Thank you, Mr. Blue. Good morning. Kindly identify yourself for the record and proceed with your testimony.
Good morning. My name is Francis Vargas, and I'm here today representing Asociacion de Puertorriquenos En Marcha Incorporated, otherwise known as APM. I'm here to provide testimony in support of Bill 000794. APM is a social service agency which was founded 30 years ago to serve the needs of Philadelphia's Latino community. Today, APM has grown into an organization which employs over 200 local residents and serves both Latinos and non-Latinos citywide. Just over ten years, APM decided to venture into community development. In the past ten years, APM has developed 212 rental units for low-income families 8 home ownership units for 54 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000794 low-income first-time home buyers, and a shopping center, including a 40,000 square foot supermarket. Currently, APM is working on developing a home ownership project, a State- and City-funded demonstration project, that we anticipate start construction in December of 2001. As we look ahead at our strategic plan over our next two projects, we have a 30-unit seniors development and a headquarters facility for APM, both of which are located in the Model Cities Urban Renewal Area and included in Bill No. 000794. The proposed APM seniors development will be located in the northwest corner of Fifth and Norris Street, across the street from our shopping center, (indiscernible) Plaza. This site is currently a vacant lot, and we plan to develop a 30-unit newly-constructed residential facility for senior citizens. From a development standpoint, this proposal development will clearly complement several million dollars of development and investment, both across the street in the shopping center and a block away in our other houses 55 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000794 developments. Perhaps even more crucial is that this proposed development would address the growing need in our community for decent, safe, affordable housing for our elderly. The project has an estimated development cost of $3 million. APM will be applying to HUD for Section 202 funding and will seek out additional private sources to fill the financing gap. The second project included in Bill No. 11 000794 is the proposed APM headquarters. The proposed facility will be a newly-constructed 55,000 square foot two-story building that will house many of APM's social service as well as our administrative offices. This will allow APM to centralize some of our core operating functions as well as create new programs and expand our existing services. The land we are requesting the Redevelopment Authority to acquire consists of 19 vacant lots that form half a city block. The site is located on the 2400 block of North Sixth Street. This project will complement the City's neighborhood transformations initiative with the removal of blight along the Sixth Street corridor, and will also complement our other existing 56 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000794 developments along the 1900, 2000, 2100, and 2200 blocks of North Sixth Street. 2 million. To date, we have $3 million committed to this project. The remaining funds will come from some of our private foundations that we will try and seek additional funding from as well as a couple of banks have committed to long-term low-interest financing for the projects. APM has also received additional commitments from La Raza, which I think Mr. Wetzel testified on. Both of these projects are examples of APM's community development efforts and our attempts to improve the quality of life for the residents of our neighborhood. Our track record has proven that we have the capacity and the dedication and the commitment to carry out the two projects I have just described and to continue to implement our strategic plan. I want to thank you for your time and your cooperation, and I want to respectfully request that you support our two proposed projects and our development efforts and that you support 57 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000795 Bill No. 000794. Once again, thank you and good day.
Thank you. And we thank you for taking the time to come in to testify. Are there any questions or comments from members of the committee? (No questions.)
Do we have anyone else to testify on Bill No. 794? (No response.)
Seeing none, I would ask Mr. Mezzaroba to please read the title of Bill No. 000795.
An ordinance amending an ordinance approved December 22, 1987, which approved the redevelopment proposal and the urban renewal 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 8th amendment of the redevelopment proposal and the 8th amendment to the urban renewal plan, by providing for certain changes, namely the acquisition of 1538 Cecil B. Moore 58 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000795 Avenue for commercial reuse, and by authorizing certain expressly designated condemnation proceedings; all as contained in the 8th amendment of the redevelopment proposal and in the 8th amendment to the urban renewal plan.
