILL NO. 980330 - Approving redevelopment of Grays Ferry Urban Renewal Area. . . 14 BILL NO. 980331 - Approving redevelopment of the Point Breeze East Redevelopment Area. . . BILL NO. 980335 - Approving redevelopment of Center City Redevelopment Area, Franklin Urban Renewal Area. . . BILL NO. 980332 - Approving redevelopment of the Sarah Allen Redevelopment Area. . . BILL NO. 980333 - Approving redevelopment of Mantua Urban Renewal Area. . . PRESENT: COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY, Chair COUNCILMAN DAVID COHEN COUNCILWOMAN ANNA CIBOTTA VERNA COUNCILMAN ANGEL ORTIZ COUNCILMAN FRANK DICICCO COUNCILMAN BRIAN O'NEILL - - - VINCENT VARALLO ASSOCIATES, INC. Registered Professional Reporters Eleven Penn Center, Suite 600 Philadelphia, PA 19103 (215) 561-2220 2 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES I N D E X Bill 970518 Richard Lombardo, City Planning Commission . . Bill 970168 Richard Lombardo, City Planning Commission . . 7 Bill No. 980271 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 13 8 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority 9 Lonnie Chafin, Executive Director. . . . . . . 15 Community Development Corporation of Frankford Group Ministry. Bill No. 980273 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 30 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority John Carpenter, Executive Director . . . . . . 32 New Kensington Community Development Corporation Bill No. 980326 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 35 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Allen Rubin. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Spring Garden Community Resident and Board Member of Spring Garden Community Development Corporation Bill No. 980327 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 45 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Bill No. 980333 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 63 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Stephen Mullin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Director of Commerce, City of Philadelphia 3 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES (Index, cont'd.) Bill No. 980331 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 71 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Kelly Woodland, Executive Director . . . . . . 72 18th Street Development Corporation Alfred M. Brown, Executive Director. . . . . . 74 Point Breeze Performing Arts Center Bill No. 980335 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 78 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Sophia Pham, Director of Development . . . . . 81 Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation Cecilia Yep, Executive Director. . . . . . . . 82 Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation Bill No. 980332 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 84 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority Bill No. 980333 Noel Eisenstat, Executive Director . . . . . . 87 Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority 4 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 970518 P R O C E E D I N G S

The Committee on Rules is now in session. We have a quorum with Councilmember Verna, Councilman Cohen, DiCicco, and I'm acting Chairman Councilman Kenney. The first two bills we will deal with our Bill No. 970518, which is an ordinance 9 amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code relating to "Zoning and Planning," by amending Chapter 14-100 entitled "General Provisions," by amending Chapter 14-200 entitled "Residential Districts," and by amending Chapter 14-1400 entitled "Parking and Loading Facilities," under certain terms and conditions. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. My name is Richard Lombardo, and --

Hold on, hold on. Try that microphone again, try it again.

Rich Lombardo with the Planning Commission, here today to speak on Bill 25 No. 970518. 5 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 970518 This bill, as you've said, amends the zoning code by changing the provisions of the code to deal with off-street parking. Basically, this bill is to clear up inconsistencies with the zoning code that resulted in creating conditions whereby people wind up putting their -- in new construction, wind up putting their parking -- are required to put their parking up on the property line. So you basically, you have a case where you have the building, the yard or the landscaping, then the parking space, which is right up -- would be right up against your neighbor's property. This generally was not a problem when people did -- when people do garages, but you start to get more development happening where people are doing open-air parking, and they put that parking -- to meet the code, they put that parking on their neighbor's, you know, on the property line. And what this basically does is changes the situation so you now would have a requirement that landscaping would be -- basically, the parking would be at your house rather than on the 6 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 970518 property line. Then you'd have your landscaping, your yard, your side yard, your rear yard between the parking space and your neighbor's property line. That's the one purpose of this bill. And the other purpose of the bill is to put some limitation on the size of garages. I guess when they framed the zoning code, in order to encourage people to put in parking garages, there was very few limitations based on the height or the size of the garage. And that has created, again, some situations where people wind up with garages on their property line that are as big as their house. So what this district does is put a height limit and a number-of-vehicle limit on your accessory garage as part of a single-family dwelling. The height limit would be ten feet for a flat roof garage, and 15 feet for a gable or gambrel roof garage. And I believe the total number of cars that you could have would be a three-car garage as a matter of right, parking of three cars. This -- again, this bill is really viewed as a bill -- it was put in by Councilman 7 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 970518 O'Neill, I think, in response to some problems he had with some new housing developments in his district. But for the record, the Planning Commission supports this bill and recommends its adoption to the City Council. The Commissioner approved this on July 17th of 1997.

Thank you very much. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen.

Does property line apply to the common area of the driveway? There's a famous feud up in my area, northwest Philadelphia, between the neighbors of the 5100 block, Sydenham Street, and the neighbors of 5100 block of North 16th Street. They share a common driveway. On the 16th Street, the garage is under the house, and they have an approach on their own property before they get to the common driveway. On Sydenham Street, apparently, the builders many years ago decided they'd provide a small yard in back of the house and create a separate garage structure right up to the line of the common driveway so that when a neighbor on 8 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 970518 16th Street parks a car in their own -- on their own ground, it prevents anybody on Sydenham Street from removing their car from the garage. There's just not enough room to take the car out of the separate structure. Now, would this correct that? If so, I think it's a tremendous improvement because --

Basically, yeah. For new construction or anybody who's adding a parking space, it would require that the parking space be up against the house, then you would have the yard. So you would have -- you wouldn't have the parking space right on the edge of the driveway. I know exactly what you're talking about. That also happens (unintelligible) when someone builds a deck in the rear and they put the support post on the edge of the driveway, and then the person across the driveway can't get out of their --

Well, what -- would it apply to the decks?

Well, that wouldn't -- I think the decks have already been corrected. There was an ordinance Council passed a couple 9 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980168 years ago that required that decks could no longer be built right to the edge of the rear driveway. They amended the zoning code to require that.

All right. It seemed to be a positive change.

Yes, sir. Any other questions of these witnesses? (No further questions.)

Is there anyone else in the room to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Seeing none, we'll move to the next bill. Bill No. 970751 is being withdrawn at the request of the sponsor. Bill 980168, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps, by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Washington Avenue, Broad Street, Morris Street, and Seventh Street. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Yeah, good afternoon, Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Rich 10 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980168 Lombardo from the Philadelphia Planning Commission here today to speak on Bill 980168. As you said, this bill involves -- is a community-wide remapping. It was sponsored by Councilman DiCicco. It involves about 240 acres of land generally bounded by Broad Street on the west, Washington Avenue on the north, Seventh Street on the east, and Morris Street on the south. This is a continuation of the remappings that the Councilman has been doing in conjunction with the various communities in South Philadelphia to remove the multifamily and replace it with single-family zoning. The basic changes that are taking place in this bill is to rezone the R-10 residential, which is a multifamily row house district to R-10A residential, which is a single-family row house designation, to reflect single-family characteristic of most of these -- the vast majority of these homes in this area. Also, some of the commercial zoning on Broad Street would be changed to lower commercial or to residential where appropriate. 11 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980168 Again, this bill was done in conjunction with Councilman DiCicco's office. And for the record, the Planning Commission, on May 21, 1998, recommends approval. Of Bill 980168.

Thank you. Councilman Cohen.

What's the difference between R-10 and R-9?

R-10 is when a house is built right to the sidewalk; R-9 is when you have the front set back or a front yard. Where we have houses that are built with the set-back, we use 9 or 9-A. Like in South Philadelphia and in North Philadelphia where a lot of houses are built right -- there is no front yard, we use R-10 or R-10A. Everything else is the same except that R-9 requires the set-back and R-10 allows you to build right to the sidewalk.

