Welcome to Thursday’s City Hall Roll Call, powered by The Committee of Seventy.
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Welcome to City Hall Roll Call, a summary of City Council’s weekly Stated Meeting. Reminder, the information provided below is not an official or complete record. City Council’s official legislative database can be accessed through Legistar.
For a full play-by-play of the Council session, including speeches and public comment, be sure to follow me on Twitter.
Session Recap:
Today’s City Council Session saw a number of local heroes honored for their recent successes. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd) presented a resolution to University of Pennsylvania doctors Katalin Karikó Ph.D. and Drew Weissman MD Ph.D, congratulating them on winning the 2023 Nobel Prize in Medicine for their work developing the technology behind COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. Councilmember Isaiah Thomas (D-AL) introduced a resolution ”recognizing, honoring and congratulating Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for leading the undefeated 38-0 Gamecocks to victory in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, her second championship in three seasons and third championship in her coaching career.”
Substantively, Council advanced and passed a number of noteworthy bills at today’s session.
RCO Residency Requirement
A bill that would require leaders of registered community organizations (RCOs) to live in the neighborhood they represent passed unanimously at today’s meeting. RCOs play an important role in the city’s zoning and development process. Anyone seeking a variance from the zoning code must present at a public meeting to the RCO covering the area where the project is located. The size, governing rules, resources and influence of individual RCOs varies wildly from neighborhood to neighborhood. While the Philadelphia Zoning Code provides minimal governance thresholds for RCOs to meet, the standards are relatively low, resulting in a patchwork of multiple groups covering the same areas. The bill, sponsored by Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th), adds an additional requirement that leaders of an RCO reside in the neighborhood they are representing. However, this bill applies only to RCOs operating in the 8th Councilmanic District, not citywide. It remains to be seen if other District Councilmembers will follow suit and opt-in to this requirement.
Displaced Worker Protections Bill Advances out of Committee
For the second time in less than a year, City Council’s Committee on Commerce and Economic Development took testimony and advanced a bill that would offer certain service employees extra protections from job displacement. The original bill was passed by City Council at its final meeting of 2023, but pocket vetoed by then Mayor Jim Kenney (D). The bill’s original sponsor, Jim Harrity (D-AL), reintroduced the bill in February.
The bill covers certain service employees (security, janitorial, food and beverage, parking, hotel services) working in large buildings or facilities in Philadelphia (50k square feet or 50 residential dwelling units). Often times, when a building is sold to a new owner or converted to a new use, the contractors servicing the buildings are replaced with new contractors and workers. The bill would require companies to temporarily hire these displaced contract workers when there is a contract change. The bill passed Council fourteen to one last December, with the body’s last remaining republican the sole no vote (Brian O’Neill (R-10th)). The bill is eligible for a vote at next week’s session, where if passed will head to the desk of Mayor Cherelle Parker (D). Parker, a former City Councilmember had already resigned to run for mayor the first time the bill was passed and did not vote on the matter.
Philadelphia Land Bank under the Microscope
Affordable housing advocates and developers alike celebrated Philadelphia’s creation of a Land Bank back in 2014, but after a decade in operation many feel like the agency has just added a layer to the city’s land transfer bureaucracy rather than streamline it, as promised.
Both Mayor Parker and City Council have now focused their sights on reforming this underperforming agency. Mayor Parker referenced Land Bank reforms both in her inaugural and budget addresses. Today, Council flexed their Home Rule Charter granted oversight powers over the agency, authorizing hearings “on the ten year performance of the Philadelphia Land Bank, what barriers exist to effective application review, process efficiency, and transparent communication.” The resolution, introduced by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd) seeks to “maximize this unique opportunity to create genuinely affordable housing and community stewarded green spaces for neighborhoods that need them most.”
A press release issued by Gauthier’s office stated that “advocates, community organizations, and elected officials” are calling on the Land Bank to:
Enhance staffing to improve response times and effective application review.
View nonprofits and community-based applicants as partners and work with them to "get to yes."
Eliminate barriers to process efficiency.
Improve transparency and accountability.
Update the Land Bank's strategic plan and disposition and acquisition policies to better balance dispositions across a range of development and community-driven productive uses, including prioritizing accessible and deeply affordable homes for low-income residents in transitioning neighborhoods.
