►
From YouTube: Councilmember Reynolds Brown Speaks Before the Final Vote on her Lead Safety Bill 9-26-2019
Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, September 26, 2019:
Councilmember Reynolds Brown (At large) speaks before the final vote on her lead safety bill, Bill No. 180936-A.
Read the bill:
https://phila.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3710522&GUID=6C4F2156-66F9-4F20-B4D9-51CD9604EFE7&Options=ID|Text|&Search=180936-A
A
The
vote
on
bill
number
one:
eight,
zero,
nine
three
six
marks
a
pivotal
milestone
for
Philadelphia
children
and
families.
This
legislation
has
been
a
marathon
and
not
a
sprint.
At
this
moment,
nine
out
of
ten
city
council
districts
have
a
zip
code
with
one
out
of
ten
children
poisoned
by
lead
and
2018.
One
child
is
diagnosed
with
significant
left
poisoning
every
single
day.
It
is
clear
that
we
as
a
city,
can
and
must
do
better.
Let's
do
a
rewind
under
the
leadership
of
yelets
Shelly
on
off
in
2010
and
2011
this
council.
A
Public
testimony
has
revealed
quite
eloquently
why
less
poisoning
and
dealing
with
it
matters
I
was
blessed
to
be
the
mother
of
a
healthy
kid.
I
cannot
imagine
what
it
would
be
like
to
raise
children
and
grow
children
who
end
up
with
lead
poisoning
in
2011,
while
working
to
right
the
ship
on
this
bill.
One
of
the
last
compromises
we
secured
before
the
passage
of
this
bill
was
to
limit
certification
to
homes
where
children,
ages,
six
and
under
reside
rule
and
I'll
articulated
that
quite
well.
A
I
credit,
my
former
colleagues
councilman
Marion
tasco
and
Councilwoman
Maria
quinones
Sanchez,
who
worked
with
me
closely
and
helping
me
to
secure
the
needed
votes
on
that
bill
that
bill
passed
16
to
1.
As
at
that
time
we
did
believe
that
the
legislation,
while
imperfect,
would
allow
the
city
to
finally
get
a
handle
on
making
rental
units
and
safer
for
children.
Now,
eight
years
later,
based
on
data,
we
arrived
at
the
clear
conclusion
that
a
new,
stronger
solution
was
not
optional.
It's
required
there's
several
challenges
with
the
enforcement
of
the
current
law.
A
After
six
years
of
implementation,
the
city
only
received
5,500
certifications
of
the
22,000
rental
properties
with
children,
six
and
under
that
represents
only
a
25
percent
compliance
rate.
The
Department
of
Health
and
L&I
reported
that
the
bill
was
designed
as
practically
unenforceable.
So
it
was
not
an
arbitrary
decision
made
by
my
office
after
meeting
with
those
commissioners
we
learned
from
them
and
on
based
on
data.
The
bill
was
practically
unenforceable.
We
discovered
that
there
were
other
problems
with
the
bill
through
public
testimony.
A
We
learned
that
the
2011
bill
created
an
unintended
two-tiered
housing
market,
which
also
has
been
articulated.
The
executive
director
of
the
Fair
Housing
Commission
eloquently
testified
that
that
system
led
to
discriminate
or
the
scrim
natori
practices,
and
that
is
something.
Of
course,
we
have
always
tried
to
avoid.
A
My
office
has
spent
over
two
years
making
sure
all
sides
of
this
legislative
issue
have
been
heard.
We
participated
in
the
full,
often
lead,
poisoning
advisory
group,
convened
by
Mayor
Kenny,
along
with
council
members,
Kim
bast,
Sanchez
and
Parker.
The
advisory
group
recommended
that
we
extend
the
bill
to
all
properties.
With
the
consistent
open-door
policy.
We
met
with
the
administration,
landlords,
health
experts
advocates
and
anyone
who
had
anything
to
say
about
how
we
could
do
better.
A
During
the
summer
of
2018,
we
met
again
with
the
lead
towards
the
Advisory
Commission
and
all
of
the
advocates
PCC
y
community
legal
services
turn
the
Public
Interest
Law
Center
and
anyone
else
who
had
a
bright
idea
on
how
we
could
do
better.
This
is
all
before
the
introduction
of
the
bill
in
October
2018
in
October
2018.
We
introduced
that
legislation
and
again
we
met
with
all
stakeholders.
A
My
staff
and
I
helped
form
of
meetings
and
con,
as
calls
with
the
landlord
quote
coalition,
who
do
care
about
us
doing
better.
We
met
in
2018,
January,
February,
March,
May,
June
and
again
July
24th
of
2019.
As
is
our
practice.
Our
office
leaves
no
stone
unturned
when
it
comes
to
tackling
a
complex,
layered
legislative
public
health
issue.
So
we
talked
with
those
policy
professionals.
In
Rochester
we
took
a
trip
south
to
Baltimore,
where
they
have
had
a
universal,
let
law
in
places.
A
1996
we
met
with
those
stakeholders
to
learn
how
they
have
been
able
to
successfully
implement
that
law.
