Committee Hearing, October 23, 2023

COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON RULES Remote location using Microsoft® Teams Monday, October 23, 2023 10:00 a.m. PRESENT: COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON, CHAIR COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA, VICE-CHAIR COUNCILWOMAN CINDY BASS COUNCILWOMAN KATHERINE GILMORE RICHARDSON

230547, 230574, 230578, 230579, 230585, 230586, 230626, 230627, 230628, 230629, 230630, 230650, 230651 - - -

Good morning, everyone. This is the Committee on Rules on Monday, October 23rd of 2023. I understand that the state law currently requires that the following announcement be made at the beginning of every remote public hearing as follows: Due to the current public health emergency, City Council Committees are currently meeting remotely. We are using Microsoft Teams to make these remote hearings possible. Instructions for how the public may view and offer public testimony at public hearings of Council Committees are included in the public hearing notices that are published in the Daily News, Inquirer and Legal Intelligencer prior to their hearings and can also be found on PHLCouncil.com. Will the Clerk please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are in attendance will please indicate they are present when their names are called. Also, please say a few brief words when we respond so that your image will be displayed on screen when you speak.

Vice-Chair Mark Squilla.

(Muted).

I believe you are muted, Councilmember.

Good morning, Mr. Chair and colleagues. I am present. Thank you. Thank you, Brett.

Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Good morning all. I am present.

Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Good morning, Mr. Chair. Good morning, colleagues. I am present.

And, Councilmember Brian O'Neill.

Good morning, everyone.

Thank you very much. A quorum of the Committee is present and this hearing is now called to order. This is the public hearing of the Committee on Rules regarding Bill Nos. 230547, 230574, 230578, 230579, 230585, 230586, 230626, 230627, 230628, 230629, 230630, 230650 and 230651. Would the Clerk please read the titles of the bills.

Bill No. 230547, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Mayfield Street, 6th Street, Indiana Avenue and Marshall Street. Bill No. 230574, an ordinance 1 to amend Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-500, entitled "Overlay Zoning Districts," by creating the "Brewerytown Sharswood Overlay Subarea," all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230578, an ordinance 10 amending Chapter 14-1000 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Historic Preservation," to establish a temporary demolition moratorium with respect to properties in the area bounded by Ridge Avenue, Rochelle Avenue, Vicaris Street and Hermit Street, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230579, an ordinance 20 continuing the Aramingo Avenue Shopping District beyond its termination date, in an area that generally includes the east and west sides of Aramingo Avenue from 3300 Aramingo Avenue to 3995 Aramingo Avenue and certain blocks and streets that intersect that portion of Aramingo Avenue and for which Impact Community Development Corporation, a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, serves as the Neighborhood Improvement District Management Association. Bill No. 230585, an ordinance 10 amending the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designation of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Johnson Street, Germantown Avenue, Rittenhouse Street and Wissahickon Avenue, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230586, an ordinance 18 continuing the Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District in the area that generally includes both sides of Germantown Avenue from 7640 to 8705, and on certain blocks of streets that intersect the portion of Germantown Avenue, plus on Bethlehem Pike between 10 and 105 and within the district boundaries 200 blocks of West Evergreen Avenue and West Highland Avenue; Benezet Street, East Springfield Avenue, 7600 block of Winston Road. Bill No. 230626, an ordinance 7 amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Zoning and Planning," by revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Development Standards," by revising bulk and massing controls within CMX-4 and CMX-5 zoning districts, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230627, an ordinance 17 to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by George Street, 2nd Street, Laurel Street, the Delaware Expressway, Spring Garden Street and 3rd Street. Bill No. 230628, an ordinance 25 approving a new plan, estimated costs and proposed method of assessment of the Old City Special Services District of Philadelphia for and concerning business improvements and administrative services to the old City area of the City of Philadelphia, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230629, an ordinance 10 to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Herman Street, Baynton Street, Walnut Lane and Germantown Avenue. Bill No. 230630, authorizing the Philadelphia Housing Authority to acquire fee simple title to certain properties located in the vicinity of 28th Street to east, 29th Street to the west, Cumberland Street to the north and York Street to the south, under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 230650, an ordinance 25 to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Arch Street, 50th Street, Market Street, 49th Street, Chestnut Street and 51st Street. And finally Bill No.

230651, an ordinance to amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Westminster Avenue, Mantua Avenue, 40th Street, Aspen Street and 44th Street.

Before we begin to hear testimony from the witnesses we have for today, everyone who has been invited to the meeting to testify should be aware that the public hearing is being recorded. Because the hearing is public, participants and viewers have no 23 reasonable expectation of privacy. By continuing to be in the meeting, you are consenting to being recorded. Additionally, prior to recognizing Members for the questions or comments they have for witnesses, I will note for the record at this time that we will use the chat feature available at Microsoft Teams to allow Members to signify that they wish to be recognized. In order to comply with the Sunshine Act, the chat feature must only be used for this purpose. Also before we begin, I wanted to announce for the record that Bill No. 230651 is being held at the request of the sponsor. Would the Clerk please call the panel for Bill No. 230585.

We have Paula Brumbelow Burns.

Good morning. Just state your name for the record and begin your testimony.

Good morning, members of the Rules Committee. I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 230585 introduced into City Council on September 14, 2023 by Councilmember Bass. Bill No. 230585 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of land within an area bounded by Johnson Street, Germantown Avenue, Rittenhouse Street and Wissahickon Avenue, which is in the Germantown neighborhood within the Upper Northwest Planning District. This bill is a follow-up companion to Bill 17 No. 230455, the Germantown North Rezoning, which was enacted on June 22, 2023. Due to a clerical error, Bill 21 No. 230455 was transmitted to City Council with an incorrect title that omitted the blocks to the west of Germantown Avenue. This bill 25 consists of those zoning changes that were previously excluded. No 2 additional changes are included in this bill that were not previously presented to the community or to the Commission. The Germantown North Rezoning is a neighborhood-scale effort to align the zoning map with community preferences and Upper Northwest District Plan recommendations. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill No. 230585 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you very much. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just really wanted to thank the Planning Commission and everyone, the community who worked to make this happen. I thank you. As you mentioned, Ms. Brumbelow, in your testimony this was more of a technical change to the title of the bill so that it was accurately reflecting what we're trying to accomplish here. So I just really want to thank everyone for their work going into this. Working together we can get all things done, so thank you.

Thank you.

Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230629.

For 230629 we have Paula Brumbelow Burns.

Hi. I'm Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 230629 introduced into City Council on September 21, 2023 by Councilmember Bass. Bill No. 230629 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning at East Walnut Street 11 in the Germantown neighborhood 12 located in the Upper Northwest 13 Planning District. This bill amends 14 the zoning of the parcel at 25 East 15 Walnut Lane. This property was 16 designated as CMX-2, Commercial 17 Mixed-Use zoning, prior to the 18 enactment of Bill No. 230455. 19 Due to a clerical error, this 20 property was given an unintended 21 zoning designation of RSA-3, 22 Residential Single Family, although 23 no such change was proposed or 24 presented to the community through 25 the outreach process. This bill 1 reverts the zoning district of this parcel back to CMX-2. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 5 No. 230629 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank 10 you very much. 11 Any questions or comments 12 from members of the Committee? 13 (No response.) 14

Hearing 15 none, would the Clerk please call the 16 next panel for Bill No. 230626. 17

For 230626 we 18 have Paula Brumbelow Burns. 19

Paula, 20 just state your name for the record 21 and begin your testimony. 22

I am 23 Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of 24 Legislation for the Philadelphia City 25 Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 230626 introduced into City Council on September 21, 2023 by Councilmember Squilla. Bill 4 No. 230626 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by changing the zoning, revising certain provisions of Chapter 14-700 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Development Standards," by revising bulk and massing controls within CMX-4 and CMX-5 districts. In 2020, Bill No. 200118 was introduced to add more restrictive bulk and massing controls to Sansom Street in Center City. A compromise between the Building Industry Association and local civic associations created a mandatory 10-foot setback above 55 feet for buildings along with existing bulk and massing controls above that. In 2022, Planning Commission staff testified on Bill No. 200118 with the agreed-upon amendments. The amendment was not part of the vote and it passed in its original form. Bill No. 230626 introduces the amendments as proposed in 2022. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill No. 230626 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Any questions from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Okay. Hearing none -- well, I had one question. You said 55 feet high?