There's no room for an R-9 in the properties --

This area is all built up and it's --

It's all built up, okay. 12 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271

It's all built up and it's all -- there are few pieces -- and, actually, when we did these remappings in South Philadelphia, there were a few neighborhoods where we did come across the set-backs, where we did make those R-9A instead of R-10A -- or R-5 over in the case of Girard Estates, where there are actually twin homes.

Thank you.

Thank you very much. Is there anyone else in the room here to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Thank you very much. The next bill for consideration is Bill 19 No. 980271, which is an ordinance approved October 18, 1977, which approved the redevelopment proposal and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority for the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of the Meadow II Urban Renewal Area by approving the first amendment of the redevelopment proposal and the 13 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 first amendment to the relocation plan, which provide inter alia for certain additional land acquisition and provision of certain relocation services required by law for the individuals, families, and businesses concerns which will be displaced. Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon. I'm Noel Eisenstat, E-I-S-E-N-S-T-A-T. I am the Executive Director of City's Redevelopment Authority. I am here to start with testimony on Bill 980271. If I could for a moment refer you to the map that I've put before you which describes all the various -- the generalized, not exact-to-scale descriptions of the various urban renewal bills that are before you today. I would also point to the large map that you can see but others can't, as well as the specific map of the Meadows Project. This bill today before you -- excuse me for a second -- is located in the East Frankford Redevelopment Area, and it calls for the 14 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 acquisition of a total of fifteen parcels, fourteen parcels which are vacant and one parcel which is an occupied residential structure which will require relocation activities. These parcels are being acquired on behalf of the Community Development Corporation of the Frankford Group Ministry, otherwise known as "FGM" for what is known as the "Wilmont Meadows new construction project." A total of fifteen new units will be constructed for low- and moderate-income families for home ownership undertaken by the Office of Housing and Community Development. The acquisition and funding of this development project will be undertaken by the Office of Housing and Community Development. I would -- we have representatives here today from the community, if you'd like to hear from them. And I would ask for a waiver of the rules. The maps are self-explanatory.

Please. You have someone from Group Ministry?

Yes. 15 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. Please identify yourself for the record.

This is Lonnie Chafin. I'm Executive Director of the Community Development Corporation of Frankford Group Ministry. I'm here to speak in favor of this urban renewal taking. The strategy here actually arose from a concentrated plan developed by the community five years ago, called "The Frankford Plan," where over 60 cosponsoring organizations got together to decide what would be the fate of our neighborhood over the next five years. And we identified the treatment of vacant lots as a priority for ourselves as a -- to remedy short dumping, to remedy kind of the blighting influence of these vacant lots, and to try to change fate of the neighborhood by stimulating new investment and stimulating new opportunities for families to locate into Frankford. This is the largest vacant log within east Frankford. And it was, of course, a priority 16 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 for to us develop this lot which is near the White Hall public housing development and near a stable part of the community, kind of filling out what can be the future of Frankford. This is the third phase of new construction within the community. We completed three years ago the Meadow II Project, which built new townhouses for sale to low- and 10 moderate-income families. 11 We're beginning construction this 12 summer on the Cloud Street project, which is 13 another four units, also for sale for low- to 14 moderate-income families. And this is two blocks 15 away from the Cloud Street parcel and will be 16 another 15 units of affordable housing. 17 We see in Frankford a strong demand for 18 affordable housing and home ownership 19 opportunities. The mortgage counseling department 20 from the Community Development Corporation 21 Frankford Group Ministry does about 250 closings 22 per year, so we help 250 families buy their first 23 house every year. That's 8 percent of the market 24 in Philadelphia for houses under $50,000. And so we've experienced a critical 17 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 demand for home ownership in our neighborhood, and we view this as a part of stabilizing Frankford and then liberating the working-class neighborhood. I have some --

Thank you. Sorry.

I have some handouts, if you'd care for them.

Please. The Sergeant-At-Arms will get them for you.

The handouts are mostly the maps that Mr. Eisenstat's already shared with you. But in addition, there are a drawing of the buildings as they would appear after construction and a floor plan of the (unintelligible). They are twin buildings meant to reduce density, four bedrooms for larger families, and are affordable. We anticipate sales prices of about 45 to $50,000.

And what's the -- your time frame for completion? When do you expect to be done?

We hope that we can get through City Council -- get City Council's 18 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 permission to initiate the taking this spring, and we think then the final -- the transfer of the property from the City to the transfer CDC will be in September or October of this year, in which case we can begin construction. I'm more aggressive than perhaps the RDA, but we can begin construction as soon as we get that land, which I would anticipate to be early spring, February of 1999.

And as you testified, this is home ownership?

Yes, sir.

Are there restrictions on individuals who, once they buy, would have the ability to convert that into some type of rental unit? For example, if I purchased the house under your program and, two years from now, decided to move, retain ownership, and use it as rental property, would I be able to do that?

The RDA has a second mortgage on the property that requires the property to be owner-occupied for 20 years.

Okay. Do any 19 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 members have questions? Councilmember Cohen?

Could there be an arrangement for their sale under certain circumstances?

I'm sorry?

Suppose there's a need which develops that requires the sale of the property. Is that permitted?

Yes, sir, it's permitted. The stricture is that the sale would have to go to an income-qualified family. So if the one who purchased the property also qualifies for the second mortgage, the transfer is allowed, but the property will have to remain affordable for 17 years. 18

What are the income 19 limitations? 20

Well, it depends on family size. It's 80 percent of median family income. And so I think that for a family of four, the income would be 35,000 a year. Does that sound right, Noel?

Approximately. 20 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271

Approximately. It depends on how big your family is how much income you can have.

Now, you referred to a 24-unit development that took place last year?

Finished in 1995, yes, sir.

In 1995. How did the sales of that go?

Vigorous. We had over 350 people -- families apply for the houses. 13

How were they 14 selected, the successful families? 15

We had four criteria. We 16 would use a different selection process for these 17 houses, but we had four criteria. 18 One is that each family had to receive 19 bank financing for the acquisition so -- 20

Had to receive. . .? 21

They must qualify for a 22 bank mortgage, so they would have to have 23 pre-approval from a bank in order to be 24 considered. And then they were considered to their 21 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 contribution to the neighborhood. Do they volunteer in the neighborhood? Are they active in the community? Do they have family in the community? Family size. We wanted people who could use all the bedrooms that we had established. And I can't remember the fourth one -- it was a while ago -- I'm sorry to say.

Have there been any complaints about any families not being able to acquire homes who wish to?

Well, it's -- a very strong strategy for us is to bring new housing opportunities for the folks in the neighborhood. We think that there are many houses in the neighborhood that require too much fix-up for families starting out. Frankford historically has been a neighborhood for families to get their first house and to start and to build up equity and to build stability for their own families. So we've seen a critical demand for folks in new housing opportunities within the neighborhood, and we think this is a very strategy 22 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 investment not only in --

Well, sounds very, very interesting. I'm just trying to see some of the parameters. I mean, what happens if a family gets rejected? I must assume that if you have many more applicants than you have units available --

Right.

-- that some families must get disappoint if they're not accepted. Who makes the decision? Is it the Community Development Corporation?

In this project, the process is -- everyone who applies is directed immediately to our mortgage counseling program to assist them in qualifying for a bank mortgage. And we have very good relationships with bankers, so we know which bank will have a greater appetite for each family; which bank will accept people without credit, say; or which banks will accept families with lower down payments or lower savings. And so we can strategize in finding the bank most likely to approve a certain family for a house. 23 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 Once that family is approved for a mortgage, these houses are on first-come-first- served basis. So the first one who is approved for a mortgage will get to choose which unit they would like to occupy.

Did you say something in your general statement about the Group Ministry creating 250 housing units a year?

We helped 250 families buy their first house, and these were houses available on the market; these weren't houses we developed.

I think that's a tremendous record. I'm stunned by the number. How many years is that record?

We've been able to do that for the last four years -- 220 to 250 each year for the last four years.