Then
we
went
to
Washington
DC
for
a
year
ago
to
the
National
Conference
on
lead,
where
professionals
from
across
the
country
were
convening,
with
a
focus
for
municipalities
like
fall-off,
is
still
dealing
with
lead,
so
the
leakage
the
record
should
reflect.
A
We
have
not
been
frivolous
in
our
pursuit
for
a
balanced,
less
onerous
solution,
but
here's
the
bottom
line
our
children
continue
to
be
poisoned
by
lead,
even
though
we
have
the
tools
available
to
create
a
safer
and
healthier
environment.
So
let
me
now
share
and
restate
some
of
the
tweaks
we've
made
to
the
legislation
before
us.
We
were
asked
for
clear,
informational
companies
within
the
city
who
do
remediation
and
certification
work.
That's
now
in
the
bill,
we
heard
concerns
that
landlords
did
not
have
enough
time
to
come
into
compliance
with
the
law.
A
I
get
that
because
we
delayed
our
menu
labeling
bill
for
a
year
and
a
half
to
allow
that
community
to
ramp
up.
So
we
wrote
an
extended
implementation
date
into
this
bill.
Landlords
asked
if
we
could
include
provisions
in
the
bill
that
protects
them
against
tenants
who
do
not
provide
access
to
properties.
We
heard
them.
We
added
that
provision
in
the
bill.
The
lair
coalition
was
not
content
with
recertification
at
the
time
of
turnover,
which
was
my
preferred
remedy.
So
we
removed
that
the
bill.
A
The
wrinkle
eye
reference
in
June
2019
was
regarding
a
new
development
and
new
information
that
we,
as
a
city,
were
not
where
we
needed
to
be
with
regards
to
technology.
We
heard
apprehensions
about
the
systems
of
technologies
that
would
be
ultimately
responsible
for
the
implementation
and
enforcement
of
the
bill,
and
much
to
the
chagrin
of
many
and
I
will
even
go
as
far
as
to
say.
I
was
bullied.
A
I'm
good
in
June
I
held
the
bill
for
three
months
and
I,
invited
and
chose
to
them
by
all
stakeholders
back
to
the
table
so
that
they
can
hear
themselves
personally
from
the
health
commissioner
and
our
L&I
Commissioner
Commissioner
Perry
and
Commissioner
Farley
care
about
getting
this
right.
Second
time
around.
I
also
want
to
thank
council
members
whose
offices
were
able
to
join
us
at
that
July
24th
meeting
last
Tuesday.
We
Sekulow
circulated
another
set
of
amendments
subsequent
to
that
circulation.
We
were
approached
again
to
consider
extending
the
frequency
of
certification
from
every
three
years.
A
For
five
years.
We
make
no
decisions
alone,
we
do
the
homework.
We
went
back
to
see
what
other
cities
are
doing
and
I
made
the
decisions
that
we
would
have
in
every
four
years,
based
on
homework.
We
have
from
other
cities,
so
compromise
has
never
been
an
option,
for
us
has
always
been
a
requirement
if,
second
time
around,
we
want
to
get
this
right.
A
My
office
has
worked
to
the
point
of
exhaustion
for
compromise
for
all
stakeholders
in
August,
2019
I
had
the
finally
record
with
the
reality
and
quote:
councilman
Jones,
who
said
common
ground
might
not
be
possible.
I'll
accept
that.
But
what
we
will
have
is
a
common
understanding
that
we
have
to
find
a
pathway
to
protect
our
children.
So,
despite
what
we've
heard,
keeping
our
children
safe
from
harmful
causes
of
lead
poisoning
is
not
as
costly
as
some
has
argued
this
summer
I
had
my
staff
call
remediate,
errs
and
others
who
actually
do
the
work.
A
We
had
interns
on
the
doing
our
own
in-house
survey
so
that
we
could
get
a
handle
ourselves
on
what
it
costs
to
remediate
properties
for
those
properties
that
do
not
honor
this
remediation
and
seeking
to
front
get
properties.
To
be,
let's
say
if
it's
going
to
be
up
to
$1,500,
but
if
you
are
responsible
landlord
doing
the
right
thing
every
four
years
it
could
be
as
minimum
as
150.
The
goal
of
the
bill
is
to
address
the
quality
of
the
housing
stock
in
our
city.
A
Landlords
raise
the
very
fair
criticism.
Why
should
we
be
responsible
for
fixing
this
problem
and
I
actually
support
that
you're
right
government
has
a
role
in
us
finding
a
mutual
resolution
where
everybody
has
some
skin
in
the
game.
So
my
staff
and
I
appeal
to
the
administration
to
ensure
that
funds
are
available
for
small
landlords
who
will
struggle
to
complete
this
remediation
work.
The
result,
a
new
small
landlord
loan
program
implemented
by
the
Planning
Department,
will
be
available
for
small
landlords
to
make
necessary
repairs.
A
We
also
made
a
budget
request
to
the
administration
and
to
present
president
Clark's
office
for
a
separate
fund
dedicated
solely
to
support
remediation.