Yes. At 55 feet in height the building -- anything above that will set back for 10 feet and then continue to go up so it will allow more light to come down onto Sansom Street.

Okay. All right. Thank you very much.

You're welcome.

Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the panel for Bill No. 230627.

For 230627 we have Paula Brumbelow Burns.

Paula, state your testimony and your name and record for the -- your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

It is a tongue-twister morning. I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 230627 introduced into City Council on September 21, 2023 by Councilmember Squilla. Bill 24 No. 230627 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations for select properties in an area bounded by George Street, 2nd Street, Laurel Street, the Delaware Expressway, Spring Garden Street and 3rd Street in the Northern Liberties neighborhood of the Central Planning District. This bill was created through a community request to correctively zone properties along the side streets adjacent to the 2nd Street commercial corridor. This zoning change will help maintain commercial uses on 2nd Street while providing appropriate use, scale and density on the smaller side streets. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill No. 230627 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I will be happy to answer any questions at this stage.

Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, would the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230650.

For 230650 we have Paula Brumbelow Burns.

Paula, state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 230650 introduced into City Council on September 28, 2023 by Councilmember Gauthier. Bill 17 No. 230650 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Arch, 50th, Market, 49th, Chestnut and 51st Streets located in West Philadelphia. This bill rezones the properties on the north side of the 5000 block of Market Street from CMX-1 to CMX-2.5, Commercial Mixed- Use designations. It also correctively rezones the West Philadelphia High School from RSA-3, Residential Single Family, to SP-CIV, Special Purpose Civic designation. These proposed changes will allow for more appropriate use in the future along the El and match the current conditions of the school. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill No. 230650 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, would the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230574.

For 230574 we have Paula Brumbelow Burns and also Julia Molner.

Paula, you can just state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I am here to testify on Bill No. 230574 introduced into City Council on September 14, 2023 by Councilmember Jones, Jr. for Council President Clarke. Bill No. 15 230574 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Code by revising Chapter 14-500, "Overlay Zoning Districts," by creating the Brewerytown Sharswood Overlay Subarea in the Lower North Planning District. This bill is intended to introduce height limits for residential development in portions of five neighborhoods. The Planning Commission staff believes that the height provisions in this bill 2 conflict with the existing Strawberry Mansion Neighborhood Conservation District. The goals of this bill 5 could be partially achieved by zoning the residential blocks to RSA-6, Residential Single Family, which has a two-story height limit. The bill does not advance any of the Lower North District Plan recommendations. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill No. 230574 at its public meeting on October 19, 2023 and recommended the bill not for approval. I will be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Any questions or comments? I think I see Councilwoman Jam -- Kathy Gilmore Richardson.

Good morning, Mr. Chair.

It's your area, correct?

All of it, all of it. Now, I just had a clarifying question relative to the amendment that we received earlier this morning regarding the area boundaries. And I think it included also Celestial community, right? Does that include the area around the area 2600 block of Ridge Avenue?

I believe it does. Unfortunately, our office did not draft the amendment so I have not seen the final version that you have. And so, I cannot speak to it. It would have to be from the Council President's office.

Okay.

So I'm sorry. I cannot answer that.

I will follow up. Okay. Thank you very, very much. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

You're welcome. Is Julia Molner available?

I am here.

Julia, just state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Okay. Hi, my name is Julia Molnar and I am a member of the Zoning Committee of the Brewerytown Sharswood Community Civic Association. I'm here to express my strong support for proposed zoning overlay regulations, which include height regulation, roof decks and porches. These regulations are essential for maintaining our community's unique character and feel. The first one, height regulation, the provision linking the maximum height to the tallest building of an abutting lot ensures the new construction blend seamlessly with existing structures and preserves the neighborhood's visual cohesion, and setting the height limit based on the median height of the building on the block in the absence of an abutting lot prevents the skyline from being dominated by overly tall buildings preserving the balanced aesthetic. The second item, roof decks, requiring a 5-foot minimum setback from roof decks and access structures from the street facing facade is a thoughtful approach to keep alive the existing street environment. It maintains the privacy of neighboring properties and ensures the safety and enjoyment of these spaces for residents. The third, porches, mandating new constructions to include porches mirroring those of adjacent homes is vital for preserving the architectural continuity of our neighborhood. Porches are not just physical features but symbols of community and social interaction. We maintain the neighborhood's friendly atmosphere and encourage neighborly connections by ensuring new homes incorporate them. These regulations collectively create a framework that safeguards our community's identity. They balance the need for growth with the preservation of our unique character. I urge the Committee to approve these regulations as they are essential for our neighborhood's long-term well-being and identity. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee?

Mr. Chair, I believe someone from the Council President's office is on the meeting that could possibly answer Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson's earlier question.

Sure.

Mary, if you're available.

Yes. Good morning, everyone. Just wanted to put in a quick clarification. The northern border of the overlay is essentially Cecil B. Moore, and the address that Councilmember Gilmore Richardson inquired about does not fall below that border. It's not included. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, would the Clerk call the next panel for Bill No. 230547.

For 230547 we have Paula Brumbelow Burns.

State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

I am Paula Brumbelow Burns, Director of Legislation for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 230547 introduced into City Council on June 22, 2023 by Councilmember Jones, Jr. for Council President Clarke. Bill No. 230547 amends the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing zoning designations in an area bounded by Mayfield Street, 6th Street, Indiana Avenue and Marshall Street. This is in the Fairhill neighborhood located in the North Planning District. This bill changes the zoning of several parcels on the 3000 block of Marshall Street from CMX-2, Commercial Mixed-Use, to RM-1, Residential Multi-Family. This change will make the zoning consistent with the historical and current use of the properties and allow homeowners to make improvements to their properties. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission considered Bill 6 No. 230547 at its public meeting on July 20, 2023 and recommended the bill for approval. I'll be happy to answer any questions at this time.

Thank you. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the panel for Bill No. 230578.

For 230578 we have Joshua Castano.

Joshua, are you there?

Yes, I am here. Hi, I'm Joshua Castano, a Wissahickon neighborhood resident and a homeowner. Good morning and greetings, Chairperson Johnson and members of the Committee. I am a resident and homeowner in the Wissahickon neighborhood and a professional historic preservationist and historian. I appear before you today on behalf of neighbors and residents within the Wissahickon neighborhood and the proposed Wissahickon Historic District to support Bill No. 230578 which was introduced by Councilman Jones. This bill would provide a temporary demolition moratorium for properties in the area bounded generally by Ridge Avenue, Rochelle Avenue, Vicaris Street and Hermit Street. This compact neighborhood includes over 500 properties constructed between 1850 and 1930. Residents and property owners want to highlight the unique character and historic significance of their neighborhood. After a year of discussion with neighbors, a committee of residents supported by and in coordination with Wissahickon Interested Citizens Association, the RCO for this community, is preparing a nomination to the Philadelphia Historical Commission for the Wissahickon Historic District. The Commission staff welcomed the nomination and supplied ongoing support to the committee. I am a member of the committee proposing the nomination. In light of residents' concerns about increasing development pressures evidenced by examples of demolition in recent years, the moratorium would allow the committee and WICA to complete their efforts with the time necessary for a thorough and complete process. The moratorium would further give neighbors and property owners the ability to fully and carefully consider the nomination without the disruptions or delays posed by the threat of demolition within the district. Residents and property owners within the Wissahickon Historic District support this measure. And accordingly, I respectfully request that City Council approve Bill No. 230578. Thank you. I am glad to answer any questions.

Thank you very much, Joshua. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230579.

For 230579 we have Philip Green and Rolando Sanchez.