So that it's close to a thousand houses.

This year we'll celebrate our thousandth house, yes, sir.

Well, I just think that's an amazing -- Mr. Eisenstat, is there any other group in the City that's performed to that 24 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 degree?

I would suggest that question to Mr. Kromer. His office oversees the housing counseling groups. There are a number of groups. I would never say one is better than the other, but there are three or four CDCs that have active counseling programs. You'll hear from another one shortly. And I would describe this more as a baby contest than to describe which one's better than the other.

But this seems to be a pretty outstanding --

It is rather substantial. It makes a big difference in terms of the overall viability of a neighborhood in sustaining home ownership over the years.

And you have a counseling staff?

Yes, sir. I have two counselors and we'll add another one this year.

How is that funded? Is it funded by a grant from OHCD, or is --

A grant from OHCD.

And does your group 25 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 obtain any income as a result of these transactions?

No, sir.

So your operating expenses are paid for by OHCD?

From OHCD, right. And it's crucial -- we didn't want to enter into any conflicts of interest, so we don't accept fees from banks or from Realtors or from anyone else, because we really want to be on the side of the home buyer so that their interests are protected through the whole transaction.

Is there a government subsidy involved? Because producing a house for 45 to $50,000 is itself a kind of miraculous.

Maybe you ought to work for PHA. (Laughter.)

Sorry.

What's the nature of the government subsidy? Is that coming from a federal or a State grant?

In this case, it will COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 either be from a community development block grant or Home Dollars. I believe in this case it will probably be Home Dollars. It's a direct subsidy right down to the differential between the construction costs and the actual first mortgage and equity, otherwise known as "the appraised value." It's hard to estimate what that number is today because we haven't fully designed the houses, and we haven't fully received appraisals. The object is, we continue to do this activity in Frankford over time while still maintaining affordability that there will actually be an increase in the sales prices -- not substantially, but we'd rather see a long incline than a long decline in values. We're still talking about providing units where people will be able to spend less than one third of their income on the housing units, but we do hope that this will help actually appreciate real estate values in the neighborhood.

Whose dollars are the Home Dollars?

They're City dollars 27 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 that come through the Year Community Development Block Grant Program.

So that are they 5 basically -- is the origin federal? 6

Yes, they are. 7

And it goes through 8 the City pipeline? 9

Correct. 10

Directly from 11 federal to the City, or is there a State? 12

Directly through the 13 Federal Reserve, at about Fifth and Market, to the 14 City. 15

Okay, very good. 16 Thank you very much. 17

Thank you very 18 much. 19 And, Councilmember, my experience, my 20 direct experience with this organization is that 21 they really do make a stabilizing difference in 22 the community 'cause what they do is they try to 23 find properties that are on the border of a solid 24 neighborhood that's being kind of infiltrated by some of the negativity, and they stabilize that 28 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980271 section. And their homeowners are an extremely diverse group of people of all ethnicities and backgrounds, they're all working people. And it really is one of those programs that make you feel good that government money's involved in it. Just one question for the record, and Councilwoman Verna had mentioned it. What's your grant from OHCD for your staff, how much?

For mortgage counseling?

Yeah.

It's $40,000.

So for three people, it's --

I'm sorry, no, it's $69,000.

So for three people, for $69,000, doing all that work is, again, seemingly money well spent.

One other question.

Yes.

Is this rehab housing or new construction?

Today we're talking about 29 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 new construction housing. We also have a moderate rehabilitation program. We've rehabbed vacant 4 houses also for sale, also for low-income or 5 moderate-income families. 6 And on those jobs, incidently, we're 7 able to do 100 percent of the labor with Frankford 8 workers. 9

So you use the local 10 people in the community? 11

Yes, sir. 12

Well, that's 13 certainly very interesting and very effective, 14 apparently. Thank you. 15

Thank you very 16 much. Thank you for your testimony. 17 Is there anyone else in the room to 18 testify on this bill? 19 (No response.) 20

Seeing none, we 21 will now move to Bill No. 980273, which is an 22 ordinance amending an ordinance approved June 13, 23 1997, which approved the redevelopment proposal, 24 the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of 30 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 Philadelphia for the redevelopment of the New Kensington-Fishtown Urban Renewal Area, by approving the first amendment of the redevelopment proposal and the first amendment to the urban renewal plan which provide, inter alia, for certain additional land acquisition and provision of certain relocation services, as required by law, for the individuals, families, and business concerns which may be displaced. Mr. Eisenstat, please identify yourself and proceed.

I would identify myself as Noel Eisenstat. I'm the Executive Director of the City's Redevelopment Authority. I'm here today now to speak on Bill 17 980273. I would describe that as the area known as "Number 2" on the larger map before you; and as you can see, within greater detail, the smaller map as well, known as the "New Kensington Fishtown Urban Renewal Area." The bill before you calls for the acquisition through eminent domain of a total of 43 vacant lots. There will be no relocation or no 25 demolition required in any of these parcels. 31 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 These parcels will be disposed of as side yards, parking areas, recreation areas, and supplemental open space to the neighborhood property owners. This is the second phase of what is known as the "Open Space Management Pilot Program," which has been a venture of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, and the Neighborhood Gardeners Association, an affiliate of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society. As you may recall, last year, at around the same time, City Council passed the first urban renewal proposal in this area, which called for the acquisition of approximately additional 15 properties. 16 Today I have with me John Carpenter, 17 who's the Executive Director of the New Kensington 18 Community Development Corporation as well as 19 approximately a half dozen or so individuals who 20 would be the beneficiary of these various side yards and vacant lots. This is an ongoing program that has had strong support from the City's Office of Housing and Community Development, and it is our real attempt on a neighborhood basis to reuse vacant 32 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 properties in an appropriate way with substantial community input. If it's okay, I'd like to have Mr. Carpenter say a few words about the program.

Please do, Mr. Carpenter. Identify yourself for the record and continue with your testimony.

My name is John Carpenter. I'm the Executive Director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation. And I'm here today with nine families to speak in support of Bill No. 980273. New Kensington CDC has worked with dozens of neighbors who are seeking to acquire land adjacent to or near their homes. For many of these families, this legislation represents the last chance to acquire land that they have been taking care of for years. The New Kensington and Fishtown neighborhoods have had hundreds of vacant homes demolished in the past decades. In many cases, the land left behind has no developable value because of its location and small size. Much of this land is off the tax rolls and represents a 33 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 significant blight on the community. New Kensington CDC believes that this land is best used by its adjacent neighbors, allowing a reduction in the density of the neighborhood and greater amenities for those homes that remain. A yard creates a cool oasis in a hot city and allows children and families to enjoy a protected play space away from the street. Families and older residents enjoy the opportunity to garden or sit in the shade. The 43 parcels of land in this package will be given to more than 29 families and New Kensington CDC and will be used mostly for side yards, backyards and gardens. Some will be used for off-street parking. All of it is land that has been abandoned by its previous owners; and in many cases, the land has been taken care of by the neighbors who have now applied for the property through this program. On behalf of our neighbors, I urge you to support this legislation and help our community become a nicer and greener place to live. I'd like to ask for a moment that the people who are here from New Kensington stand to 34 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 demonstrate their support for the program.

Please. (New Kensington residents stand to demonstrate their support.)

Thank you very much for your attendance today.

And I'd be happy to answer any questions about the project if you'd like.

Are there any questions for this witness? (No questions.)

And we'd just ask for a suspension of the rules concerning this bill.

At this time of the year, everything gets suspended.

Okay. I'm still reminded to ask.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Is there anyone else here to testify on behalf of this bill? 35 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980273 (No response.)

Bill No. 980326 is an ordinance amending an ordinance approved December 15, 1969, as amended, which approved the redevelopment proposal, the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority for the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area, by approving the 21st amendment of the redevelopment proposal, the 13th amendment to the urban renewal plan, and the 14th amendment to the relocation plan, which provide, inter alia, for certain additional land acquisitions and provision of certain relocation services, as required by law, for the individuals, families, and business concerns which will be displaced.