Hearings on the Philadelphia Land Bank have not yet been announced.
City Council stands adjourned until Thursday, April 18th, 2024 at 10 AM.
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Subject Matter)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
🏗️ Construction / Zoning
Bill amending the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land with an area bounded by Montgomery Avenue, 10th Street, Girard Avenue and 13th Street. (Young)
🗺️ Land Disposition / Acquisition
Resolution authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of properties located in the Third Councilmanic District. (Gauthier)
🚓 Public Safety
Bill amending 10-2200 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled “Hate Crimes” to expand the scope of qualifying crimes. (Jones)
🚦Streets
Bill granting permission to Germantown Jewish Center to demarcate the boundaries of a Germantown eruv district. (Bass)
🔏 Contract / Agreement Authorization
Resolution approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the West Mill Creek Urban Renewal area. (Gauthier)
📛 Board / Commission Appointments / Task Force Creation
Resolution authorizing the establishment of a “Special Committee on Kensington” to analyze and examine the effectiveness of current policies, to further develop data-driven solutions and restore stability in the Kensington area. (Lozada)
⚖️ Non-Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution authorizing the Joint Committees on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless and Public Property and Public Works to hold hearings on the ten year performance of the Philadelphia Land Bank, what barriers exist to effective application review, process efficiency, and transparent communication and how these can be solved to maximize this unique opportunity to create genuinely affordable housing and community stewarded green spaces for neighborhoods that need them most. (Gauthier)
Resolution calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to adopt the “Solar for Schools Act,” HB1032 and thanking Representative Fielder for her commitment to reducing the energy costs of public schools, expanding renewable energy production and creating family sustaining jobs for Pennsylvanians. (Gilmore-Richardson)
Resolution urging the United States government to take immediate action to protect and enshrine reproductive rights and ensure abortion access for all birthing people. (Ahmad)
Resolution expressing Council support for food service workers at the Philadelphia sports complex and urging Aramark to negotiate fair and equitable contracts that provide these workers with a standard minimum wage and health care coverage. (Johnson)
Bills and Resolutions Introduced Today (By Member)
Due to the volume, ceremonial resolutions introduced by Councilmembers that honor or memorialize individuals or organizations will not be listed below, but can be found on Legistar.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson (D-2nd)
R: Expressing Council support for food service workers at the Philadelphia sports complex and urging Aramark to negotiate fair and equitable contracts that provide these workers with a standard minimum wage and health care coverage.
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-3rd)
R: Authorizing the Joint Committees on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless and Public Property and Public Works to hold hearings on the ten year performance of the Philadelphia Land Bank, what barriers exist to effective application review, process efficiency, and transparent communication and how these can be solved to maximize this unique opportunity to create genuinely affordable housing and community stewarded green spaces for neighborhoods that need them most.
R: Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of properties located in the Third Councilmanic District.
R: Approving the redevelopment contract for the redevelopment and urban renewal of a portion of the West Mill Creek Urban Renewal area.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
B: Amending 10-2200 of the Philadelphia Code, entitled “Hate Crimes” to expand the scope of qualifying crimes, under certain terms and conditions.
Councilmember Jeffery Young (D-5th)
B: Amending the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land with an area bounded by Montgomery Avenue, 10th Street, Girard Avenue and 13th Street.
Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (D-7th)
R: Authorizing the establishment of a “Special Committee on Kensington” to analyze and examine the effectiveness of current policies, to further develop data-driven solutions and restore stability in the Kensington area.
Councilmember Cindy Bass (D-8th)
B: Granting permission to Germantown Jewish Center to demarcate the boundaries of a Germantown eruv district.
Councilmember Nina Ahmad (D-AL)
R: Urging the United States government to take immediate action to protect and enshrine reproductive rights and ensure abortion access for all birthing people.
Councilmember Katherine Gilmore-Richardson (D-AL)
R: Calling on the Pennsylvania General Assembly to adopt the “Solar for Schools Act,” HB1032 and thanking Representative Fielder for her commitment to reducing the energy costs of public schools, expanding renewable energy production and creating family sustaining jobs for Pennsylvanians.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
📛 240251 (Phillips): Authorizing the creation of a task force to study and develop proposals, strategies, and recommendations to enhance parental/guardian engagement, oversight, accountability, and resources within the City of Philadelphia.