Philip, can you just state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Sure. Hello, Chairman Johnson and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Philip Green and I am the Commercial Corridor Improvements Manager in the Department of Commerce. I'm testifying in support of Bill No. 7 230579 to reauthorize the Aramingo Avenue Shopping District for an additional five years. The legislation includes the Business Improvement District's plan for services and would allow the BID to continue to levy assessment fees on property owners within the district to fund services vital to the area's cleanliness and safety. The Aramingo Avenue BID formed in 2008 as a way for property owners to pay for supplemental services benefiting the shopping area centered at Aramingo and Castor Avenues. The Aramingo BID is unique because it serves mostly big box store developments in strip malls, which are largely owned by real estate companies and out-of-state property owners. Most auto-oriented commercial corridors like this in Philadelphia experience a patchwork of cleanliness and mixed maintenance. Sidewalk litter varies widely from one shopping center to the next and unmaintained post-industrial parcels can intersperse corridors with blight. The Aramingo Shopping District is different. The BID serves as a locally-based caretaker maintaining a standard of cleanliness and visual appeal from one end of the corridor to the other. In addition to cleaning services, the BID provides security patrol that helps to deter shoplifting, car break-ins and other criminal activity. Because the BID's security staff covers the whole district, they can monitor suspects across shopping centers nd practically alert store managers to incoming concerns. They also respond to a variety of issues stemming from the opioid crisis. For every call to the Aramingo BID's security patrol, that's one less call to the short- staffed police department. The Commerce Department supports BIDs like Aramingo Avenue Shopping District because they're partners on the ground. They link businesses to our grant programs and pass along important communications in times of emergency. For these reasons, I testify in support of Aramingo BID's reauthorization. I'm happy to take any questions at this time.

Thank you very much. I'm going to ask for Rolando Sanchez to testify.

Yes. My name is Rolando Sanchez -- can you hear me?

Yes, I can. Just state your name for the record and begin.

Rolando Sanchez is my name. Good morning, Chairperson Johnson and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Rolando. And as previously stated, I manage the Aramingo Business Improvement District for the Impact Community Development, Corp., a 501(c)(3) located at 1952 East Allegheny in the heart of Kensington. Impact works to support individuals, family and communities to build a healthy, safe and prosperous future. In addition, providing housing to formerly homeless veterans nightly, and workforce development services to thousands of people annually. Impact is also intensely focused on community and economic development in Kensington, Harrowgate and Port Richmond. In 2017, Impact published a resident-driven comprehensive neighborhood plan to outline a structure that set a long-term strategy for equitable neighborhood development in the section of the City as you all well know is the center of Philadelphia's opioid crisis. The plan includes a multi- faceted approach that includes access to capital, brick-and-mortar development and partnership to all local stakeholders and perhaps most importantly, making the neighborhood safe and clean. The Aramingo Business Important District is an essential factor maintaining neighborhood stability, safety, cleanliness and building future prosperity. Covering the 3300 block -- 3300 to 3900 block of Aramingo which includes Castor, Butler, Wheatsheaf Lane East to Richmond Street, the BID has about 140 individual stores. The Aramingo BID is mixed as previously stated of big box chain stores and small businesses that serve the immediate neighborhood but also a regional draw for shoppers. With a projected BID budget of about $456,000 for the 2024 calendar year, Impact will provide four cleaning stewards along with vehicle and equipment support. As you know, managing trash in the area is a Sisyphean task. Thousands of garbage bags are collected annually. Historically we have accessed 311 to manage short- dumping --

Mr. Sanchez?

Yes.

I'm so sorry to interrupt. I just got word from our Council Support staff that Channel 64 actually froze so we have to request you pause your testimony because it's not airing at the moment. So sorry. So let me circle back to Council Support while they figure that out.

No worries. (Brief recess.) COUNCIL TECH SUPPORT: Okay. Committee members and participants, we are now live and we can start with Philip Green's testimony.

Philip Green, can you please redo your testimony please.

Sure thing. Hello, everyone. My name is Philip Green and I am the Commercial Corridor Improvements Manager in the Department of Commerce. I'm testifying in support of Bill No. 15 230586 to -- I am sorry. I had the wrong bill pulled up. Here we go. I am testifying in support of --

230579.

That's right. To reauthorize the Aramingo Avenue Shopping District for an additional five years. The legislation includes the Business Improvement District's plan for services and would allow the BID to continue to levy assessment fees on property owners within the district to fund services vital to the area's cleanliness and safety. The Aramingo Avenue BID formed in 2008 as a way for property owners to pay for supplemental services benefiting the shopping area centered at Aramingo and Castor Avenues. The Aramingo BID is unique because it serves mostly big box store developments in strip malls, which are largely owned by real estate companies and out-of-state property owners. These auto-oriented commercial corridors like this in Philadelphia experience a patchwork of cleanliness and mixed maintenance. Sidewalk litter can vary widely from one shopping center to the next, and unmaintained post-industrial parcels can intersperse corridors with blight. The Aramingo Shopping District is different. However, the BID serves as a locally-based caretaker maintaining a standard of cleanliness and visual appeal from one end of the corridor to the other. In addition to cleaning services, the BID provides security patrol that helps deter shoplifting, car break-ins and other criminal activity. Because the BID's security staff covers the whole district, they can monitor suspects across shopping centers and proactively alert store managers to incoming concerns. They also respond to a variety of issues stemming from the opioid crisis. For every call to the Aramingo BID security patrol, that's one less call to the City's short- staffed police department. The Commerce Department supports BIDs like Aramingo Avenue because they are partners on the ground. They link businesses to our grant programs and pass along important communications in times of emergency. For these reasons, I testify in support of the Aramingo BID's reauthorization. And I'm happy to take questions at this time. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Next we will hear from Rolando Sanchez.

All right. We'll try this again. Good morning, Chairperson Johnson and members of the Rules Committee. Again, my name is Rolando Sanchez. I manage the Aramingo Business Improvement District for Impact Community Development Corporation, a 501(c)(3) located at 1952 East Allegheny in the heart of Kensington. Impact works to support individuals, families and communities to build a healthy, safe and prosperous future. In addition to providing housing to formerly homeless veterans nightly and workforce development services to thousands of people annually, Impact is also intensely focused on community and economic development in Kensington, Harrowgate and Port Richmond. In 2017, Impact published a resident-driven comprehensive neighborhood plan to outline the structure and set a long-term strategy for equitable neighborhood development in a section of the City as you all well know is the center of Philadelphia's opioid crisis. The plan includes a multi-faceted approach that includes access to capital, brick-and-mortar development, partnership with all local stakeholders and perhaps most importantly, keeping the neighborhood safe and clean. The Aramingo Business Improvement District is an essential factor in maintaining neighborhood stability, safety, cleanliness and future prosperity. I'm sorry. Something was distracting me, a noise. The -- covering the 3300 to 3900 blocks of Aramingo Avenue including Castor, Butler, Wheatsheaf Lane East to Richmond Street, the BID has about 140 individual stores. The Aramingo BID is a mix of big box chain stores and small businesses that serve the immediate neighborhood but also a regional draw for shoppers. With a projected BID budget of $456,000 for the year 2024, Impact will provide four cleaning stewards along with equipment and vehicle support. Managing this stretch is a Sisyphean task. Thousands of bags of garbage are collected annually. Historically we have accessed 311 to manage short-dumping, but the problem has become so pervasive that we have begun to directly clean the debris from illegal dumping ourselves, expanding on short-dump removal as part of our activities. The BID also supports our PPD, our Philadelphia Police Department with security services on the corridor seven days a week. Coordinating and communicating with businesses via the GroupMe app, it's a realtime communication portal which assists in problem-solving, including accessing needed resources such as homeless outreach, event promotion and facilitation, coordination with local law enforcement to address things like street racing and administrative support in organizing BID services. Reports on services, trends, needs and accomplishments are reported at the Aramingo Business Association meetings. Aggregate annual reports are created and provided to all parcel owners and business operators. For the next five years, budgetary resources and focus of the BID are shifting in response to neighborhood trends. As Philadelphia and the nation battle the opioid epidemic, it is essential to the corridor and surrounding communities that the BID remains intact. The homeless population suffering with addiction have identified Aramingo as a place to panhandle and set up encampments. Theft from businesses has also increased as the opioid crisis has escalated. In response to this increase we have not only enhanced our focus on security services, but we have also established connections with homeless outreach and addiction treatment providers. While the homeless population needs to be treated with dignity, maintaining quality of life and pursuit of commerce is essential for businesses and consumers. BID services already supplement the extensive City services and greatly assist in managing some of the effects of the opioid crisis. The time is now for businesses, residents, nonprofit organizations, City services and our elected officials to remain committed to a collective impact, no pun intended.