My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the City's Redevelopment Authority. I'm here to speak on Bill 980326. And if you would allow me the opportunity, I'm also here to speak briefly on the subsequent bill, 980327. As you can see by the handout, this is -- I'm here today to speak on a number of land 36 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 acquisition --

I'm confused as to why you're giving me testimony for both? Should I read them both together or --

If you'd like to, I would appreciate it, but I don't know whether you can or. . . Legally, I don't know your --

No, I'm just -- are they related?

Well,, yes. If you look to the handout I've handed, in fact, the reason I point this out is simply that there is an over -- some of the projects overlap in urban renewal areas.

Fine, okay.

But both of my testimonies refer to the overlapping, so that simply let me see if I can describe it the following way.

Fine.

The first bill, 980326, which can be handled separately actually addresses six different projects. Let me see how my accounting skills are. 37 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 The first is the Spring Garden PHA Housing Development, which is the acquisition of five parcels in the Spring Garden section. This is an activity where the Housing Authority is taking the lead to rehabilitate a large number of PHA vacant -- occupied and vacant properties as well as six other vacant properties to be acquired for the rehabilitation of approximately 120 units of affordable rental housing. The Housing Authority, I would say, is in the process of selecting a joint venture of the Spring Garden Civic Association and the Community Builders as the developer of this activity. In this situation, we're here today to talk about the acquisition of five parcels that could otherwise not be acquired on the open market. The second activity is the acquisition of 12 parcels on behalf Community Ventures, Inc., which is working with the Francisville (ph.) CDC to construct 15 to 20 affordable rental units strictly reserved for senior citizens. This project is utilizing Year 23 funds as well as, hopefully, the use of low-income housing tax 38 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 credits. We expect this acquisition to be undertaken at about $84,000. The next acquisition is another activity of Community Ventures and the Francisville CDC, which is a Year home 7 ownership activity, which is the acquisition of 9 8 parcels, vacant lots, and vacant structures, no 9 relocation for the total of 15 home ownership 10 units. 11 After that, I would note on the 2200 12 block of Berks Street, the acquisition of one 13 vacant building, a two-story building that is, for 14 Project Home, who will be acquiring this project 15 so that it can be rehabilitated, utilizing the 16 Redevelopment Authority's home ownership 17 rehabilitation program. 18 I would then refer you to the 19 acquisition of two vacant lots on the 2600 block 20 of Fletcher Street for an existing business, 21 William J. Donovan Company. This is a project 22 that will provide additional expansion space. I 23 believe some of it to be parking and other 24 expansion of their existing manufacturing facility. The Authority will enter into an 39 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 agreement with Donovan directly, as well as certain costs will be funded by the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation. I would then note the acquisition of the 1600 block of North Broad Street, nine parcels. This is the area that will overlap the next testimony, and I can speak more to that later. I do have representatives here today from Project Home, Community Ventures, the Spring Garden Civic Association, and the Community Builders. I would suggest maybe if I can answer any questions first and, if necessary, we can identify these individuals, but I don't know if they all need to give testimony or not. That's your call, Council.

Okay. Thank you very much. Are there any questions for Mr. Eisenstat on the projects? Councilmember Cohen.

With respect to the rental projects you referred to in the Spring 40 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 Garden and the Francisville area --

Yes.

-- they're rental projects.

Correct, they're all rental units.

Now, who owns them currently?

Currently, the -- let me first speak to the Francisville project. Today the Francisville project, the ownership of those units today, are 12 vacant properties that will be acquired, and then there will be constructed a new construction facility of 15 to 20 rental units for senior citizens.

And who will own them when that --

My belief is they will be owned by a limited partnership where the CDC and Community Ventures would act as the general partner or managing partner, and a low-income tax-credit syndication would occur wherein investors would take advantages of the low-income housing tax credits as the limited partner of a 41 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 general partnership.

And so would it be a private venture?

It would be a not-for-profit-owned venture with a for-profit limited -- a limited partner who is taking advantage of the low-income housing tax credits. The project would be subject to a regulatory agreement that would assure rental quality standards, housing quality standards to be met as well as affordability standards to be maintained for the or 30 years of the 14 development. 15

Would the 16 Philadelphia Housing Authority play any role? 17

In this project, no, 18 there would be no role of the Philadelphia Housing 19 Authority. 20

Is there in any of the projects you mentioned?

If I had an opportunity -- in discussing the next project you asked about, there is in fact a role of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. That is what I described as 42 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 the Spring Garden PHA Housing Development. This is a development of the acquisition of five properties to date through urban renewal, six additional properties which are being acquired by the joint venture of Community Builders and the Spring Garden Civic Association and the conveyance of approximately 30 owned PHA properties. These properties, along with these other properties, will be bundled and redeveloped as part of a mixed financing plan, not unlike the other ongoing PHA rental developments that you may have heard of over the last few years. In this situation, PHA issued a request for proposal -- otherwise known as "an RFP" -- and selected a joint venture of Community Builders and the Spring Garden Civic Association to serve as the community redeveloper of these units. PHA will assure that all of the PHA residents who live in Spring Garden in these effective units will stay and will remain as part of the development while there will be a net increase in total number of tenants because of the vacancies that will be replaced. All of the 43 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 public housing tenants here will be provided for rehabilitated units as part of the development.

When you say the existing tenants will be provided for, does that mean they'll continue to live in that area?

They'll continue to live in that area. They may live in their same unit; or they may, as part of the rehabilitation plan, move to another unit that's being rehabilitated as part of this development. But they will be given the absolute priority to be able to stay within the Spring Garden neighborhood and become part of this new development.

And you say this is done in conjunction with the Spring Garden Civic Association.

That is correct. The Spring Garden Civic Association and the Community Builders have established a joint venture development entity that will serve as the developer of this development on behalf of effectively the Housing Authority since the bulk of these units are currently in PHA inventory. 44 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 And it is envisioned and planned that PHA modernization dollars, as well as annual operating contribution contracts from the Authority will run to a majority, but not all of these units.

Well, is the Spring Garden Civic Association a CDC?

Yes, it is.

So it's going to play a CDC role?

Correct, with the talents and expertise of the Community Builders.

All right, thank you.

Thank you very much. Are there any other questions for Mr. Eisenstat? (No questions.)

You had indicated in your testimony the number of groups that were here to support these projects and particular bill. Is there anyone here in opposition to this bill? This is Bill No. 980326. (No response.) 45 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980327