Thank
you
to
the
administrator
at
the
Kennedy
administration
for
authorizing
a
two
hundred
thousand
dollar
pilot
program
that
will
help
small
landlords.
A
Contrary
to
reported
opinion
that
got
back
to
us
from
Baltimore
and
I
quote,
we
have
not
given
up
the
store,
in
quote
in
this
bill.
We
have
held
to
the
original
intent
of
the
bill
and
that
is
universal,
led
certification
for
all
rental
properties
concerns
legitimate
concerns
have
been
raised
about
whether
or
not
this
unfavorable
that
made
the
unfavorable
impact
towards
the
availability
of
affordable
housing.
We
need
to
care
about
that.
A
My
limited
research
tells
me
again
from
Baltimore
and
I
quote:
Maryland's
lead
law
has
not
had
a
negative
effect
on
the
availability
of
affordable
rental
housing
in
our
and
that
law
has
been
in
place
since
1996.
We
champion
stricter,
let's
hazard,
reduction
legislation
and
believe
that
these
standards
will
enable
us
to
offer
healthier
housing
conditions.
So,
yes,
landlords
with
bare
cost,
but
you
know
why
our
children
bear
the
cost
as
well
our
families
there,
the
park.
A
Our
city
there's
the
cost
lead
poisoning
poses
cost
to
all
of
us.
This
happens
when
we
see
increased
cost
for
special
education,
medical
care,
increased
involvement
with
the
criminal
justice
system.
We
all
pay
here's
the
good
news,
thanks
to
the
leadership
of
Senator,
of
distant
hues
and
governor
wolf.
The
issue
of
lead
is
now
a
priority
for
the
entire
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania,
which
has
the
sixth
highest
percentage
rate
for
children
suffering
from
lead.
Poisoning
Pennsylvania
ranks
number
six
when
it
comes
to
children
suffering
from
that
poisoning.
A
A
Councilman
green
recently
introduced
an
ordinance
that
will
give
schools
ten
million
dollars
to
combat
lead
and
asbestos
in
our
children's
classroom.
This
council
also
unanimously
supported
my
bill
to
require
universal
blood,
lead
screening.
We
were
sitting
that
doesn't
even
require
universal
blood,
lead
screening
and
led
certification
after
the
renovation
of
City
public
buildings.
So
if
we
want
to
hold
a
private-sector
responsible,
the
government
has
got
to
do
its
share
too.
If
they're
going
to
be
any
major
renovations
in
any
city
buildings,
then
now
we
must
seek
less
certification
as
well.
A
A
All
of
us
agree
that
every
child
in
Philadelphia
deserves
to
live
in
a
healthy
and
safe
environment
and
for
sure
there
is
no
perfect
time
for
a
perfect
bill.
It
doesn't
happen
often
in
this
council,
so
we
that
we
have
to
reckon
with
where
we
are,
if
we're
going
to
move
the
needle
and
that
that's
phrase
now
old,
if
we're
going
to
make
a
small
difference
and
sometimes
making
a
small
difference
warrants
that
we
have
to
take
more
strident
legislative
action.
A
I
know
that
a
vote
when
this
bill
is
not
comfortable
for
some
of
us,
but
here's
what
I
also
know
in
the
words
of
Martin
Luther
King
at
the
end
of
the
day,
we're
measured,
not
what
you're
doing
times
of
comfort
and
convenience.
It's
where
we
act
and
how
we
stand
through
moments
of
challenge
and
controversy,
I'm
asking
for
a
great
yes
or
no
fair,
Thank
You.
Mr.
president,.
C
You
very
much
thank
you
very
much
house,
president
I
just
wanted
to
thank
councilman
Blundell
Reynolds
Brown.
Suddenly,
this
morning,
I
walked
over
to
her
and
I
asked.
Would
she
be
willing
to
co-sponsor
a
bill
whereby,
if
landlords
subject
to
this
law
were
to
remediate
the
lead
that
we
would
try
to
pass
a
tax
credit
dollar-for-dollar
for
the
money
they
spend,
we
want
safer
environments,
but
in
reality
there
is
a
lot.
A
lot
of
people
can't
afford
to
make
those
changes.
C
It
does
affect
that
affordable
housing,
and
we
have
a
lot
of
folks
that
don't
have
a
lot
of
money
that
rent
out
the
space
that
they
have.
We
want
them
to
continue
and
I
appreciate
her
co-sponsorship
of
that
we'll
see
where
that
goes,
but
I
think
it's
important
not
to
have
unfunded
mandates
or
to
make
requirements
without
a
method
for
people
to
achieve
them,
and
so
I
am
supporting
her
bill
on
the
fact
that
I
believe
she
is
sincere.
C
B
D
Councilwoman
blackball
councilman
Dom,
councilman,
Greenlee,
Councilwoman
game
councilman
henan,
I
councilman
Johnson
councilman
Jones,
councilman,
O'neill,
councilman,
Oh,
Councilwoman,
Parker,
Councilwoman;
generally,
a
Sanchez,
Councilwoman
metals,
Brown,
aye,
councilman,
Squealer,
councilman,
talkin,
burger,
I
council.
President
clark.
I.