We appreciate the assistance provided by 6th District Councilman Mike Driscoll, his Chief of Staff Tom Forkin and everyone in his office. I humbly request this Committee's support in reauthorizing the Aramingo Business Improvement District, Bill 13 230579, and thank you for considering my testimony today.

Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the panel for Bill No. 230586.

The first panel for Bill No. 230586 is Philip Green.

Philip, just state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Hello. My name is Philip Green. I am testifying in support of Bill No. 230586 to reauthorize the Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District for an additional years. The legislation 9 includes the BID's plan for services 10 and would allow the BID to continue to levy assessment fees on property owners within the district. The Chestnut Hill BID formed in 2004 as a way for property owners to come together and fund services benefiting their tenant businesses and wider community. Now years 18 into its work, the BID has proven 19 itself essential to the district's 20 ongoing stability and success. Although the district is at the heart of one of Philadelphia's most affluent neighborhoods, it faces steep competition from online retail just like any other commercial corridor in the City. Trends show that affluent customers are seeking experiences out of their neighborhood commercial corridors. They want an engaging destination with dining options, beauty and wellness services, entertainment and niche retail with personalized customer service. Chestnut Hill BID and other BIDs like it create an experience-rich atmosphere that keeps customers coming back. Chestnut Hill cleans the sidewalks, maintains verdant flower planters and installs charming holiday decorations. These enhancements make the distance between the customer's parking spot and their hair appointment a memorable place, not just a place to get through. The Chestnut Hill BID also produces exciting events. Their Holidays on the Hill event promotes the district's food scene and specialty retail businesses, and their Fall for the Arts Festival transforms Germantown Avenue into an open air gallery, attracting thousands of shoppers from across the region. In our new reality of fast, cheap and easy home-delivered goods, Chestnut Hill BID is guiding its district towards these new experience-centered modes of doing business. For this reason among many others, I testify in support of their reauthorization. Happy to take questions.

Thank you. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none --

Mr. Chairman --

Go ahead, Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

Thank you. I just wanted to say, listen, the Chestnut Hill BID is an excellent example of when we're able to have BID organizations that are run, that are well-run, that are thoughtful and considerate of community and also the businesses. I just really want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this happen and we look forward to being supportive of this effort. So thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. Green. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Councilwoman Bass. Will the Clerk please call the next panel please.

For our next panel, we have Courtney O'Neill, Irma Fralic and Susanna Forjohn.

Hi. I'm Courtney O'Neill. I just wanted to let you know that there's also Richard Snowden who is here and he's actually with me. His testimony should be included as well.

Okay.

Thank you. Good morning, Chairman Johnson and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Courtney O'Neill, and I'm the Executive Director for the Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District. I'm here to testify in support of Bill 230586 introduced in City Council on September 14, 2023. This is the proposed ordinance that would formally continue the district until June 30, 2034. I'm -- in addition to being the Executive Director of the Business Improvement District, we also manage the Business Association, the Parking Foundation and the Community Development Corporation. I have been in this role since August 2022 and manage a staff that includes the corridor maintenance team as well as the BID's part-time retail advocate and part-time operations administrator. My experience with Chestnut Hill prior to this employment was as a shopper and as a diner. And from that perspective, I viewed Chestnut Hill as a unique and charming destination, a special part of Philadelphia. Since starting last August, I have come to learn and appreciate what it takes to maintain the character and beauty of this historic neighborhood. For years the Business 15 Improvement District has focused its 16 efforts on the following priorities: 17 Safety, streetscape maintenance and 18 beautification, strengthening the 19 local economy through destination 20 marketing and business development and strategic collaboration with volunteer-led community groups as well as neighboring institutions. Through this work, the BID has helped create a vibrant commercial corridor that positively impacts the surrounding residential neighborhood. And while much of the tangible improvements are centered along Germantown Avenue and Bethlehem Pike, the effects of these enhancements are felt throughout the community. The lampposts that line the Avenue, the twinkle lights that fill the trees, the baskets and barrels bursting with seasonal plantings, the sidewalks swept, the trash bins emptied, all of that is maintained and made possible by the Chestnut Hill Business Improvement District. From the early -- during the pandemic and the years that followed, the importance of the BID for Chestnut Hill was brought into sharper focus. In the spring of 2020 as the lockdown went into effect, the staff of the Chestnut Hill Business District became a vital resource for the small businesses facing uncertainty. The staff worked to support businesses by identifying grant opportunities, help with navigating government programs as well as public and private assistance that was being made available for small business. As the summer and fall of 2020 progressed, the corridor maintenance team kept the commercial neighborhood clean and safe in the face of many challenges. Despite the best efforts, the pandemic did cause the closure of many businesses in the area, and this beloved stretch of Germantown Avenue was filled with vacant storefronts. But through the efforts of the BID retail advocate and strategic planning from the Executive Director and the BID Board members, beginning in the fall of 2021 new retail restaurants and service businesses have started to once again fill those empty properties. To date, over two dozen businesses have opened their doors in the Chestnut Hill Business District since September of 2021. We are seeking reauthorization for years 6 to not only build on the momentum of 7 the past two years of economic 8 development, but to honor our mission 9 of keeping Philadelphia's Garden 10 District beautiful and green. Through collaboration with Chestnut Hill Garden District Fund and the Chestnut Hill Community Association's Green Space Initiative, the BID will continue the maintenance of current pocket parks as well as work on development of new green space, small parks and family-friendly outdoor areas. This work not only contributes to the beauty of the neighborhood but enhances the quality of life for residents.

The BID also seeks to assist with safety challenges more robustly within the corridor. And with this reauthorization, that priority will be addressed in the allocation of the new budget. The projected annual income of the BID will total $460,000 from commercial and residential rental properties within the BID, which will include some additional adjacent commercial properties with this reauthorization. The assessment will continue to be equitably apportioned along all commercial properties within the district. There will be regular communication with all the assessment-paying property owners on progresses of initiatives as well as the annual meeting to review our budget and strategic plans. I would like to thank Councilmember Cindy Bass, Chief of Staff Charles Richardson and the Councilwoman's entire office as well as Philip Green from the Department of Commerce and Jessica Sanchez, Senior Legislative Counsel, for all their support during this reauthorization process. And I'm happy to take any questions at this time. And I'd like to introduce Richard Snowden if that's appropriate.

Councilwoman Cindy Bass.

Well, thank you again, Mr. Chairman. I just really wanted to thank Courtney. I know you said you had Richard there with you. Hi, Richard. I just really wanted to thank you guys. Oh, there he is, there he is. You know, listen, good things don't just happen. It really requires the work of folks to make it happen. And I know that Richard has been on the front lines and out there really making Chestnut Hill the destination that it is for a very long time and Courtney as well. So I just really wanted to thank their entire team for pitching in, making this destination just such a wonderful place to live, to work, to shop, to go out to dine and to really be something that's really legendary in the City of Philadelphia. So thank you both for all of your work.

Thank you. Will the Clerk please call the next panelist.

I believe Mr. Snowden would like to speak next, correct?