Okay, thank you very much. We'll now move to Bill No. 980327, which is an ordinance amending an ordinance 6 approved December 22, 1987, which approved the redevelopment proposal, the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of the Cecil B. Moore Avenue Urban Renewal Area, by approving the 4th amendment of the redevelopment proposal, the 4th amendment to the urban renewal plan and the 4th amendment to the relocation plan, which provide, inter alia, for certain additional land acquisition and provision of certain relocation services, as required by law, for the individuals families, and business concerns which will be displaced. Please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon. My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. I'm here today to comment on Bill 25 980327. This is within the Cecil B. Moore Urban 46 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980327 Renewal Area, which is actually located as Section 3 D of -- as an insert really within the Cecil B. Moore area. My testimony speaks today of the acquisition on behalf of four different developments. I would like to actually explain that the first three are all within the urban renewal area of Cecil B. Moore in its totality; and the last, which is the 1600 block Broad Street is not. I'm here to speak first on behalf of the acquisition of vacant properties -- parcels 14 in the blocks 15, 16, 17 and 1800 blocks of Cecil 15 B. Moore Avenue. Five of the 26 parcels are 16 vacant, and the remaining 21 conveying vacant 17 structures. The acquisition of these parcels will 18 be combined with inventory that is already 19 publicly-owned vacant parcels along the corridor. 20 The acquisition is at the request of the Commerce 21 Department and will make these properties 22 available for commercial development, along with 23 Cecil B. Moore Avenue corridor. This acquisition 24 is being funded by the Commerce Department. 25 The next is the acquisition of two 47 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980327 parcels located in an area known as "The Cecil B. ) Development," which is part of the City of Philadelphia's Home Ownership Initiative. Currently units of home ownership 6 are being developed in the 1700 block of North 7 18th Street as part of stage A of the Cecil B. 8 Moore project. 9 The two parcels to be acquired are 10 vacant buildings which will be rehabilitated into 11 single-family home units and incorporated in part 12 of the Home Ownership Zone Project. The estimated 13 cost associated with these acquisitions is 14 approximately $65,000. 15 And in addition, I would describe the 16 Home Ownership Zone as the areas bounded by Montgomery, North 17th, Master, and North 20th Streets. " This project involves the construction of a new charter school in the 1800 block of Cecil B. Moore Avenue between Gratz and North 19th 48 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980327 Street. The nine parcels to be acquired will be combined with the publicly -- with the -- with two larger assembled lots sustainable for development for a proposed charter school. The estimated costs of this acquisition is approximately $150,000, which is funded by the Women's Christian Alliance. The last parcel in this activity in this bill is the remaining parcels of the acquisition of the 1600 block of North Broad Street, located across from -- not far from the Temple Apollo across from the main campus of Temple University. This project consists -- is being acquired at the direction of the City through the Commerce Department and being funded by the City's Commerce Department and certain economic stimulus funds so that the City can undertake the negotiation and selection of an urban retail development on this blocks. This site is a large assemblage. And the Redevelopment Development Authority has already, at the direction of the City, acquired 49 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980327 the former Rite Aid site, otherwise known as 1624 to 1636 North Broad Street. There are 29 properties that will be acquired in the Cecil B. Moore Urban Renewal Area. Of these 29 properties, are buildings, 7 17 are vacant lots. Seven of the buildings may 8 require commercial relocation assistance, and two 9 may require residential relocation assistance. 10 These 29 properties will be combined 11 with the 9 properties which are currently being 12 acquired in the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area. The acquisition for these 29 properties is estimated at $506,000. The project is bounded by Cecil B. Moore Avenue, Broad Street, Oxford and North 15th Street. Those are the acquisitions within the Cecil B. Moore Avenue area.

Thank you very much. Before we recognize Councilmember Ortiz, we're on the bill after the one you want to comment on, so I just want to make sure if there's any questions on Bill No. 980327 for members of the committee for Mr. Eisenstat. 50 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 (No response.)

There are none. Is there anyone else in the room who wishes to testify on Bill No. 980327? (No response.)

Seeing none. The Chair recognizes Councilman Ortiz for a comment he'd like to make on a previous bill, Bill No. 10 980326.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'd just like to comment on the bill 14 related to the Spring Garden properties. This is a bill that, obviously, the community that is affected by the process and the issues that are being discussed here has no knowledge about. There's a situation which has not been discussed by the residents of those scattered-site housing. And I believe that it was tried like three years ago in which, in essence, I believe that this is an attempt to get rid of the last remaining parts of the Latino and other poor communities of the Spring Garden area. I reside there. I've resided there for 51 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 the last years. And without having a community discussion, without having a full, full breath in which the community can come together and discuss what this bill implies, what this bill's impact would be just, just like we did three years ago,. Mr. Noel Eisenstat, remember? That when John White brought the community together? All of the people that reside, all the families that resided in those houses were brought to a meeting, and the issues were discussed and what it meant, what were the implications, the process that was going to be done. And on that point, it became very clear that the issue was not just renovation but the removal of poor people from that area, the total gentrification of the Spring Garden area, at the detriment of the current residents there who are poor, working-class; and, in the great majority, Latinos. And so I would like this committee not to go forward with this situation until we have a full community meeting, until the community and the tenants that are going to be impacted by this are informed, and they know the full implications 52 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 of what is going to happen. This, again, doing it behind the closed doors, and it's going to be to the detriment. And, like I said, I believe the gentrification, the plan that was begun in the early seventies, the gentrification, the total gentrification of the Spring Garden area. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you very much for your comments. Are there any other questions or comments for Mr. Eisenstat on this bill? Councilmember Cohen.

Just one question, Councilman Ortiz, are you referring to Bills 980326 and 980327?

Just 326.

Just 326 is the one bill.

(Inaudible, off-mike.)

Has there been, Mr. Eisenstat, any involvement in the Latino in these discussions? 53 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326

Let me preface my discussion as saying that this is a project that is being undertaken by the Spring Garden Civic and Communities Builders. As it related to the issue of community involvement and making sure that individuals who have lived in these units were well-informed, it is my standing that the Housing Authority, along with the funding of the City's Office of Housing and Community Development, funded a consulting contract to fund an individual to actually undertake this outreach to work with the community, who lives both in the neighborhood but specifically with the PHA residents. And an individual has been hired to serve as their liaison and their facilitator in this matter. It's a gentleman by the name of Dom Molino (ph.), who actually has resided in Spring Garden for a number of years. At one point, I understand -- though I've never met Mr. Molino -- he used to work for the City's Department of Licensing and Inspection, and that he has been given the task of coordinating the community aspects with PHA while his contractual 54 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 arrangements work through the Office of Housing and Community Development.

Is he here?

No, he's not. We do have representatives, if you wish to speak with them, from the Spring Garden Civic and from the Community Builders. I would note that the public forum is clearly the appropriate place to discuss this matter, but we're talking about a 120-unit development, and the matter for today is relatively important. But, in scope, I would describe it as the acquisition of five parcels out of a development which entails the rehabilitation and new construction of 120 housing units.

So the bill, 980326, deals with the acquisition of five of the vacant, or are they four vacant?

All the properties that the Redevelopment Authority has been asked to acquire on behalf of this development are vacant properties. There will be no residential displacement to be caused by this acquisition.

And by whom are they 55 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 owned, these five properties?

They're owned by a spattering of land owners, who have owned these properties for a number of years. Some of these properties are, well, blighted to say the least; as well as some of them are also, well, tax delinquent as well.

Are any of these five owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority?

No. The properties owned by the Housing Authority are the other 30 properties that I spoke to you about in my testimony that are currently, I would say, the majority of those are -- more than a majority of those are occupied, and that the Housing Authority would go through its process, and is going through its own process of the selection of a redeveloper in the disposition of these properties through a regulatory agreement, not unlike the other developments that PHA is now involved with private ownership and private management.

How would we effectuate the kind of discussions that Councilman Ortiz was speaking about? 56 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326

I think that those -- some of -- I have not spoken to Councilman Ortiz. I did have one brief discussion with him a few weeks back about this matter when I knew it was to be posted. I would suggest that, although the Authority can be involved as well as the Office of Housing and Community Development, the bulk of the development issues really sound like PHA tenants and PHA inventory, and I would think that some involved with the PHA staff on Chestnut Street would be advisable as well. This project will also need a series of reviews and approvals from the PHA Board as well.

All right.

Thank you very much, Councilmember. Is there a representative from the Spring Garden CDC that would like to be on the record on this issue? (Spring Garden representative comes forward.)

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. 57 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326

Please identify yourself for the record.

Allen Rubin (ph.), and I'm a resident of the Spring Garden area and have been since 1968. I'm on the Board of Directors -- it is a five-person board -- of the Spring Garden Community Development Corporation. This is not the Spring Garden Civic Association. Of the five members that are on the board, Justino Navarro (ph.), a long-term resident of the neighborhood and his family has lived in the neighborhood for two generations. Manny Delgado (ph.) is a long-term -- he was born in the neighborhood, his father was born in the neighborhood, and his grandfather still lives in the neighborhood, and his grandfather lives on Spring Garden Street in a tower for the elderly. And his family lives in something called "The Spanish Village," which you may be familiar with, which is a 235 or 236 program. There are two members out of the five members, one of whom is a secretary basically, and that's her position. 58 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 So 50 percent of the active people on that board are Hispanic. And not only that, but they are very well respected, they are very active in the community, and they are very well aware of this proposal. Thank you very much.