Madam Chairperson and members of the Rules Committee, I am here to testify on behalf of Bill No. 00795, which authorizes the 8th amendment redevelopment proposal and the 8th amended urban renewal plan of the North Philadelphia redevelopment area and the Cecil B. Moore Avenue urban renewal area. This bill authorizes the Redevelopment Authority to acquire one property, which is a vacant lot, for a project which the Redevelopment Authority has temporarily designated as Project 1528. The project is a commercial development that is sponsored by the City's Commerce Department and is located on the Cecil B. Moore Avenue. I anticipated that a representative of the Commerce Department would be here to testify. There may be someone from the Empowerment Zone who 59 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000795 will testify specifically as to the project activity itself, but it is to be a commercial development. The bill is consistent with a plan for Cecil B. Moore Avenue urban renewal area and would enhance community development in that area. Therefore, Madam Chair and members of the committee, I respectfully request your favorable consideration of Bill No. 000795, and I would also ask that Council rules be suspended to allow for first reading on February 1, 2001.
Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the committee? (No questions.)
Do we have anyone else to testify on this bill? (No response.)
Do we have someone from the Empowerment Zone or the Commerce Department? (Witness comes forward.)
Good morning, how are 60 01/24/01 - RULES - RES. 000795 you?
Fine thank you. Identify yourself for the record, please.
Eva Gladstein, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone. I'm happy to be here; I have not prepared any remarks, but I'm available. If there are any questions with regard to this specific request, I'd be happy to answer them. As you've already heard, this request is to gain the ability to develop an additional parcel that will complete the block and make this a more fruitful development for the community.
Thank you. Any questions from members of the committee? (No questions.)
Do we have 61 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING anyone else to testify on Bill No. 795? (No response.)
Seeing no 5 one, this will conclude our public hearing. - - -
We will now go into our public meeting, and the Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney regarding Bill No. 10 000643.
I make a motion, Madam Chair, that we approve the amendment to Bill 13 643, as read into the record. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that the amendment to 643 be approved. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the amendment has been adopted.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000643, as amended, be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation. 62 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 000643 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation, as amended. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000710 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation, along with a request for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 000710 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation and also a recommendation that the rules be suspended in order to permit first reading at our next session of Council. All those in favor will signify by 63 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000711 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and that a request be made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session.
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 999711 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 session of Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. 64 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000789 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation.
I'm sorry. That Resolution No. 000789 be reported out of this committee favorably.
Do I hear a second? Oh, it's 796. It's the last one. Jim?
I'm sorry, yes, I correct that motion, Madam Chair, that Resolution 17 No. 000796 be reported out of this committee favorably. (Duly seconded.)
Madam Chair, I'm going to recuse myself from voting on this.
Thank you. All in favor that Resolution No. 000796 be reported out of committee with a favorable recommendation will signify by saying aye. 65 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING Those opposed? The record will indicate that all members on the committee have voted in the affirmative, and that Councilman DiCicco has abstained. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney regarding Bill No. 000789.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000789 be reported out of this committee favorably.
And a request be made for a suspension of the rules to allow for first reading at our next session of Council.
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 000789 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. All in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? 66 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING The ayes have it, and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000794 be reported out of this committee with a favorable recommendation and a suspension of the rules to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill 000794 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. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Kenney.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill No. 000795 be reported out of this 67 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING committee favorably, with a request made for a rules suspension to allow for first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
It has been moved and seconded that Bill No. 795 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 session of Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it and, the motion carries. This concludes our public meeting of the Rules Committee.
There's a question on 643, if there was a rules suspension. Was a rules suspension requested on there?
We're back into our meeting, and the Chair recognizes 68 1/24/01 - RULES - PUBLIC MEETING Councilman Kenney.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to amend my motion on Bill 6 No. 000643 to include a rules suspension to allow for first reading at or next Council session of the amended Bill No. 000643. (Duly seconded.)
It's been moved and seconded that Bill No. 000643 be reported out of committee, as amended; also with a request that the rules of Council be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next Council session. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. Those opposed? The ayes have it, and the motion carries. This concludes our public meeting of the Rules Committee. Thank you all very much. (Adjourned at 10:50 a.m.) - - - 69 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 Wednesday, January 24, 2001, were reported fully and accurately by me, and that this is a correct transcript of same. RE: COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RULES BILL NO.'S 000643, 710, 711, 789, 794, 795 RESOLUTION NO. 000796 __________________________________, JOSEPHINE CARDILLO, Registered Professional Reporter