Correct. Thank you very much. Good morning, Chairman Johnson and members of the Rules Committee. My name is Richard Snowden. For the past 43 years, I have been engaged in the development and management of commercial and residential properties in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia as well as natural resource and energy properties in other states. In 1981 with my grandmother and sisters, I founded Bowman Properties in response to the physical deterioration we saw occurring in our community, particularly in the middle and south (inaudible) sections of Germantown Avenue. Chestnut Hill is a place our family knows very well and has deep affection for, having been a part of the community since 1871. To date, our company has acquired, rehabilitated or is in the process of restoring 92 buildings primarily in the Chestnut Hill Business District encompassing 155 apartments, 80 commercial locations, including the relatively new Fresh Market Shopping Center complex over much of the past 75 years, Chestnut Hill has enjoyed a stellar reputation as one of the first communities in the nation to foster and promote a main street renaissance. During those years, the charming buildings along Germantown Avenue, our iconic parking lot system and Chestnut Hill's vociferous organizations have made our community a model for commercial corridor success before (inaudible) growth and walkable communities were fashionable or even discussed. By the late 1990s however, malls, the Internet and changing demographics had diminished Chestnut Hill's luster. Different strategies were required. Beginning in 1997, Bowman began advocating for the creation of a Special Services District. As many of you know well, Chestnut Hill change comes slowly with much deliberation, occasional acrimony and a heck of a lot of talk. Seven years later our Business Improvement District was first created. The formation of the BID is almost as important to our community's history as the coming of the railroads in the 19th century and the establishment of Chestnut Hill's civic groups during the Renaissance of the 1940s because its dedicated funding stream allows the neighborhood to intelligently plan community initiatives. Even with a relatively small budget, our BID is a superb catalyst that fosters partnerships leading to safety, beautification, improvements and most importantly, our vibrant retail recruitment program that has resulted in dozens of new businesses opening and flourishing on Germantown Avenue despite the advent of online shopping. Without a doubt, the BID has helped to improve more than just the business community. As a real estate professional for more than 40 years with a particular expertise in Chestnut Hill, I can say unequivocally that the BID and resulting improvements along Germantown Avenue translate directly to increase real estate values community-wide, particularly in properties in the several blocks adjacent to Germantown Avenue in the area where we propose to expand our district. Going forward with an expanded district and budget, we have many opportunities through matching grants in concert with other community and public partners to tackle infrastructure challenges such as streetscape improvements, beautification projects and safety initiative. Our BID though is more than just dollars. It is now stitched into the very fabric of our neighborhood as a body that helps bring everyone together for the community's betterment right at the heart of the hill on our main street where we certainly hope we'll see all of you very soon shopping, dining or living on beautiful Germantown Avenue. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? Councilwoman Bass, any comments?

Well, I just want to say, very well said, Richard. Both you and Courtney have done a phenomenal job this morning and I'm looking forward to supporting, and I'm sure that all of my colleagues will stand in strong support for the great work that you all do, so kudos to you guys. Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Thank you. Any questions or comments from the members of the Committee? (No response.)

Will the Clerk please call the next panelist.

Next we have Irma Fralic and Susanna Forjohn.

Councilman or Chairman Johnson, I apologize that both Irma Fralic and Susanna Forjohn have had difficulty getting online. So I do have printed testimony which I submitted to Councilwoman Bass's office.

Awesome. Awesome. Okay. Councilwoman Bass, could you just provide copies for the Chair so we can provide to other members just for their records please?

Absolutely.

All right. Well, thank you very much. Thank you for --

Thank you.

Thank you for your testimony. Will the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230628.

For 230628, we have Philip Green and Job Itzkowitz.

Philip, please state your name for the record and begin your testimony.

Hello. Philip Green. I am testifying in support of Bill No. 230628 to improve the Old City Special Services District's 2024 through 2028 plan and budget and allow the SSD to continue to levy property assessment fees. The Commerce Department supports Business Improvement Districts like Old City as a way for property owners, business owners and community members to work together to address local concerns. Old City District formed in 1997 as a way for property owners to fund revitalization efforts in one of Philadelphia's most historic neighborhoods. Over the course of 23 years, the SSD's sidewalk cleaning 24 and safety services have encouraged 25 businesses to fill long vacant storefronts and convinced developers to convert empty upper floors into residential units and offices. Its busy calendar of events have delighted tourists and regional visitors and its vigilant advocacy has shifted the district's nightlife scene from a rowdy club district to a mix of bars and restaurants that co-exist nicely with their surroundings. Despite these many triumphs, Old City District's stabilizing work remains vital. Since 2020, media outlets have printed discouraging headlines on the state of U.S. cities like Philadelphia. Old City District has experienced many of the same challenges facing other urban districts. Online sales have chipped off some of its galleries and retail stores, and perceptions of increased crime have discouraged suburbanites from visiting. But overwhelmingly, the neighborhood remains stable. Under Old City District's management, the SSD maintains public spaces against blight and markets the district and produces family-friendly events that counter public misconceptions. It's no exaggeration to say that Old City District and Philadelphia's other 9 Business Improvement Districts, that 10 without Old City District and the 11 City's 13 Business Improvement 12 Districts the worst urban decline 13 headlines might have come true. Old City District has shepherded its area through various phases since 1997. With the support of this Committee, it will once again adapt the district to meet the needs of the future. I'm happy to take any questions.

Thank you very much. Will Job Itzkowitz state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Good morning, Chairperson Johnson and all members of the Committee on Rules. My name is Job Itzkowitz and I'm the Executive Director of the Old City Special Services District or OCD. I'm here to testify on Bill No. 8 230628 approving a new plan, estimated cost and proposed method of assessment of OCD for the five-year term lasting from 2024 to 2028. I submitted longer written testimony outlining the details of OCD's proposed five-year plan and budget, but I will try to be brief in my testimony today. Now, in its 25th year OCD continues to maintain and improve the dynamic Old City neighborhood. OCD serves to supplement but not replace both the services provided by the City of Philadelphia and the responsibilities of property owners contributing to a healthy environment for businesses to be successful, for visitors to enjoy their experience here and for residents to maintain a positive quality of life. The five-year plan and budget charts Old City District's path through Budget Years 2024 through 2028. The OCD Board will continue to devote resources to deliver the following services: Providing clean and safe, public spaces. Keeping Old City's streets clean and safe is Central to OCD's mission and is the foundation of its programming. To achieve this, OCD employs a dedicated team of up to six ambassadors responsible for street and sidewalk cleaning deployed daily. OCD collaborates with its current cleaning vendor to engage returning citizens as ambassadors. Over 80 percent of these ambassadors have a previous mark on their records. Our ambassadors play a crucial role in enhancing the City of Philadelphia's cleanliness and aiding property owners and maintaining litter-free and debris-free sidewalks. In 2022, OCD's cleaning crew collected nearly 17,000 pounds of trash, removed over 700 used needles and eliminated more than 600 graffiti tags and stickers. Moreover, weather-permitting sidewalks receive a thorough powerwashing on a monthly basis. OCD also maintains a strong partnership with the City to address various urban challenges. This includes fixing broken BigBelly trash receptacles, combating illegal dumping, addressing non-operating street lights and rectifying hazardous potholes and road conditions. We also expand economic opportunities via business attraction, retention and expansion. Building on its clean and safe programs, OCD fosters a positive environment for local businesses and connects its business owners and residents to city, state, nonprofit and private resources. OCD distributes a monthly real estate newsletter to neighborhood commercial brokers, which features available retail, restaurant and office spaces as well as new business openings and an Old City data infographic. OCD helps new and existing Old City businesses navigate City of Philadelphia permitting and licensing processes and connects them with funding resources such as storefront improvement grants, business security camera grants and stabilization grants. In 2016, OCD published Vision 2026, an initiative to shape Old City's future after a year-long public engagement process. OCD later conducted a Market Street Transformation and Mobility Study to improve access to Old City while reducing private vehicle usage aligning with the Vision 2026 concept. The City adopted that project and is set to issue an RFP for Market Street early in 2024. Old City continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2019, retail vacancy was at percent in line with the national 9 average for similar commercial 10 corridors. By December 2020 due to 11 the pandemic, it had risen to 20 12 percent. In other words, 1 out of every 5 storefronts was vacant. In 2022, OCD aimed to return to a 12 percent vacancy rate by the end of this year. In the last two years, 61 new businesses have opened with about 10 more opened in 2023, and the retail vacancy as recently as July 2023 was under 15 percent and continues to drop.