You heard Councilman Ortiz's concerns when he spoke. Would there be any problem in developing some kind of dialogue with the folks at PHA so they will know what's ongoing, and we could perhaps win their support?

There is no intention here of deceiving anyone.

We understand that.

There is a meeting scheduled. The tenants in PHA have been informed and misinformed on this issue for a number of years by individuals, both private and in government. And that, unfortunately, continues. There have been people going door to door, trying to explain the nature of this proposal. And why the Councilman has his position. I have known him 30 years. He used to live at 22nd and Mt. Vernon. He now lives in 59 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 Francisville. I don't know if he has an objection to the Francisville proposal where he lives, but he seems to be objecting to ours. I don't think he's familiar with the Spring Garden CDC, and --

Well, that's the reason I would like to see a discussion.

I will try to explain to him. From this location, I will try to go to his office and explain to him who's on the Community Development Corporation. I don't know if it will do any good or not, but I certainly will explain the --

Well, we need more than who's on the board. What we need is how do we give reassurance to folks in the PHA unit that this is not a part of gentrification process aiming at displacing them.

Well, I've heard -- I mean, I've lived there for a number of years. This neighborhood has been stable for many years. I mean, in the sixties, I heard the word "gentrification," but I haven't heard it recently till today.

It's not been heard 60 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 of for some years now. (Speakers talking over each other; dialogue unintelligible at this point.)

Well, there are things that have come up from time. I do not believe that this proposal will change the economic or the racial configuration of Spring Garden at all.

But you wouldn't have any objection to there being discussions at a public meeting where if they have questions --

I believe there's a meeting scheduled. There have been people going door to door, hired by the Philadelphia Housing Authority explaining this, and I believe there is a meeting scheduled --

Well, the Public Housing Authority is not in a position where it exercises much confidence in its actions, you know. There's a great deal of internal division. So I don't know what the impact is of Philadelphia Housing employees, you know, going anywhere. It's kind of in turmoil. There's a new director, there's a lot of question about the new director. He has some support, he has a lot of 61 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 opposition. And, in general, we've had hearings that concern PHA policies. And there was a broad -- you know, differences of opinion about that. But what I'm talking about is, is there any way that there can be a kind of community discussion so that questions that are hidden can be raised out in the open and efforts can be made to deal with them so that this development, you know, if justified, can move forward with everybody's support rather than being, you know, an object of suspicion by some folks. That's all I'm aiming at trying to do. How do we get it discussed and questions answered.

It is my understanding that there is a meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening at the church on Spring Garden and 18th. That is my understanding. Now, whether or not the notices have gone out, they were requested that the Philadelphia Housing Authority send those notices out or deliver them. And I assume that they have done that.

Well, as I say, I 62 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980326 don't --

And if they have not done that, then there won't be a meeting and then we will have to reschedule it with private people making those announcements.

Well, that's what I'm suggesting. It would be much healthier, maybe, if the CDC took the initiative, you know, or some private citizens took the initiative.

If the meeting is not well-attended tomorrow evening with representatives of the community, of the entire community of those people who are affected -- and the people affected are the entire community. And if they are not present in significant numbers, then that will have to be addressed in a different way, and I certainly agree with you on that.

All right. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Sir, you look like you'd like to something. (Mr. Rubin indicates no.)

No? Okay, thank 63 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 you very much. Is there anyone else to testify? (No response.)

Thank you. We'll now move to Bill 980330, which is an ordinance 7 amending an ordinance, approved December 15, 1969, as amended, which approved the redevelopment proposal, the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of Grays Ferry Urban Renewal Area, by approving the eighth amendment of the redevelopment proposal and the urban renewal plan, which provide, inter alia, for the expansion of the northwestern boundary to 36th Street between Wharton Street and Grays Ferry Avenue, certain additional land acquisition; and provision of certain relocation services, as required by law, for the individuals, families, and business concerns which will be displaced. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon let me introduce myself. My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia 64 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 Redevelopment Authority. I'm here to speak on Bill 980330, which is the eighth amendment to the Grays Ferry amended urban renewal area and redevelopment area. This activity, which is before you is part of the redevelopment proposal, is to acquire one blighted property at 1201 South 35th Street to old railroad rights-of-way at 1201 South 35th Street and 1201 South 36th Street for the proposed new construction of future commercial and industrial reuses. This will also help keep in Philadelphia the DuPont Marshall Laboratories facility, which is located across from Grays Ferry Avenue and its workforce of approximately 400 employees. The boundaries of the extended renewal area are Wharton Street from 32nd to 36th Street, 36th Street to Grays Ferry Avenue, and Grays Ferry Avenue along 31st Street. The Redevelopment Authority is not proposing to acquire any residential properties in this area. I would note that 1201 South 35th is occupied by a mixed-use commercial business. It 65 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 is a blighting influence on the gateway to the City and attracts a series of traffic -- causes some -- there's some issues of traffic and parking congestion on the site. The Redevelopment Authority is initiating this process on behalf of the City's Commerce Department and will be utilizing funds made available from the Commerce Department to undertake this activity. With me today is Stephen Mullin, the City's Commerce Director.

Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Thank you and good afternoon. My name is Stephen Mullin. I'm the Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia, and I'd like to offer a bit of testimony to augment what Mr. Eisenstat mentioned and to recommend support of this particular bill. Over the last year -- actually about last spring, a little bit more than a year, the Commerce Department has been working along with the Redevelopment Authority Planning Commission, and the Mayor's office, and Councilwoman Verna's 66 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 office to improve and develop the industrial area of Grays Ferry west of 34th Street. Our efforts began in earnest last spring when we were made aware of possible closure of the DuPont Marshall Labs and its threatened relocation to a newer plan in Virginia. Fortunately, we have been successful in retaining Dupont, with nearly 400 jobs, and they are actually expanding at the plant there. One of DuPont's critical concerns has been the blighted area around its labs. The blight in the neighborhood has been detrimental not only to DuPont's image but the attraction of good employees to its Grays Ferry site. The Marshall Labs site has been working to attract other DuPont operations from locations outside the City, with the understanding that the City would work to improve the surrounding conditions. The passage of Bill 980330, approving the expansion of the Grays Ferry Urban Renewal Area and allowing additional land acquisition will allow the City to continue in moving the blighted industrial and commercial properties affecting DuPont and the surrounding neighborhood. The 67 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 improvement of the area also will make way for additional development. Positive discussions have taken place within the community and with the development officials about a possible light industrial technology park, which would complement the DuPont development and complement the University City Science Center across the river. The development of the technology park has the potential to create hundreds of much-needed jobs for residents of not only the Grays Ferry neighborhood, but of the entire City. And I do also want to add a note. There is a -- this area actually looks almost like a crescent or a horse shoe along the Schuylkill River, and actually literally goes literally underneath the Grays Ferry Bridge. There is a pocket of residential that sort of fits right in the crescent. On all of our plans and any of the discussions that we've had, we do not intend to look at taking any residential properties at all. In fact, we do believe that this is sort of -- this is, in one sense, the edge of a neighborhood 68 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 that has been completely and utterly blighted. The two particular parcels here, one is literally the entrance the Grays Ferry corner there. You can see it from the highway. There's an old grain elevator with a rusted dilapidated super structure, and various businesses operating sort of operating off of the side of the property. And the two other parcels are essentially old railroad right-of-way's that used to run along Grays Ferry Avenue that have virtually no use now. They've been used for access parking for commercial businesses there.

