COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA2 COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY AND3 PUBLIC WORKS4 5 6 Room 400, City Hall7 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Tuesday, March 8, 20118 11:15 a.m. 9 10 PRESENT: COUNCILMAN DARRELL CLARKE, CHAIR11 COUNCILWOMAN JANNIE BLACKWELL COUNCILMAN FRANK DiCICCO12 COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO, JR.13 14 BILL 110059 - An Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property, on behalf of15 the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease agreement with the Philadelphia16 Authority for Industrial Development, for use of a premises by the City located at 122117 Bainbridge Street... 18 - - -19 20 21 22 23 24 25 2 1
Good2 morning. This is the Committee on Public3 Property and Public Works. We have4 established a quorum: Councilman Frank5 Rizzo, Councilman Frank DiCicco,6 Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller. We have7 also in attendance Councilwoman Jannie8 Blackwell.9 Mr. Carter, will you please10 read the title of the bill.11
Bill No. 110059, an12 Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of13 Public Property, on behalf of the City of14 Philadelphia, to enter into a sublease15 agreement with the Philadelphia Authority16 for Industrial Development, for use of a17 premises by the City located at 122118 Bainbridge Street, Philadelphia,19 Pennsylvania, all under certain terms and20 conditions.21
Thank you22 very much.23 Our first witness, Ms. Mintz.24 (Witness approached witness25 3 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 table.)2
Good morning,3 Chairman Clarke and the members of the4 Committee on Public Property and Public5 Works. My name is Dainette Mintz and I6 am the Director of the Office of7 Supportive Housing. The mission of OSH8 is to assist individuals and families in9 moving toward independent living and10 self-sufficiency. We plan and coordinate11 Philadelphia's response to homelessness.12 I am here today to testify in13 support of the proposed lease between the14 City and the Philadelphia Authority for15 Industrial Development for property16 located at 1221 Bainbridge Street in17 Philadelphia. The Office of Supportive18 Housing seeks to relocate an existing19 residential training program from 121120 Bainbridge Street to 1221 Bainbridge21 Street. The new space is in better22 condition and provides more space for the23 existing program. The surrounding24 community has supported the program since25 4 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 its inception and continues to do so.2 OSH has contracted with the Doe3 Fund to operate the Ready, Willing and4 Able program at 1211 Bainbridge Street5 since 2001. The program provides job6 training, support for recovery from7 substance abuse, paid work experience and8 job opportunities for up to 70 single9 homeless men at a time. Employment10 outcomes are highly competitive for the11 industry and the population. Half of12 those who are served by the program leave13 with employment.14 The "Men in Blue," as15 participants are called, are a proud16 feature of Philadelphia life. You have17 probably seen them cleaning and gardening18 in Center City, the Benjamin Franklin19 Parkway, Kelly Drive or other parts of20 Philadelphia, where they hold their heads21 high as they go about their work.22 We respectfully request your23 approval of a long-term lease between the24 City and PAID, which will further25 5 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 strengthen this model program.2 Thank you.3
Thank you,4 Ms. Mintz.5 Councilman DiCicco.6 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Yeah.7 Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I8 apologize for being late, but for some9 reason it wasn't on my schedule and it's10 a bill that I introduced.11 I'm not sure if my colleagues12 are familiar with Ready, Willing and13 Able. It is a fantastic institution, and14 normally when we get requests for these15 types of facilities to be located in a16 neighborhood, you normally get people who17 come out and oppose it, because for18 obvious reasons they think that this is19 not going to be a benefit or an asset to20 their community. In this case, a few21 years ago when Ready, Willing and Able --22 I think you were expanding or something;23 I can't remember exactly what it was. It24 was the first time in my 15 years or so25 6 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 that the residents came out and said we2 want these guys to stay here. They are3 such an asset to the community. So for4 me, this is a no-brainer.5 I just want to thank you and6 thank all the folks from Ready, Willing7 and Able as well.8 Thank you.9
Thank15 you. I am happy to support the District16 Councilperson and certainly Dainette17 Mintz and my friend Rob Hess and his team18 and the City. I'm glad -- we don't19 always -- we're not always on the same20 page. It's wonderful when we are, and21 it's a wonderful program, as we all know,22 and certainly we're happy to support it23 as well.24
Thank you,25 7 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 Councilwoman. I concur.2 Councilwoman Miller.3
Yes. I4 also just want to support this bill.5 Ready, Willing and Able, I see them all6 the time, everywhere, particularly on my7 way to work. They're at -- right up from8 the Art Museum doing work there, and I've9 seen them in the park on 33rd Street. I10 think it's a wonderful organization and11 it's something that we need more of here12 in Philadelphia.13 Thank you.14
Again, boy,17 I'll tell you, this is a party around18 here, but this is such a good19 opportunity, and thank you.20 Want us to go around again?21 But, again, congratulations.22 I'm sure this is going to be a great23 asset.24
Thank you. Thank25 8 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 you so much.2 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: They're3 only trying to be kind to me because I'm4 retiring.5
Well, I6 guess I might as well chime in. I don't7 want to be left out.8 I concur with all my colleagues9 on the wonderful asset that Ready,10 Willing and Able has been in this city11 and had the occasion years ago to visit12 them in New York when there was the first13 discussion about coming to Philadelphia,14 and I'm happy that they came. I'm not15 happy that they didn't locate in my16 district, which was the original deal,17 but I'm glad that you all are here, and18 it's been a great asset and a great19 program, and we hope to throughout our20 city, wherever we had the need for some21 sort of transitional housing or shelter22 services, that we come up with a model23 that fits this particular model. So I24 think this is a good deal for us.25 9 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591
And,3 Councilman DiCicco, good work on giving4 them additional opportunities and5 additional space in your Council6 district.7
Any other10 questions for this witness?11 (No response.)12
There being13 none, thank you very much.14 Anyone else to testify on this15 bill?16 (No response.)17
There being18 none, this concludes the public hearing19 on the Committee of Public Property and20 Public Works. We now move into the21 public meeting.22 Councilman DiCicco, can you23 please give me a motion on Bill No.24 110059.25 10 3/8/11 - PUBLIC PROPERTY - BILL 1100591 COUNCILMAN DiCICCO: Thank you,2 Mr. Chairman. I move that Bill No.3 110059 be reported out of this Committee4 with a favorable recommendation and that5 the rules of Council be suspended so as6 to permit first reading at our next7 session of City Council.8 (Duly seconded.)9
It's been10 moved and seconded.11 All in favor?12 (Aye.)13
The ayes17 have it. Bill No. 110059 is reported out18 of Committee with a favorable19 recommendation with rules suspension as20 to allow reading at the next session of21 Council.22 Thank you all very much.23 (Committee on Public Property24 and Public Works concluded at 11:20 a.m.)25 11 1 CERTIFICATE2 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the3 proceedings, evidence and objections are4 contained fully and accurately in the5 stenographic notes taken by me upon the6 foregoing matter on March 8, 2011, and7 that this is a true and correct8 transcript of same.9 10 11 12 13 --------------------14 MICHELE L. MURPHY15 RPR-Notary Public16 17 18 19 (The foregoing certification of this20 transcript does not apply to any reproduction21 of the same by any means, unless under the22 direct control and/or supervision of the23 certifying reporter.)24 25