Additionally, Old City's residential population grew by 27 percent from 2017 to 2021 from 5400 to 6900 residents. Over 800 more units are planned, expected to adding about 1200 residents. OCD generally supports development and growth aligned with Old City's historical context. Finally, Old City District provides marketing promotional services for Old City and its business community. Throughout the year, OCD engages in ongoing marketing efforts to showcase the neighborhood as a vibrant hub for people to connect, work, shop and call home with the aim of spotlighting the neighborhood's exceptional attributes such as its rich history, thriving arts and culture scene, diverse shopping options, dining experience accommodations and residential opportunities. OCD's promotional activities include the publication of a map with 50,000 copies printed in 2023 aimed at enticing visitors to explore the district. OCD maintains an informative website dedicated to all things. Old City distributes a monthly e-newsletter to over 7,000 subscribers and it actively connects with a wider audience through social media followers of over 68,000 individuals. In addition, OCD organizes various programs and events throughout the year. These include the annual Old City Fest, which attracts 20,000 attendees. Old City Eats, our summertime dining promotion and our eagerly anticipated annual holiday programming set to kick off in just a few weeks. This is just a sampling of the work OCD does to promote and support the Old City neighborhood. And a more detailed breakdown is available in both my submitted written testimony and OCD's proposed five-year plan, a copy of which is attached as an exhibit to the legislation. Old City District mailed this five-year plan and budget to affected property owners within OCD's boundaries in July of this year and hosted a public meeting on August 23rd at the Independence Visitor Center to receive feedback from the public. Following the hearing, affected property owners within the district had 45 days to file 11 objections to and disapprove the final plan for a proposed continuance of the OCD. No affected property owners filed objections or disapprovals of the proposed plan with Old City District. Thank you for your time and I'm happy to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you very much, Job. I just have a small question. How much do the ambassadors receive? What's the pay rate for the ambassadors who may be looking to do that type of work?

Sure. So we are currently starting at $16.50, and we provide -- after your 90 days, we provide 100 percent coverage of health benefits. What we determined was that when you're working an hourly wage job, you might not make that decision even if your health care is covered 80 percent to close that gap. So we created that as a stipend to make sure, you know, these people are out on the street working physical labor jobs every day and we wanted to make sure that if something were to happen, they would be able to receive medical care.

That's good. I think that's great, especially after us coming out of the pandemic and some people are still catching, right, COVID from time to time, so good job. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the next panel for Bill No. 230630.

The first panel for 230630 we have Kelvin Jeremiah, Gregory Hampson, Laurence Redican and Nathan Farris.

Mr. Kelvin Jeremiah.

Mr. Chairman, if I may?

Yes.

Nathan Farris with the law firm of Ballard Spahr and I'm here today on behalf of the Philadelphia Housing Authority to speak in favor of Bill No. 230630. And I have with me Mr. Kelvin Jeremiah and Greg Hampson. Greg Hampson is PHA's Senior Executive Vice-President of Capital Projects Division and he will explain why PHA is requesting this bill to help it develop much-needed affordable housing in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. Also with me is Larry Redican, PHA's general counsel. After Greg explains the project and the bill, Larry and I are happy to answer any questions you may have about the acquisition process.

Thank you very much. Greg, state your name for the record and please begin.

Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee. My name is Greg Hampson. I'm the Senior Executive Vice President of Capital Project Division of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. I'm here today to request that this Committee report Bill No. 20 230630 out of Committee favorably. Philadelphia is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. PHA continues to work to alleviate this crisis by developing safe, affordable housing throughout the City. To this end, PHA is planning a redevelopment project in the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood. The Strawberry Mansion project is expected to result in the development of new affordable housing, including 30 affordable homeownership units and 55 rental units. Bill No. 230630 authorizes PHA to acquire more than 100 scattered site properties around the neighborhood generally between 29th Street to the east, 28th Street to the west, Cumberland Street to the north and York Street to the south. Some of the properties that are expected to be included in this project are already owned by PHA or the City. However, PHA's initial investigation identified 83 of these properties as privately-owned. PHA's initial investigation also shows that eight of these privately-owned properties are occupied. The remainder of the properties considered for acquisition are vacant undeveloped lots. We are finalizing the details of how the project will be developed. We are though excited about the Strawberry Mansion project. It will allow us to build 85 units of affordable housing. Any displacement and relocation will be carried out with sensitivity in accordance with federal, state and city regulations and policy. PHA is complying with all federal, state, local laws and regulations to assure displaced persons are compensated for their cost to relocate and owners are paid fair market value for their property. PHA has already begun neighbor outreach to the affected property owners. We invited them to this meeting today and we may hear from some of them later. We will continue to work with the owners and other community leaders to make sure this project is shaped in a way so as to be most helpful to the community. We are grateful for the feedback they have already given and for the guidance of Council President Clarke in helping us engage with the community. With that, I'm happy to answer any questions and thank you for your time and consideration.

Thank you very much. Any questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Okay. Hearing none, will the Clerk please call the next panel. (No response.)

The next panel we have is Keith Harris and Odessa Tate. (No response.)

Is Keith Harris or Odessa Tate available? (No response.)

Is Keith Harris or Odessa Tate available?

Yes, I'm here. Odessa Tate.

Okay. Odessa, just state your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Sure. My name is Odessa Tate. And the blocks proposed have mostly been vacant lot spaces for over years. At this point we 10 are not opposed to having development 11 on these blocks, but we needed to be 12 understood that with any builds in 13 our section of Strawberry Mansion we 14 emphasize and advocate for 15 homeownership and outdoor amenities 16 included to accommodate community 17 members with this bill. 18 This is the first development 19 of this caliber that will be taking 20 place in our community. We are excited to come together with PHA. We're also excited to have the community stakeholders come together because ultimately we want to make this a success for our area. Our area is dilapidated. It's been dilapidated for 30 years. We want to be able to welcome people. We want to be able to develop, but again our emphasis is on homeownership and building throughout. So we would appreciate it for PHA to come to the table with us and also respect our wishes to make this the best outcome that we can make it. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Is Keith Harris available? (No response.)

Okay. Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Is there anyone else here to testify on the bill whose name has not yet been called?

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Council President Darrell Clarke.

Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee. Thank you very much for giving me this opportunity to speak on behalf of this development. And thank you, Ms. Tate, and we're still trying to track Keith Harris down who's actually the local committee person for that area. So, Councilman, this is an area as Ms. Tate has indicated that's been vacant for literally 20, 30 years, I mean if we can recall. And it is one of the few remaining significant vacant parcels in this particular area. As you know, Strawberry Mansion is an area that, you know, and I can acknowledge I've been focusing on because I was born and bred there. This is a very -- but as we see the market change, particularly the push from the southern side as it relates to market rate housing and some would say gentrification, it is clear that wherever there's an opportunity we need to continue to make this area affordable, particularly for those individuals that currently live in that neighborhood. So this project will be one that essentially will for the first time in this particular neighborhood, the Housing Authority and ultimately it may actually be another developer, as was said All In The Family, which is the local community group, will be a part of that process, we will be building a critical mass of affordable housing. And I want to say to you Councilman and other members of the Committee, thanks to you all's support for the Turn the Key program. This has finally made this a reality where you can go in a neighborhood and deeply subsidize development to make it genuinely affordable for people across the City of Philadelphia. So we're excited. This particular property is actually anchored by the Strawberry Square Mall, so it will be a significant boost to the Strawberry Square Mall. It's literally across the street on the northern side. And then there are some conversations currently with the Strawberry Square Mall for adding some additional amenities. I think having literally 70, 80 new housing units on this northern border will enhance the likelihood that we can add some additional commercial development in that area. So we as a result of the meeting with the local individuals on that side of 29th Street, the local community organization and also a process that will be adding some additional amenities as Ms. Tate said, we strongly support this particular project. Thank you.

No, thank you, Council President. As always, I commend you on your work to address the issue of affordable and workforce housing not only in the 5th Councilmanic District but your vision for the City of Philadelphia. And obviously, I'm going to be having conversations -- well, currently having conversations with Kelvin to take a look at how we provide a level of deep, affordable PHA housing in the southwest part of my District as well as Grays Ferry to balance out the level of high-income housing that's being developed right now. So thank you for your vision and your leadership, sir.

Thank you. Thank you, Council --

Mr. Chair, Mr. Chair? Kelvin Jeremiah.

Yes, sir.

Good morning -- rather good morning, Committee members. I'd like to just mention for the record that PHA builds balanced communities. And so, Ms. Tate, please be assured that we are eager to work with you to help develop and revitalize Strawberry Mansion. This will be one of our -- the fourth of our developments in the broader Strawberry Mansion area. And so, we are committed to making sure that residents' -- existing residents' voices are heard and that the development that we build is balanced and really adds value. Councilman Johnson, as you know, we have established a very solid record of success across the City. We were eager to get this project on the way. And of course when we looked at Council President Clarke's District, there is much more to be done there. And I know how eager you are to replicate some of the things in your District and in other Districts across the City. So we would really appreciate your ongoing support and your support of this piece of legislation.

