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Description
From the Stated Meeting of Philadelphia City Council held Thursday, February 6, 2020:
Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District) comments on PHA's proposed sale of the West Park Apartments in West Philadelphia.
A
Thank
You
council
president,
before
we
close
I,
want
to
take
a
moment
to
address
an
issue
in
my
district.
That
is
deeply
concerning
to
me.
Late
last
year,
the
Philadelphia
Housing
Authority
announced
its
plans
to
sell
two
of
the
three
buildings
that
make
up
the
West
Park
Apartments
at
46th
and
market.
The
bidding
process
began
on
Monday
and
will
continue
through
the
end
of
the
month.
A
Pha
is
working
with
a
national
for-profit
firm
to
market
these
properties
and
the
sale
announcement
reads:
profit-driven,
expressing
no
preference
for
equitable
development
or
any
commitment
to
avoiding
displacement
of
vulnerable
communities.
Additionally,
to
my
knowledge,
efforts
to
engage
stakeholders
in
the
surrounding
neighborhoods
to
get
their
input
on
this
deal
have
been
severely
inadequate.
West
Park
is
a
place
that
families
and
individuals
have
have
called
home
for
over
55
years,
and
hundreds
of
residents
could
be
displaced
as
a
result
of
this
transaction.
A
Additionally,
publicly
owned
real
estate
assets
like
the
West
Park
development
are
the
biggest
tool
that
we
have
in
governments
with
work
the
negative
effects
of
gentrification
in
our
neighborhoods.
This
is
why
I'm
so
deeply
troubled
that
this
cell
is
being
rushed
through
with
inadequate
thought
and
care
given
to
the
possible
repercussions.
There
is
so
much
at
stake
when
it
comes
to
the
sale
of
this
parcel.
A
The
area
around
46
and
market
is
likely
to
become
a
hot
area
for
development
in
the
next
few
years,
due
to
a
number
of
other
projects
in
the
development
pipeline,
amenities
near
the
site,
particularly
the
40,
Street
46th
Street
L
station,
and
the
fact
that
it
is
in
an
opportunity
zone
driving
investors
from
all
over
the
country
towards
profit
motivated
real
estate
projects
at
the
site.
Pha
has
promised
that
there
will
be
a
one-for-one
replacement
of
the
housing
units,
but,
as
of
now,
we've
seen
no
concrete
public
commitment
to
that
effect.
A
We
will
not
be
satisfied
by
any
for
one
plan
that
doesn't
allow
these
families
to
say
in
this
community,
where
many
of
them
have
lived
for
generations,
further
to
whom
the
towers
are
sold
and
what
is
put
in
there
said
absolutely
matters
for
the
future
of
equity
in
the
third
District
I
am
calling
on
PHA
to
not
just
sell
this
site
to
the
highest
bidder.
The
authority
has
a
responsibility
to
its
tenant,
it
has
a
responsibility
to
the
surrounding
community
and
it
has
a
responsibility
to
all
of
us
to
provide
transparency
in
its
dealings.
A
It
is
not
too
late
to
be
thoughtful
about
next
steps
here
and
to
incorporate
the
important
voices
of
my
constituents.
Lastly,
I
want
to
be
very
clear
that
I
will
do
everything
in
my
power
to
protect
the
residents
of
the
third
District
and
I
look
forward
to
hearing
from
PHA
on
these
matters.
Thank
you.