🏆 240### (Phillips): Congratulating Captain Myesha Massey on her promotion to Deputy Commissioner as the 1st Deputy Commissioner for Community Partnerships and on her successful command as the first female commander of the 35th Police District.
🏆 240### (Gilmore-Richardson): Celebrating the selection of “True Biz” by Sara Nović for the 2024 “One Book, One Philadelphia” program.
⚖️ 240### (Gauthier): Authorizing the Joint Committees on Housing, Neighborhood Development and the Homeless and Public Property and Public Works to hold hearings on the ten year performance of the Philadelphia Land Bank, what barriers exist to effective application review, process efficiency, and transparent communication and how these can be solved to maximize this unique opportunity to create genuinely affordable housing and community stewarded green spaces for neighborhoods that need them most.
🏆 240### (Thomas): Recognizing, honoring and congratulating Dawn Staley, coach of the University of South Carolina Gamecocks for leading the undefeated 38-0 Gamecocks to victory in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, her second championship in three seasons and third championship in her coaching career.
🏆 240### (Jones): Honoring and recognizing “Philly Girls Jump” and further declaring May 4th, 2024 and every 1st Saturday in May thereafter, “Philly Double Dutch Day” in the city of Philadelphia.
🏆 240### (Jones): Honoring and congratulating the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Pennsylvania Chapter on the occasion of their annual legislative day.
🏆 240### (Landau): Honoring and congratulating Royal Izakaya’s Jesse Ito for his nomination as a finalist for a 2024 James Beard Award.
🏆 240### (Landau): Recognizing and honoring Circadium Circus School as the first accredited circus school in the United States.
🏆 240### (Bass): Recognizing the 8th District Rebuild Community redevelopment partners, Nicetown CDC and Allegheny West Foundation for their hard work and revitalization of communities in their respective neighborhoods.
Bills:
🚓 240015 (Lozada): Adding a new Chapter 6-1600 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled “City Reports on Opioid Antidote Use,” to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning the City’s use of opioid antidote.
🚓. 240017 (Lozada): Adding a new Chapter 10-2700 to The Philadelphia Code, entitled “City Reports on Impermissible Camping,” to require certain reports from the Office of the Managing Director to Council concerning camping activities carried out in violation of the Code and the City’s efforts to address such activities.
🏗️ 240020-A (Bass): Amending Title 14 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Zoning and Planning,” all under certain terms and conditions.
🏗️ 240066 (Squilla): To amend the Philadelphia Zoning Maps by changing the zoning designations of certain areas of land located within an area bounded by Wood Street, 4th Street, Vine Street, and Lawrence Street.
💼 240087 (Landau): Amending Chapter 9-600 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Service and Other Businesses”, by adding a new section regulating the operation of establishments providing tax preparation services and providing for remedies.
💸 240177 (Johnson): Amending Bill No. 230145, entitled “An Ordinance To adopt a Fiscal 2024 Capital Budget,” by revising various appropriation amounts and totals.
💸 240178 (Johnson): Amending Bill No. 230144, entitled “An Ordinance To adopt a Capital Program for the Six Fiscal Years 2024-2029 Inclusive,” by revising various appropriation amounts and totals to conform to amendments to the FY2024 Capital Budget Ordinance.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Thursday, April 18th
Committee on Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs, 1:00 PM - will take testimony on Bill No. 240003, “An Ordinance authorizing the Commissioner of Parks and Recreation, on behalf of the City of Philadelphia, to enter into a multiyear agreement with Bennett Compost, Inc., for food scrap collection and management of a compost facility on City property.”
Friday, April 19th, 2024
Committee of the Whole, 10:00 AM - the Committee of the Whole will take testimony regarding the nine Mayoral appointments and re-appointments to the School District of Philadelphia Board of Education.
Monday, April 29th, 2024
Committee on Rules, 10:00 AM - the Committee will take testimony on seven (7) bills amending the Philadelphia Zoning Code.