Well, thank you, Kelvin. And for me what makes your type of development special and unique is that we're talking about really deeply affordable, and particularly let's move even beyond the word of affordable, low-income housing which is severely needed. And so, I do thank you for your efforts. The rentals will also help individuals who may not be ready at that particular time in their life to actually purchase a home, but they may go from renting to actually owning a home. And then homeownership also provides individuals who are willing to already make that leap. And so, the housing stock and availability of the houses will be there when they want that option. So I just want to just personally say thank you and your team but also Council President for laying out this overall vision to specifically focus on affordable workforce but also low-income housing. I grew up in the Martin Luther King housing projects -- well, my Nana did -- so I understand the dynamics around going from particularly low-income to becoming an actual homeowner. And different people are at different levels in their lives and we need to have a mix of housing available for everyone. So thank you very much, Mr. Jeremiah. With that being said, any other questions or comments for this particular Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, we will now go into our public comments. And will the Clerk please call the first individual with public comments please and the Bill No. 3

Yep. Commenting on Bill 230630, we have Queen Judith Robinson.

Thank you very much. Ms. Judith Robinson, you can please go on and start your testimony.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning. You could please begin your public comment.

Yes. Good morning. My name is Judith Robinson. I have been licensed as a real estate professional since 1985. I've been a licensed Pennsylvania broker since 1990. I was born and raised in Strawberry Mansion. We need an investigation of PHA. Based on the fact that we're not being listened to, this project here has been closely held. You have people who will be relocated who are homeowners. They're not going to get fair market value. And I say that based on what has happened with PHA being used as eminent domain and used now in this project as condemnation. So PHA has tenants of 81,000, mostly Black people, Black women and children. It is our income-based housing agency, our shelter. Black women, and here's the sad part, are 70 percent of Philadelphia's yearly evictions. We're not even housing our own people. PHA's Board is mostly Black people. They have -- and this has been ongoing for decades now, okay. So sad. They've been used to take Black folks' wealth. I'll cite the Lattimore family of South Philadelphia, Robert and his wife Barbara and family Lattimore. PHA was used to take over or so properties. Don't hold me to the exact number, but I know it was over 10, and this was years ago. PHA is an agency that it pains me to say based on its makeup of the Board even over the years, Mayor John Street as the Chair. We saw a very concerning happening in Brewerytown with the Westrum development, Pyramid development, a subsidiary of Westrum development where they threw families out of occupied PHA properties. Good news. We were able to claw one back for the Harris family, and thank God they're over there in Brewerytown now as homeowners about years later. So PHA has been devastating to our Black families. That family had grown up in the property. They were just disrespectfully thrown out of the property, moved to West Philly. Like I said, we as a community clawed it back. But it was Judith Robinson, the real estate professional, that made sure that she became a homeowner, they became homeowners over there. And I'm just happy that they're still there. So PHA went into receivership under Mayor John Street, came out of receivership under Mayor Nutter and brought in Mr. Kelvin Jeremiah. Let me get to the point. Under Mayor Nutter, PHA was used to use eminent domain over in Sharswood Brewerytown. And here's the thing that really pains me. 800 parcels, you all. Bill No. 15409 will give you the map and will give you all of the 800 addresses. About 100 of those properties were occupied with Black folk, okay, living in their properties. And PHA, a housing agency that's supposedly housing poor people, is using eminent domain to take homeowners' homes. That's unprecedented, you all --

Queen Judith --

Please, please. This is a hearing. Please let me -- please, please.

Yes, ma'am.

I am -- I'm going to get to my point, Brother.

Yes, ma'am.

So here -- so that was 800 parcels. And let me say this to you because I'm a real estate professional. Right before COVID, I sold a property over in that area that would have been part of that eminent domain. And it sold for 150,000, y'all. It needed work and all of that. But it sold for 150,000. So what I'm saying is those people will never get fair market value. PHA is being hustled and used in that regard and they're not giving out fair market value. And I found that out after the fact, 2015, 2019 when this house sold for 150,000. I matched my numbers with y'all. Y'all ain't giving people that kind of money. So let me get to this. So Sharswood Brewerytown, the big scam there. And I'm doing some research, so I'm going to say something real quick. Miller Memorial Baptist Church, there was an arsonist that tried to burn that church down. And I'm going to give y'all the quick story --

Ms. --

Wait a minute. I'm getting to the point. Listen to me, please.

You --

Then Blumberg was then built. Can I have my testimony please?

You can --

I say no to this deal, no to this deal, no --

Okay.

-- because Council President Clarke has been bullying his constituents. We have 69 units that's through a PHA process on York Street all the way up our former commercial corridor to the park, 33rd Street, taking choice land. We got PHA all around our choice land from Cecil B. Moore on 30 -- on Ridge and Huntingdon all the way to 33rd and Diamond. Then they took over Arlington Monument and put PHA there. So we are going to be ladened with poverty for the next 100 years. So here's my demands, okay. Open your ears real loud because you're not listening to your constituents. Scattered sites, our scattered sites, stop removing those long-term tenants out of scattered sites and let them buy those homes. They should be giving them homes like the scattered site that I helped that lady buy in Brewerytown. We're demanding that you sell those houses. All those long-term tenants 20, 30 years they've been in those houses. It's a disgrace. We would like to have an analysis of your inventory, all your vacant land and all your houses. And then we're demanding that HUD does an investigation of this particular transaction, because what I did is this, I do research, and I like to do a little research. This is a buyout. This is somebody's hookup. Okay. That's --

Excuse me, Ms. Judith --

And I'm not getting into anybody's bene -- I'm not getting into anybody's business, but I want to say this --

Ms. Judith Robinson --

Can I finish my testimony? Can I finish my testimony please?

Ma'am --

Can I finish my testimony? You've ladened us, our Strawberry Mansion community which my family home of 67 years is still there. My family still owns their home in Strawberry Mansion so I'm speaking for my family. Okay. We don't want to be ladened. My mother and father gave us inheritance, okay, of a home that we still own 67 years later. So let's not -- let me talk. Let's not have a stacked deck here like we're doing all over the place. Listen to your constituents. So 69 units up and down York Street. Then you're going to laden us with this, PHA -- I'm not getting into anybody's deal. But when you put PHA in the mix, there should be an investigation of this deal before it goes any farther. With that, I'll close. You want to have any comments?

Thank you very much for your testimony. We would like to call on Mr. Keith Harris.

Yeah. Hello. Good morning, Councilman.

Just state your name for the record and begin your testimony.

My name is Keith Harris. And I would like to speak in support of Bill 230630. And the reason why, you know, we need affordable housing, and as we see our neighborhoods really actually -- the housing stock is being replenished back in our community. When we were growing up, you know, we seen all families. So it was no abandoned lots, no empty houses. It was all families living in these houses. So now we're seeing a resurgence in the housing stock. So our community is not filled all with market rate housing. We need to support bills that really support affordable housing. I know some people say it's no such thing as affordable housing. You know, inflation has taken place on a monetary level, but I don't want to go into all that so it seems like affordable housing, but they do have subsidies like PHA to help people with Section 8, to help people pay rent and assist them. So I think that we just can't say no and continue to say no to public housing and affordable housing. We have to somewhere draw the line and say, okay, we're the next generation or at least me in my age group at 62, we're the next generation being ushered out. So we have to make sure the people that come behind us have a place to live, you know. And we just cannot keep denying and fighting. I understand Judith and other people's sentiments about housing that's being rebuilt in our communities and that has its place, but also the argument for affordable housing has its place also. We just can't -- and I'd just like to leave here with we just can't say no to all this construction because before we know it, the developers will be in here and it will be all market rate and we will be taxed out just like other areas in the City has done in the past. So I'm in support of this bill.

Thank you very much. Can we have the next --

Mr. Chairman?

Yes.

Mr. Chairman, I beg your indulgence --

Mr. Jeremiah, go ahead, sir.

I feel obligated to respond to the earlier comments made by Ms. Queen Robinson.

Yes, sir.