Thank you, gentlemen. I think you know the amount of meetings that we have had concerning this issue. I guess I know that you've said it. I just want you to say it one more time and make it eminently clear that we do not intend, do not intend to take any residential properties for condemnation in this bill.

There will be no 24 residential relocation as part of this bill. The only acquisition that is a part of this bill is 69 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980330 either vacant property or one existing blighting commercial property. There are no residential units in this bill identified for taking. And, therefore, this bill will not result in any residential displacement.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you very much. Are there any other questions for these witnesses? (No questions.)

Thank you. Is there anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Thank you very much. We will now move to Bill No. 980331, which is an ordinance approving the redevelopment proposal of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of a portion of the Point Breeze East Redevelopment 70 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 Area; Point Breeze East Urban Renewal Area being the area generally bounded by the southerly side of Washington Avenue on the north, the westerly side of Broad Street on the east, the northerly side of Moore Street on the south, and the easterly side of 20th Street on the west; approving the urban renewal plan and determining that such plan and redevelopment proposal conform to the general locality plan and make adequate provisions for individuals, business concerns, and families who are displaced; determining the necessity for changes in and for zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns, location, and relocation of public utilities; determining that the urban renewal plan and the redevelopment proposal prohibit discrimination because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or handicap; declaring that condemnation is not imminent with respect to the project, except as otherwise expressly provided for in the proposal; and declaring the redevelopment undertakings in the project to be an important part of the City's program to remove and prevent the spread of urban blight. 71 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 Please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon. Let me introduce myself. My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. I'm here to speak on the Point Breeze East Urban Renewal Area. As a point of reference, the handout I handed out earlier, we're now at letter G. It is otherwise described on the large map here of the City and the smaller map further to your left. Today's activity is the acquisition in the Point Breeze Redevelopment Area, an area generally bounded by Washington Avenue to the North, Broad Street to the east, Moore Street to the south, and 20th Street to the west. It will authorize the acquisition of six properties. The properties to be acquired will be developed through a combination of rehabilitation. In particular five of the property within this list are vacant structures that will be rehabilitated for home ownership; as well as the acquisition of a sixth property, a 72 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 vacant lot that will be made available for new construction of a rental project primarily focussed for senior citizens. The development of this land is, in part, a result of the Point Breeze strategic plan, which was prepared by the Point Breeze Community Development Corporation. The community support and the possibility of substantial development were influential factors in selecting this site for redevelopment. There are a number of individuals here today on behalf of the project. You may, Council Chairperson, you may wish to ask those folks to identify themselves. I know a number of them are in the audience, and you --

Do you have their names?

Yes, I do.

Okay, good. Gentlemen, would you like to come forward. Good afternoon please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon. My name is Kelly Woodland (ph.), and I'm the Executive 73 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 Director with 18th Street Development Corporation. And I'm President of the Point Breeze Community Development Coalition.

And you're here today in support of this legislation?

Yes, I'm here today in support of this legislation. Approximately three years ago, myself and several neighbors. clergymen, and other service providers in Point Breeze met with Councilwoman Anna Verna and OHCD Director John Kromer with regard to housing development issues in Point Breeze. Since that time, one of the things that was you urged at that meeting was to develop a neighborhood-wide strategic plan to address that issue. We went back to the community, organized them, and coordinated a neighbor-driven community development strategic plan that was completed about a year ago. Today, this legislation is one step in the, you know, in implementing and executing the vision of that strategic plan, so we're definitely in support of it. It would increase the capacity of other organizations -- other housing 74 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 organizations in Point Breeze to make a difference regarding housing and other opportunities.

Thank you very much. Sir, would you like to add anything?

Yes.

Please identify yourself for the record.

Okay. Good afternoon. My name is Alfred M. Brown. I'm the Executive Director of the Point Breeze Performing Arts Centers Point CDC. We are a CDC as well. And I'm also a resident within the community. And we at the Point CDC facilitated this strategic plan over the process of it getting done, so we're here to support it. It's exactly what we need to keep the process going.

Thank you very much for taking the time to come in. Councilmember Verna, do you have anything to --

Yes, Mr. Chairperson. I simply would like to publicly thank 75 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 Mr. Woodland and Mr. Brown for all of the work, time, and energy that they have put into the strategic plan. And I think that your work will prove to be very fruitful when you see us finally completing first stage of all the work that you've done. Thank you.

Thank you.

(Inaudible, off-mike.) . . . we would welcome them to continue this kind of activity, actually to initiate it.

Well, you can't have -- no trade clauses in there, Councilmember.

That's right, okay.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Is there anyone else to testify on these bills? Yes, Mr. Eisenstat, is there something you want to add?.

If I could just further add to my testimony that in addition to these parcels that are primarily on South 35th and 36th Streets, I would also note that there is one also 76 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980331 -- one additional parcel which is within the bill 3 and within the plan, which in my testimony, I forgot to mention, which is the acquisition of 2733 Seer Street. The 2700 block of Seer Street is a block that the City's Housing and Community Development had directed and is undertaking through the Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation, a model block redevelopment plan. This is a property that was originally occupied when that started some time ago. And now that the fact that this building is vacant, we wish to corporate that into this development. And my testimony should reflect that as well.

Thank you.

I have no other testimony, and a waiver of the rules.

On this bill?

Yes.

Okay. Is there anyone else here to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Seeing none, we will now do Bill No. 9803 -- yes? 77 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335

I would also note for the record that there were also some small addendum corrections to certain legal descriptions, which will be incorporated as part of today's hearings, as it related to the parcels on 35th and 36th Street.

But are not issues that are needed to amend this bill?

Correct.

Okay. Are you done?

I'm done, sorry.

Thank you. Are you sure? You promise?

Never.

Okay, good. We will now do Bill No. 980335, which is an ordinance amending an ordinance proved August 30, 1965, as amended, which approved the redevelopment proposal, the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of the Center City Redevelopment Area, Franklin Urban Renewal Area, by approving 78 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335 the third amendment of the Redevelopment proposal and the fourth amendment to the urban renewal plan, which provided, inter alia, for the expansion of the southwestern boundary to Ridge Avenue, between Charlton Street and Wood Street, the establishment of a mixed-land use category and related controls for the block generally bounded by Ridge Avenue, Charlton Street, Ninth Street, and Wood Street; a revision in the commercial-land use category to permit local retail and corner store reuses; and a modification to exclude the mixed-use category from the provisions of the Industrial/Public/Commercial regulations for certain additional lands acquisitions. Please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon. Let me introduce myself. My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. I'm here to provide testimony on bill 23 980335, which has already been read into the record and described as an amendment to the Center City Redevelopment Area, Franklin Town Urban 79 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335 Renewal Area. Let me explain this development as the amendment involves the acquisition of a total of properties. These 11 properties will be 6 conveyed to an entity under the control of the 7 Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, 8 which will acquire these properties to construct 9 12 units for home ownership. 10 I would note that this project is 11 consistent and follows from the -- let me describe also that these 11 properties are 9 vacant lots, 1 unused easement, and 1 vacant structure that will be acquired. The site is located across from Ninth Street from the newly-constructed 51-unit housing development, which was just completed by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. It will further alleviate the blighting influence that has been known to this part of the City. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer. As well as you can see, Ms. Cecilia Yep is here, the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. 80 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335

Thank you very much. Councilman DiCicco.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Eisenstat, I want to be certain. The properties we're speaking to will take care of all of the properties that we have been looking at probably before the ribbon-cutting at the Hing Wah Yu (ph.), but it's everything across the street from Holy Redeemer or no?

Not everything.

Are the two properties that are occupied on this chart here?

We will not be taking the occupied properties at this time.

But there's another -- they're being addressed by the Department of Licenses and Inspections, I believe, right?

(Response unintelligible.)

So with the exception of those two, I think it's 913 and 911, 81 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335 everything else.

That's my secondhand understanding, that is correct.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Okay. Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, and the committee.

Good afternoon.

