City Hall Roll Call: October 13th, 2022
Council votes to extend City's Eviction Diversion Program
Last week’s newsletter was delayed because I was representing a client in a legal proceeding on Thursday. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
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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. Also, don’t forget to tune in on Tuesday mornings at 10:25 a.m. to WURD Radio and Reality Check’s “City Council Calendar with Lauren Vidas.” Show host Charles Ellison and I preview the issues and break down the legislation that Council will tackle at its Thursday meeting.
Session Recap:
In a very brief City Council Stated Meeting, Council voted to extend the the City’s nationally renowned Eviction Diversion Program (EDP) by eighteen months. The program, which was first implemented during the Covid-19 pandemic, has become a national model for its effectiveness, with 85% of landlord tenant disputes reaching a settlement or an agreement to continue negotiations.
The Eviction Diversion Program is free to Philadelphia residential tenants and landlords and is designed to prevent the “costs and burden of a legal eviction.” The program’s goal is to bring parties together to reach mutually beneficial agreements. This is accomplished through mediation or the assignment of a housing counselor.
To date, the program has given out $300 million and helped more than 46,000 applicants, with this year’s budget setting aside an additional $45 million in resources to prevent evictions. The bill passed 10-1, with Councilmember David Oh (R-AL) the lone no vote against the bill.
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.
🚦Streets
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District. (Clarke)
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District. (Clarke)
Bill establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District. (Clarke)
Bill authorizing the installation of stop signs in the 10th Councilmanic District. (O’Neill)
⚖️ Privileged Resolutions (Authorizing Hearings / Urging Action)
Resolution formally apologizing for the heinous acts of abuse and torture perpetuated against inmates at Holmesburg Prison during the 1950s and 1970s. (Jones)
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.
Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (D-4th)
Resolution - Formally apologizing for the heinous acts of abuse and torture perpetuated against inmates at Holmesburg Prison during the 1950s and 1970s.
Council President Darrell Clarke (D-5th)
Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District.
Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District.
Bill - Establishing parking regulations in the 5th Councilmanic District.
Councilmember Brian O’Neill (R-10th)
Bill - Authorizing the installation of stop signs in the 10th Councilmanic District.
Bills and Resolutions Passed by City Council at Today’s Session
Resolutions:
🗺️ 220818 (Clarke): Authorizing the transfer of certain City-owned lots located in the Fifth Councilmanic District to the Philadelphia Land Bank.
🗺️ 220822 (Gauthier): Authorizing the transfer of title to 239 N. Paxon Street;
5804 Hazel Avenue in the Third Councilmanic District to the Philadelphia Land Bank.
🗺️ 220823 (Gauthier): Authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of 759, 761, 763, 773, 779, and 783 Pallas Street; 4041 Cambridge Street located in the 3rd Councilmanic District.
🏆 220### (Thomas): Honoring and congratulating Jana Pugliese.
🏆 220### (Jones): Recognizing and honoring Dannon Green for his documentary film, “The Executioners: We All Had a Chance.”
🏆 220### (Oh): Recognizing and thanking Philadelphia Performing Arts, a String Theory Charter School for reaching out and enrolling displaced children impacted by the war in Ukraine.
Bills:
🏠 220655 (Gym): Amending Chapter 9-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Landlord and Tenant,” to modify requirements and authorizations related to the City’s residential eviction diversion program, including associated changes to the landlord and tenant relationship, and to make certain technical changes.
📆 Upcoming City Council Public Hearings
(Click on the Committee listing to download the full agenda of bills and resolutions for the meeting.)
Friday, October 21st
Committee on Rules, 1:00 PM - the committee will hear three bills establishing overlay districts: Bill No. 220658, “Nelson Brown People’s Village Overlay District”; Bill No. 220661, “Yorktown Neighborhood Overlay District”; and, Bill No. 220662, “Nehemiah Homes Overlay District.”
Monday, October 24th
Committee on Commerce & Economic Development, 1:00 PM - the committee will hear Bill No. 220813, amending the ‘2021 Public Health Emergency Leave’ Act to “establish additional leave time under certain circumstance, modify existing provisions concerning the paid sick leave, and make technical changes” and take testimony on Resolution No. 220648, to examine “what the Philadelphia Water Department is or could be doing to take advantage of new and existing federal water quality infrastructure funding to address chronic sewage overflows in overburdened communities.”
Friday, October 28th
Committee on Streets and Services, 10:00 AM - the committee will take testimony on twenty-eight (28) bills related to streets, including parking regulations, street strikings and encroachments.