First and foremost, let me just say that the PHA Ms. Robinson describes is not the PHA that exists today. And I cannot make any statements about what has happened 30, 40, years ago. I can 10 tell you that the PHA of today is one 11 of the best run, best mission-driven 12 public housing authorities in the 13 country. It has been recognized as 14 such from the Obama Administration to 15 the Biden Administration and we 16 continue to make improvements on so 17 many different policy objectives that 18 we've established. 19 I will also like to add that 20 PHA has put frankly more Black and Browns in affordable homeownership than any other government agency in Philadelphia. And, in fact, we have one of the best homeownership programs anywhere in the country. That's a simple straightforward fact. We continue to do that every single year moving folks from affordable rental housing into homeownership. As you correctly noted, folks have to be prepared and be ready. And that's one of the reasons frankly that we don't see any foreclosures in folks that we've put into homeownership. Secondly, Mr. Chair, PHA is offering occupied homeowners the first opportunity to relocate in the homeownership units that we will be building. It's their choice whether or not they want to relocate into the new development and buy one of those -- and be into one of the new homeownership units or if they want to get fair market value for the property and move elsewhere. We are obligated -- let me emphasize this again. We are federally obligated to pay fair market value for any property that we acquire. It's a simple fact and where there are discrepancies, where there are disagreements in terms of what that value is, there's a well- established process that we adhere to, to come to that agreement. And that has been the case for every one of those actions that we've taken. With respect to our work in Blumberg Sharswood area, I will dare say that it speaks for itself. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you very much. Next we're going to have on public comment Ms. Sherry Brown on Resolution 230630. (No response.)

Sherry Brown, if you're available. (No response.)

Is anyone else here to testify whose name has not yet been called?

Mr. Chair, I believe it might just be one moment for Council Support -- (Background interruption.)

It seems we may have lost Ms. Sherry Brown, Mr. Chair. (No response.)

Okay. Is there anyone else here to testify whose name has not yet been called? (No response.)

Any other questions or comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none -- COUNCIL TECH SUPPORT: We're calling Sherry in now.

Okay. Thank you, Darian.

Hello?

Yes. How are you doing, Ms. Sherry Brown?

Yes, this is Sherry Brown.

Yes. State your name for the record and please begin your testimony.

Yes. My name is Sherry Brown and I'm calling to -- hello, can you hear me?

Yes, I can hear you. Just turn down your T.V. in the background.

Okay. Yes, my name is Sherry Brown and I'm calling in reference to Bill No. 230630. I'm calling today because once again I am very disappointed in the way this process is taking place. When I was looking at the bill and it had fee simple title and it says the owner has the right to give away property, that's what's happening in Strawberry Mansion. The property is being given away by the City of Philadelphia. Okay. There has been -- which actually has not been a friend to Strawberry Mansion. Okay. When it comes to hearing what the residents in this community say that they need, no one listens to that. Everybody wants to tell us what they think that we should need. We want to get away from valuable property. You know, you're basically giving away valuable property without any meetings with the community. None that I know about, and I've been invested in this Strawberry Mansion for 67 years. And you're going to do this and you're not really asking us how is it going to benefit us. Okay. The other thing is, is that you're going to be moving people due to eminent domain, you'll be moving people. Have you asked these people where they want to go or what type of housing they want to live in now if you move them out of that area? The other thing too is you have Gordon Street. Okay. PHA has houses on Gordon Street. PHA wants to put houses along York Street from 33rd Street. So we will be -- I will be surrounded by people with low-income affordable housing, which I personally have nothing against those people. But what about homeownership? The last time PHA and (inaudible) came and they wanted to do this in our area, we fought against them. And Habitat for Humanity came in and they're building new homes for homeownership up above Diamond Street. Okay. And that's in the area where Keith is at. You're not down here where we're at. Okay. So you don't have to contend with that. What about homeownership? That's the way that we need to go, affordable homeownership. Okay. They had a meeting about the houses on York Street. The community was at that meeting at Strawberry Mansion High School. We agreed against it. And the next thing we hear is somebody from the CDC talking about this is what we wanted. No, that's not what we want. And I think it's disgraceful that that the City of Philadelphia City Council continues to go along with areas like this. We've already been discriminated against. You want to bring more density into this neighborhood. And it's just horrible how you all feel like we should be, you know, that we should be treated, that we deserve to be treated like that. I think it's totally unfair and I'm totally against this project. PHA, if you want to do homeownership, do homeownership. Don't continue to come into Strawberry Mansion and just -- help us build it up. Help us build it up the way that people -- the way that we just want to live. You know, I can't even walk to my corner store now. Okay. Do something in the neighborhood to help us, okay, not just to survive but to thrive. Okay. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Is anyone else here to testify whose name has not yet been called? (No response.)

Any other questions and comments from members of the Committee? (No response.)

Hearing none, I want to thank all the witnesses for their participation today. We value your input. I now invite all panels and witnesses to please disconnect from the meeting before we go into our public meeting. We will now pause the proceedings briefly as multiple participants leave the hearing. This concludes the public hearing of the Committee. We will now convene a public meeting to consider the action to be taken on the bills before this Committee today. Will the Clerk please call the roll to take attendance. Members that are in attendance will please indicate that they are present when their names are called. Also, please say a few brief words when responding so that your image will be displayed on screen when you speak.

Vice-Chair Mark Squilla.

Good morning, Council Chair and colleagues. Present.

Councilmember Cindy Bass.

Good morning still. I am present.

And, Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson.

Good morning, Mr. Chair. Good morning, colleagues. I am present.

Good morning. And what about Councilman O'Neill? Is he available?

I believe he may have dropped off the hearing, Mr. Chair.

Okay. Thank you. We will now go into our public meeting. The Clerk -- the Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230547.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230547 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilwoman Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 8 230547 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to prevent first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

The ayes have it -- opposed? (No response.)

They ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 230574.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill 3 No. 230574. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the Committee. I move that the amendment to Bill No. 230574 be approved.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilwoman Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 230574 be approved. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it. The motion carries. An amendment to Bill No. 230574 has been approved. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230574 as amended.

(Muted).

You're on mute, Mark.

You're on mute, Mark.

Oh, sorry about that. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230574 as amended be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 23 230574 as amended be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on the amendment to Bill No. 238578.

Bill No. 15 230578. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I offer an amendment to Bill 17 No. 230578. A copy of the amendment has been circulated to all members of the Committee. I move that the amendment to Bill No. 230578 be approved.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilwoman Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that the amendment to Bill No. 230578 be approved. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230578 as amended.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230578 as amended be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 2 230578 as amended be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230579.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230579 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilwoman Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 8 230579 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230585.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230585 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 14 230585 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230586.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230586 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 20 230586 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230626.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230626 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 1 230626 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? 11 (No response.) 12

The ayes 13 have it and the motion carries. 14 The Chair recognizes 15 Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion 16 on Bill No. 230627. 17

Thank 18 you, Mr. Chair. 19 I move that Bill No. 230627 20 be reported from this Committee with 21 a favorable recommendation and 22 further move that the rules of 23 Council be suspended as to permit the 24 first reading of this bill at the 25 next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 7 230627 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230628.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230628 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 13 230628 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230629.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230629 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 19 230629 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading of this bill 24 at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230630.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230630 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilwoman Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 25 230630 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Those opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. The Chair recognizes Councilman Mark Squilla for a motion on Bill No. 230650.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that Bill No. 230650 be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit the first reading of this bill at the next session of Council.

Second.

The Chair notes for the record that Councilmember Cindy Bass seconds the motion. It has been moved and properly seconded that Bill No. 7 230650 will be reported from this Committee with a favorable recommendation and further move that the rules of Council be suspended to permit first reading of this bill at the next session of Council. All those in favor of the motion will signify by saying aye. (Aye.)

Opposed? (No response.)

The ayes have it and the motion carries. For the record, we are holding Bill No. 230651 at the request of the sponsor. I want to thank everybody for taking time out of their busy schedule and being a part of this hearing today. And I also want to say, Go Eagles and Let's Go Phillies. This concludes the business before the Rules Committee today. Thank you everybody in attendance. That was a good game last night so --

Yes. Let's get another tonight.

Yes, it was.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Let's get another one tonight, y'all. Thank y'all for y'all participation.

Thank you.

Take care. Have a good night.

All right. Take care. (Hearing concluded at 11:56 a.m.) C E R T I F I C A T I O N I, hereby certify that the proceedings and evidence noted are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me in the foregoing matter, and that this is a correct transcript of the same. __________________________________ TANEHA CARROLL