My name is Sophia Pham, P-H-A-M. I'm the Director of Development with the Chinatown -- with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation. We're here in support of Bill Number 980335. PCDC has a track record of developing affordable housing in Chinatown. For a number of years already, since our inception in 1969, PIDC has developed over 200 units of affordable housing, and we want to continue to do that. And it is imperative today that we get those blighted properties into development and continue to meet the critical shortage of housing in that area and continue to strengthen the Chinatown North area, 82 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980335 where we have just completed the 51-unit new housing.

Okay. Thank you very much. Are there any questions for this witness? (No questions.)

Miss Yep, would you like to offer any testimony?

No, except to say, as usual, I'm in support of this, anything to improve the conditions of the Chinatown community. And this is the only -- the next blighted area, Phase II of a comprehensive plan.

Could you do me a favor. We know you, but could you please identify yourself for the stenographer's purpose.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm Cecilia Yep, Y-E-P, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation.

Great. Thank you for your patience and waiting this long. Is there anything else? I'm sorry, is there something you'd like to add? 83 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980332

Yes. Can we waive the rules?

It's done. Thank you. Is there anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Thank you. We will now move to Bill No. 980332, which is an ordinance approving the redevelopment proposal of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of a portion of the Sarah Allen Redevelopment Area, Sarah Allen Urban Renewal Area, being the area generally bounded by the centerline of Westminster Avenue on the north, the centerline of 40th Street on the east, the centerline of Aspen Street on the south, and the centerline of Lancaster Avenue and Holly Street on the west; approving the urban renewal plan and determining that such plan and redevelopment proposal conform to the general locality plan and make adequate provisions for individuals, business concerns, and families who are displaced; determining the necessity for 84 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980332 changes in and for zoning, streets, alleys, public ways, street patterns, location, and relocation of public utilities; determining that the urban renewal plan and the redevelopment proposal prohibit discrimination because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, or handicap; declaring that the condemnation is not imminent with respect to the project, except as otherwise expressly provided for in the proposal; and declaring that the redevelopment undertakings in the project to be an important part of the City's program to remove and prevent the spread of urban blight. Please identify yourself for the record and proceed.

Good afternoon. My name is Noel Eisenstat, I'm the Executive Director of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia. I'm here to speak on the Sarah Allen Urban Renewal Area. I would also describe this has another project not unlike the Cecil B. Moore Model Cities project that will abut two urban renewal areas, which refer to Bill 98033. 85 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980332 The bill before you today is the acquisition of -- within the bill before you today, there are two separate acquisitions for two different activities. But first -- excuse me for a second -- it is the home ownership activity undertaken for low- and moderate-income households. Six vacant buildings will be acquired on behalf of Friends Rehab Program. The Office of Housing and Community Development has committed funds for both the acquisition and development. The second activity is the acquisition of vacant properties in the Sarah Allen Urban 15 Renewal Area along with nine vacant properties in 16 the Mantua Urban Renewal Area, which is in a 17 subsequent bill. 18 These two acquisitions will result in 19 the ability for the development of a project to be 20 financed through the Office of Housing and 21 Community Development and the use of low-income 22 housing tax credits. 23 This is an approximately 30- to 40-unit 24 building that has not yet been designed. A 25 developer will be selected after the land has been 86 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980332 acquired through a request for proposal process, not unlike the request for proposal process that the Authority has undertaken on behalf of other rental projects. There were very -- I would also note that in this area, which is also otherwise known as "Belmont," a series of community meetings were held with the staff of both the Redevelopment Authority and Planning Commission and the contacts with Councilwoman Blackwell. And this matter has been approved by the Redevelopment Authority Board as well as the Planning Commission, with no 14 objections from the Belmont Civic Association.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Are there any questions for this witness? (No questions.)

Is there anyone else in the room to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Thank you. We will move now to Bill No. 980333 which is an ordinance amending an ordinance 87 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980333 approved December 15, 1969, as amended, which approved the redevelopment proposal, the urban renewal plan, and the relocation plan of the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia for the redevelopment of Mantua Urban Renewal Area, by approving the eighth amendment of the redevelopment proposal and the fifth amendment of the urban renewal plan, and the amended relocation plan, by providing inter alia, for certain additional land acquisition; and provision of certain relocation services, as required by law for the individuals, families, and business concerns which will be displaced. Please identify yourself for the record.

Good afternoon. My name is Noel Eisenstat. I am the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. Bill 98033 is a companion to the previous bill, 980332, which constructs the acquisition of a total of 34 properties to undertake certain defendants within the -- within this area otherwise known as "Belmont." 88 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - BILL 980333 The bill before you today concerning the Mantua Urban Renewal Area consists of the acquisition of six vacant structures and three vacant lots. These parcels, along with the various parcels I've identified in my previous testimony, will be unified and consolidated in order to undertake a rental development consistent with the plans of the community.

Thank you very much for your testimony. Any questions for Mr. Eisenstat? (No questions.)

Is there anyone else in the room to testify on this bill? (No response.)

Seeing none, that will conclude business of the Rules Committee public hearing. - - -

We will now convene a public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilmember DiCicco for a motion on Bill No. 980168 with a rules suspension. 89 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING

168?

168. No, I'm sorry. Hold on, hold on one second. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill 970518.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 970518 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation. I further move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 970518 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember DiCicco for a motion on Bill 970168.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 90 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING I move that Bill No. 970168 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and that the rules of Council be suspended. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 970168 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. Bill No. 970751 is being withdrawn at the request of the sponsor. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill 980271.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 980271 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation. Also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. 91 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 980271 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and an additional request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember DiCicco for a motion on Bill No. 980273.

I move that Bill 12 No. 980273 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, and that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of City Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 20 980273 will be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and an additional request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. Prior to accepting a motion on Bill No. 92 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING 980326, we will acknowledge for the record Councilman Ortiz's comments relative to the bill. However, no request for a holding of this bill has been made by the sponsor. It is the Chair's recommendation that if the sponsor view it necessary to hold this bill, that the sponsor do so on the day of second reading of final passage. And the Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill 980326.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 980326 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation. And I further move that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor? Are there any opposed?

I'm going to abstain.

Okay, there is one abstention noted of Councilmember Cohen. With that, Bill No. 980326 will be reported out of this 93 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill No. 980327.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 980327 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, and also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 18 980327 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session.. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill 980330.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 980330 be reported out of 94 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING committee with a favorable recommendation. Also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 10 980330 is reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Verna for a motion on Bill 980331.

Mr. Chairman, I move that Bill No. 980331 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation. Also a recommendation that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. 95 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING Bill No. 980331 will be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember Cohen for a motion on Bill No. 980332.

I move that Bill No. 10 980332 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation with a request for suspension of the rules. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 17 980332 is reported out of this committee favorably, with a request for rules suspension so as to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilman Cohen for a motion on Bill No. 980333.

I move that Bill No. 24 980333 be reported out with a favorable recommendation and also a request for suspension 96 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING of the rules of Council to permit first reading at our next session of City Council on Thursday. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 8 980333 will be reported out of this committee favorably, and a request will be made for the suspension of rules to allow for first reading at our next Council session. The Chair recognizes Councilmember DiCicco for a motion on Bill 980335.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No. 980335 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)

Moved and seconded. All in favor, aye? There are none opposed. Bill No. 980335 will be reported out of 97 COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES - PUBLIC MEETING this committee with a favorable recommendation, and a request will be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. That concludes the business of the public meeting of the Rules Committee. Thank you for your attendance. (Adjourned at 2:43 p.m.) - - - 98 C E R T I F I C A T E I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing proceedings of the Council of the City of Philadelphia of Tuesday, June 1, 1998, were reported and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES BILL NO.'S 970518, 980168, 980271, 980273, 980326, 980327, 980330, 980331, 980332, 980333, 980335 __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter