►
Description
The Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and The Homeless of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, at 12:00 PM to hear testimony on the following items:
200057
Resolution authorizing the Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless to hold public hearings to explore rent control in the City of Philadelphia.
A
B
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
the
hearings
and
can
also
be
found
on
phlcounsel.com
I
now
note
that
the
hour
has
come
Sydney
shirls.
Will
you
please
call
the
roll
to
take
attendance
members
that
are
in
attendance?
G
B
Good
afternoon,
thank
you,
a
quorum
of
the
committee
has
been
established
and
this
hearing
is
now
called
to
order.
This
is
the
public
hearing
of
the
committee
on
housing,
neighborhood
development
and
the
homeless.
Regarding
resolution
number
two:
zero:
zero:
zero:
five,
seven
Miss
Charles.
Will
you
please
read
the
title
of
the
resolution.
B
Before
we
begin
to
hear
testimony
from
the
witnesses
we
have
for
today,
everyone
who
has
been
invited
to
the
meeting
to
testify
to
be
aware
that
the
public
meeting
is
being
recorded
because
the
hearing
is
public
participants
and
viewers
have
no
reasonable
expectation
of
privacy.
By
continuing
to
be
in
the
meeting
you
are
consenting
to
being
recorded
and
I
would
like
to
recognize
that
councilmember
bass
is
present
as
well
prior
to
recognizing
members
for
the
questions
or
comments
they
have
for
Witnesses.
B
The
chat
feature
must
only
be
used
for
this
purpose
before
we
begin
I'd
like
to
make
a
few
remarks
about
the
legislation
before
this
committee
today
good
afternoon,
everyone
we
are
all
here
today,
because
we
realize
that
it's
time
to
have
a
serious
conversation
about
rent
control
here
in
Philadelphia,
we
are
in
the
midst
of
the
worst
housing
affordability
crisis.
We
have
ever
seen
in
this
city
and
it's
going
to
take
every
tool
at
our
disposal
to
turn
the
tide
and
ensure
that
every
Philadelphia
has
high
quality,
stable
housing.
B
You
do
not
have
to
look
any
further
than
my
Council
District
to
see
the
life-shattering
consequences
of
letting
landlords
raise
rents,
unchecked,
the
pre-pandemic
monthly
difference
between
rent
owed
and
ability
to
pay
in
my
district
was
16
million
dollars
per
month.
Citywide.
This
number
amounts
to
74
million
dollars
per
month,
and
both
statistics
are
almost
certainly
higher.
Post
covid
the
belt
is
tightening
even
for
those
who
can
afford
to
pay
their
rent.
B
B
Let
me
be
clear:
I
am
not
anti-development
or
anti-new
people
coming
into
historically
black
neighborhoods,
but
I
am
anti-displacement
and
anti-profiting
off
of
the
bats
of
working
class
residents
without
protecting
their
right
to
remain
in
neighborhoods,
their
families
built
with
their
Blood
Sweat
and
Tears.
When
no
one
else
wanted
to
live
there.
B
So
we
need
to
give
serious
consideration
to
rent
control,
because
I
cannot
think
of
a
better
mechanism
to
welcome
new
neighbors
without
displacing
low-income,
long-term
neighbors
I'm
grateful
to
my
colleague
and
friend,
councilmember
Brooks,
for
hosting
today's
hearing
and
starting
the
formal
conversation
on
this
important
topic
and
thank
you
to
the
Philadelphia
rent
control,
Coalition
and
all
the
advocates
for
their
work
on
the
ground
to
bring
this
issue
to
the
foreground.
Thank
you
to
the
witnesses
and
public
who
have
signed
up
to
speak
today.
B
F
Thank
you
so
much
Madam
chair
members
of
the
housing
committee
and
everyone
who
joined
us
today
in
this
hearing
I
am
so
very
excited.
To
start
this
important
conversation,
you
know
from
personal
experience
of
housing
security
housing
is
a
human
rights,
has
been
a
platform
that
I
have
continued
to
talk
on
way
before
becoming
an
elected
office
and
I
know
that
people
tend
to
have
a
knee-jerk
reaction
when
they
hear
the
word
rent
control.
F
F
Today
we
will
hear
from
local
and
National
Air
experts
on
this
issue
and
also
renters
from
across
the
city,
because
I
know
firsthand
that
as
I
navigate
communities
throughout
Philadelphia
and
people
approach
me
about
housing,
insecurity
or
housing
issues
in
general,
I'm
still
very
much
triggered
from
my
own
experience
and
I.
Think
it's
important
that
we
hear
the
stories
from
the
actual
people
that
are
affected
by
our
current
renting
situation
here
in
Philadelphia.
F
So
what
would
we
learn
about
more
today?
Is
rent
control
is
not
a
new
thing
to
Philly
we'll
talk
about
how
our
city
is
changing,
how
we
have
more
attendance
and
more
big
landlords
coming
into
the
city,
and
what
does
that
mean
we're
going
to
talk
about
how
rent
control
is
an
anti-violence
measure
that
increases
neighborhood
stability
and
that's
something
that
we
all
want?
More
of
we'll
talk
about
how
rent
control
supports
other
tenants
Protections
in
the
city?
F
Philly
is
a
national
leader
in
preventing
homelessness
and
displacement
because
of
our
write,
the
council,
our
Philadelphia
eviction
prevention
project,
our
invention,
diversion
programs
and
renters
access
act.
All
things
that
some
of
us
right
now
have
supported
to
be
at
this
at
this
point
and
we'll
also
talk
about
how
we
can
use
rent
control
to
effectively
bring
control
effectively
as
a
policy
tool
to
purport
to
support,
protect,
affordable
housing
that
we
already
have
so
I'm.
B
G
Name
is
Karen
Harvey
good
afternoon.
Everyone
I
am
the
director
of
the
Philadelphia
rent
control
coalition,
thanks
to
councilmember
Brooks,
for
convening
this
information
hearing
and
to
each
of
you
for
your
willingness
to
listen
and
hopefully
consider
A
New
Path
towards
safe
and
affordable
housing
for
all
philadelphians
in
the
year
plus,
since
covet
has
taken
a
half
step
down
from
situation.
Critical,
the
rental
housing
market
in
Philadelphia
has
gone
completely
off
the
rails,
especially
with
the
city's
most
vulnerable
tenants,
single
parent,
headed
households,
people
of
color
and
low-wage
earnings
citizens
of
every
hue.
G
The
setting
is
a
small
residential
street
that
will
release
Steps
From
the
52nd
Street
business
card,
as
we
approach
the
spring
of
2022.
The
sounds
of
new
construction
on
the
Block
have
been
commonplace
as
now.
10
three-story,
multi-family
structures
with
roof
decks
are
in
various
stages
of
completion.
G
Homeownership
is
a
source
of
great
pride
for
black
seniors,
many
of
whom,
like
Mr
Raymond,
relocated
from
the
south,
seeking
a
better
life
he
receives
daily
calls
and
knocks
on
the
door
from
predatory
developers
and
real
estate
agents
who
waive
cash
and
Promises
in
his
face
and
have
him
really
convinced
to
sell
his
home
for
mere
Pennies
on
a
dollar.
Mr
Raymond's
story
is
far
too
commonplace
as
seniors
on
fixed
incomes
with
limited
resources
fall
prey
to
gentrification.
G
Elsie
is
a
young
single
mother
of
of
three
children,
ages,
10
7
and
4
years
old
Urban
has
been
raised
by
75,
since
the
new
building
as
buildings
have
gone
up,
even
as
she
started
a
new
job
a
month
ago.
She
cannot
afford
to
live
in
the
home.
She
has
rented
for
seven
years
any
longer,
because
I've
acted
as
a
mediator
in
the
past
between
her
and
her
land,
her
slum,
Lord
I'm.
Sorry,
we've
been
able
to
get
the
increase
down
to
50,
but
her
minimum
wage
job
is
part-time
at
a
local
supermarket.
G
Therefore,
even
the
50
represents
a
hardship
according
to
apartments.com,
as
of
October
2022,
the
average
rent
for
a
one-bedroom
apartment
in
West
in
West
Philadelphia
in
University
City,
is
1864
dollars
before
utilities.
That's
a
50
increase
since
the
same
time.
Last
year,
a
three-bedroom
home
apartment,
home
or
apartment
for
rent
averages,
approximately
twenty
seven
hundred
dollars
a
month.
Lt
again
is
a
single
mother
working
approximately
20
hours
a
week
earning
ten
dollars
an
hour.
Our
salary
of
200
weekly
before
taxes
is
barely
enough
to
pay
her
650
a
month.
G
G
The
only
one
who
benefits
in
any
of
these
scenarios
are
those
same
Mega
developers
who
have
been
harassing
Mr
Raymond.
It's
time
to
do
the
right
thing:
homelessness,
isn't
good
for
the
individual
or
the
city
homeless.
Children
are
more
susceptible
to
poor
health,
a
greater
lack
of
Medical
Care,
poor
grades,
lower
School
attendance,
mental
illness,
poor
self-esteem
and
bullying
by
their
peers.
G
Poorly
educated
children
become
teens
and
adults
with
little
hope.
Businesses
are
filled
with
people,
many
of
whom
saw
the
only
way
out
as
criminal
activity
each
homeless.
Adult
represents
dollars
out
of
the
city's
caucus
as
homeless
people,
don't
pay
rent
mortgages
or
taxes
they're
unable
to
contribute
to
the
city
economically
and,
in
fact,
cause
a
continued
rise
in
funding
for
the
homeless
services
without
any
kind
of
return.
One
of
those
millions
of
dollars.
G
G
I
say
this
so
often
that
I'm,
tired
of
hearing
myself
to
whom
much
is
given
much
is
expected.
If
you
are
among
the
fortunate
few
by
comparison,
those
for
whom
housing
isn't
an
issue,
take
the
pledge
and
agree
to
work
with
us
so
that
every
child
has
a
warm
place
to
lay
their
head
at
night.
I've
never
met
anyone
whose
preference
was
to
sleep
in
their
car
working
together.
We
can
bring
a
newer,
safer
existence
to
all
philadelphians
I.
Thank
you
for
your
time.
B
H
Miss
Rashida
Phillips
good
afternoon,
everyone
I'm,
the
director
of
Housing
and
a
policy
link
a
national
research
and
action
Institute
and
previously
served
as
managing
attorney
of
housing
policy
at
Community,
Legal
Services
of
Philadelphia.
Thank
you
so
much
for
having
this
hearing
today
and
I'm
grateful
to
have
worked
with
Philadelphia
city
council
for
over
a
decade
to
support
and
Advocate
on
behalf
of
tenants.
Like
many
other
cities
around
the
country,
Philadelphia
is
wrestling
with
a
displacement
crisis
that
is
forcing
primarily
people
of
color
and
low-income
renters
to
the
edges
of
or
out
of
the
city.
H
Philadelphia
households
are
facing
significant
displacement
pressures
as
rents
continue
to
rise
and
wages
remain
stagnant.
A
household
with
two
minimum
wage
workers
in
Philadelphia
cannot
afford
the
median
rent
in
many
of
the
city's
ZIP
codes.
The
national,
low-income
housing
coalition's.
Recent
report,
for
example,
shows
that
one
minimum
wage
worker
in
Philadelphia
would
need
to
work
3.4
full-time
jobs
to
afford
a
two-bedroom
apartment,
not
two
jobs,
not
three
jobs,
3.4
full-time
jobs
to
afford
a
two-bedroom
apartment
in
the
city.
H
Housing
is
the
single
largest
expense
for
most
households
and
far
too
many
pay
too
much
for
housing,
particularly
low
income
renters.
According
to
the
National
Equity
Atlas,
the
total
disposable
income
for
renters
in
Philadelphia
in
2019
would
have
been
1.8
billion
dollars
more
if
renters
paid
only
what
they
could
afford
on
housing.
If
renters
weren't
spending
so
much
of
their
incomes
on
rent,
they
could
spend
more
on
family
needs
and
in
the
community.
H
Renters
are
vital
to
Philadelphia's
economic,
social
and
cultural
Vitality,
but
are
burdened
by
Rising
rents
and
stagnant
wages,
and
often
treated
like
they're
less
than
until
they
become
future
homeowners.
High
housing
costs
squeeze
family
budgets,
leaving
them
few
resources
to
pay
for
other
expenses,
save
for
emergencies
or
make
long-term
Investments
brand
stabilization
is
one
of
the
most
effective
housing
stability
tools
being
used
across
the
country.
It's
been
in
place
in
the
U.S
for
over
100
years
and
exists
in
over
180
jurisdictions.
You
may
ask:
why
has
such
a
policy
been
so
durable
and
widespread?
H
Quite
simply
because
it
works.
Empirical
evidence
shows
that
rent
stabilization
increases
housing,
stability
and
affordability
for
current
tenants,
it's
unrivaled
in
speed,
scale
and
cost
Effectiveness,
while
building
a
single
unit
of
affordable
housing
may
take
years
and
costs
upwards
of
half
a
million
dollars.
Rent
stabilization
is
the
only
policy
tool
that
can
provide
immediate
relief
and
covers
most
renters.
It's
a
necessary
policy
that
complements
and
reinforces
efforts
to
increase
housing
Supply.
Nor
does
it
have
to
be
a
protections
versus
supply
problem.
H
The
data
shows
that
a
rent
cap
would
work
in
Philadelphia
to
balance
the
need
for
long-term
housing,
stability
and
owner
profits
and
returns.
The
proof
is
in
Philadelphia's,
history
of
annual
rent
increases
between
2015
and
2020.
The
economy
League
found
that
the
average
rate
of
change
in
rent
from
the
previous
year
in
the
Philadelphia
metro
area
range
from
1.7
percent
to
3.3
percent.
H
That
means
that,
even
in
the
absence
of
a
rent,
stabilization
policy,
property
owners
and
investors
were
able
to
operate
freely,
setting
and
increasing
rents
as
much
as
they
wanted
without
exceeding
3.3
percent
annual
rent
increases.
This
number
is
really
key
because
it
represents
a
reasonable
annual
rent
increase
that
allows
owners
and
investors
to
get
their
return.
H
Historically,
Philadelphia
was
a
place
where
homes
were
predominantly
owned
by
homeowners
and
small
local
landlords
who
were
rooted
in
their
communities,
but
that
is
changing
in
2021,
Pew
and
reinvestment
fund
research
found
that,
even
though
only
two
percent
of
landlords
in
Philadelphia
have
more
than
25
units,
these
large
landlords
own
more
than
half
of
the
city's
rental
units.
This
has
really
important
implications
for
the
housing
market
and
renters.
H
Since
then,
multiple
reports
have
documented
the
harms
associated
with
corporate
landlords,
whether
it's
increased
eviction
fees,
more
junk
fees
to
high
to
higher
renter
rent
hikes.
This
represents
an
increased
risk
of
housing,
instability
for
renters
and
the
entire
city.
As
these
corporate
landlords
maximize
the
wealth
they
can
extract
from
communities,
they
accumulate
more
Capital
with
which
they
use
to
outbid
local
property
owners
and
prospective
homeowners
further
tilting
the
scales
in
favor
of
external
control,
of
Philadelphia's,
historically
locally
held
housing
stock.
H
This
is
a
trend
that
has
to
be
stopped
and
rent
stabilization,
in
addition
to
other
policies
that
prevent,
predatory
rental
practices
will
disincentivize
and
prevent
the
increased
concentration
of
corporate
ownership.
As
you
heard
already,
rent
stabilization
is
more
effective
when
it's
paired
with
other
protections
things
that
we
already
have.
Fortunately,
in
Philadelphia,
things
like
just
cause
eviction
which
helps
prevent
landlords
from
evicting
tenants
in
order
to
raise
rents.
Other
complementary
policies
include
proactive
code
enforcement
and
Rental
Registries
to
improve
the
transparency
of
ownership
and
increased
quality
of
housing.
H
H
It
was
a
struggle,
but
with
financial
aid
grants,
employment
income
I
was
able
to
afford
a
two-bedroom
apartment
in
Brewery
town
for
800
a
month
and
stay
in
the
area
until
I
graduated
law
school
bought
my
first
home
in
that
same
area
years
later,
with
a
desire
to
continue
investing
in
the
community.
That
I
felt
had
invested
in
me
whether
it
was
the
small
landlord
who
took
a
chance
on
me,
while
I
was
still
building
up
my
credit
history
or
the
local
tax
business.
Who's
done
my
taxes
since
College.
H
Last
thing
I'll
say
is
that
Philadelphia
is
not
alone
in
considering
this
policy.
In
the
past
five
years,
over
a
dozen
cities
and
states
have
passed
new
policies
or
strengthened
pre-existing
rent
stabilization
policies.
These
policies
are
not
one
size
fits
all.
They
should
not
be
painted
with
a
broad
brush.
These
policies
are
instead
designed
to
accommodate
and
fit
local
housing
markets
conditions
and
needs.
We
look
forward
to
continuing
to
work
with
Philadelphia
city,
council,
housing,
Advocates
organizers
impact,
the
tenants,
landlords
and
community
members
to
continue
to
support
and
develop
these
policies.
B
B
I
A
F
G
System,
okay,
I'm
sorry
causes
instability,
especially
for
a
family.
Children
are
connected
to
their
communities
by
their
friends
and
by
the
school
that
they
attend.
Having
to
move
away
from
those
two
very
vital
parts
of
their
everyday
life
makes
life
more
difficult
for
those
children
and
they
start
to
experience.
G
As
the
second
part
of
your
question,
the
more
that
that
continues,
the
more
unstable
a
living
situation
becomes
and
that
separates
people,
children
and
adults
from
Medical
Care
from
education
from
church.
All
those
things
that
have
been
able
to
be
done
historically
in
one's
own
Community.
It
seems
that
as
our
Medical
Care
has
increased
and
there's
more
neighborhood.
Businesses.
G
Folks
who
live
in
those
neighborhoods
are
not
able
to
pay
for
them
and
are
pushed
out
so
that
people
can
come
back
in
from
outside
of
the
city
and
take
advantage
of
all
the
of
those
accoutrements
that
so
that
folks,
in
our
communities,
have
become
become
able
to
use.
I'm.
Sorry,
I
hope
that
answers
your
question.
F
H
Landlords
who
are
taking
over
the
city
neighbor
people
who
live
in
these
units
right
are
treated
very
as
if
they're
living
in
substandard
housing,
often
right
because
a
lot
of
what
the
corporate
landlords
and
corporate
owners
are
trying
to
do
is
maximize
their
profits,
and
so
that
means
cutting
and
skimping
on
other
things.
That
means
that
you
know
maintenance
is
getting
deferred.
People
are
continuing
to
live
in
worse
conditions,
as
their
events
are
raising.
You
may
also
not
know
your
landlord.
H
You
may
not
be
able,
if
it's
a
corporate
landlord,
they
may
not
be
located
in
city,
so
they
may
not
be
contributing
back
to
the
city
in
the
ways
that
you
would
expect,
and
also
it's
challenging
for
tenants
to
be
able
to
connect
with
those
landlords
to
be
able
to.
You
know,
get
things
done,
and
then
you
see
that
these
landlords
also
tend
to
not
know
local
laws.
They
tend
to
not
know
that
they
need
to
get
their
landlord
license
and
that
they
need
to
follow
certain
steps
before
they.
H
They
try
to
evict
the
person
right
there
off
rating.
They
may
be
coming
from
New
York.
As
we
see
a
lot
of
folks
coming
from
to
buy
properties
in
the
city
right
and
they're
operating
off
of
what
they
think
is
the
law
but
they're
not
actually
following
the
law,
and
so
you
see
heightened
evictions,
you
see,
alongside
of
those
heightened
rents,
which
also
lead
to
evictions,
because
people
can't
pay
high
red
Heights
in
a
short
period
of
time.
H
If
they're
told
your
rent's
going
to
be
raised
15
in
the
next
few
months,
right,
where
are
you
going
to
get
that
extra
extra
income?
So
that's
just
some
of
the
impacts
that
we
see
from
from
corporate
landlords
and
corporate
ownership.
But
you
know
on
the
larger
scale.
What
it
means
is
that
Philadelphia
doesn't
own
Philadelphia
anymore:
it's
not
Philadelphia
residents,
it's
not
Philadelphia
landlords,
and
it's
that's
fine
right.
But
as
long
as
we
know
what
that
means
and
how
what
the
impact
of
that
is
and
the
impact
is,
is
greater.
H
So
one
of
the
big
things
that
rent
control
does
right
is
that
it
ensures
that
households
are
less
housing
costs
burdened
by
limiting
those
rent
increases.
So
that's
the
biggest
thing
that
can
do
because
it
can
do
that
immediately
and
so,
when
communities
right
are
only
paying
they're
in
what
they
can
afford
towards
rent,
which
is
anything
be
that's
above
30
of
their
income
being
paid
towards
rent,
which
we
see,
we
see
people
paying
almost
50
percent
or
more
towards
rent,
particularly
lower
income.
Households
right,
so
those
households
are
cost
burden.
H
When
your
cost
burdened
the
rent
eats
first
right.
So
that
means
that
your
health
is
suffering
your
community's
health
is
suffering
because
all
of
your
money's
going
towards
that
rent.
That
means
you're
not
able
to
pay
bills
on
time.
That
means
that
if
you
have
medical
health
issues,
even
if
you
don't
have
health
issues
right,
something
pops
up,
you're,
not
able
to
address
that,
because
the
rent
eats
first
you're
worried
about
being
evicted,
you're
worried
about
about
so
again.
The
larger
impacts
of
that
like
I,
said
Philadelphia
alone.
H
If,
if
people,
if
we
had
rent
control
or
if,
if
we,
if
people
were
not
paying
more
than
30
percent
of
their
income
towards
their
rent,
Philadelphia
would
have
1.8
billion
dollars.
That's
a
big
number
in
disposable
income.
So
again
that
means
that
folks
are
able
to
pay
for
child
care,
they're
able
to
pay
for
transportation
to
get
to
work,
they're
able
to
do
the
things
that
they
need
to
do.
H
They're
able
to
buy
groceries,
they're
able
to
save
long
term
you're
able
to
buy
homes
down
down
the
line,
because
they're
able
to
save
that
money,
because
they're
not
paying
50
60
percent
having
to
work
four
jobs
just
to
pay
the
rent.
So
that's
that's
some
of
what
we
would
see.
If
we
had
rent
control,
we
would
see
more
stable
communities,
more
stable
households
and
a
more
stable
Philadelphia,
a
more
healthy,
thriving
Philadelphia.
H
F
D
Thank
you,
madam
chair
I'm.
Thank
you.
Miss
Phillips
I
always
enjoy
your
testimony
and
I'm
going
to
quote
you.
The
rent
eats
first
I'm
gonna,
I'm
gonna
hashtag
that
and
use
that
a
couple
of
quick
questions
to
what
degree,
and
if
you
know
it,
fine,
if
you
don't,
please
provide
it
to
to
the
chair
so
that
she
can
distribute
it
to
us.
How
has
home
ownership
giving
way
to
rental
situations
in
Philadelphia
and
and
and
are
there
maps
that
illustrate
where.
H
H
Our
home
ownership
rate
has
been
traditionally
over
60
percent
and
then
in
2008
right
we
had
that
foreclosure
crisis
and
we
saw
those
demographics
shift
dramatically
right
and
so
now
we're
in
a
situation
where
that
home
ownership
rate
is
building
back
up,
but
it's
about
half
and
half.
Now
we
there
are
more
renters
in
the
city,
which
means
that
right
we
need
to
be
paying
more
attention
to
what
what
renters
needs
and
how
we
protect
them
and
then
also
right.
H
As
we
know,
homeownership
is
not
an
end-all
be-all
too
right
if
you're,
a
low-income,
homeowner
you're,
also
seeing
some
of
the
same
issues
that
low-income
tenants
are
seeing
right,
you're
still
having
issues
sometimes
making
the
mortgage
you're
still
having
issues
with
repairs,
and
things
like
that.
So
you
know
it's:
it's
not
a
situation
that
just
because
you're
a
homeowner.
That
means
everything
is
good
right,
so
in
a
City
like
Philadelphia,
we
have
to
look
at
both
things
and
see
how
both
things
impact
each
other.
H
But
again
the
fact
that
we
have
more
renters
in
the
city
and
that
the
demographics
have
shifted
dramatically
means
that
you
know
there's
there's
more
protections.
We
need
to
be
thinking
about
from
renters
and
we
do
have
over
the
years
right.
Some
of
the
really
amazing
things
that
you
you
all
have
championed
in
terms
of
just
calls.
H
D
So
the
reason
I
asked
about
the
mapping
I'm
beginning
to
see
in
particular
parts
of
my
district,
where
I
grew
up.
Actually,
where
you
know
Miss
Johnson,
Miss
Smith
used
to
own
the
house
is
no
longer
owned.
It
is
a
new
Runners
unit,
not
stereotyping
any
of
that,
but
there
is
a
different
level
of
involvement.
Often
that
comes
with
that.
The
other
thing
that
I'm
asking
and
again
you
don't
have
to
have
the
answer.
D
If
you
know
where
the
answer
is,
we
can
we
can
find
it
to
what
degree
are
major
investment
groups
coming
into
Philadelphia
to
buy
our
housing
stock,
to
turn
it
into
a
runner,
a
rental
community
and
and
how
is
that
impacting
what
we're
seeing
that
that
that
kind
of
I'm,
not
from
Philadelphia,
don't
know
the
difference
between
Washington
Avenue
and
Washington
Lane,
but
I
know
my
dividends
come
monthly.
Is
that
been
a
factor.
H
So
that
is
something
that
I
can
we'll
have
to
get
additional
information
and
share
back
with
you
all,
but
Studies
have
been
done,
showing
some
of
the
shifts
in
ownership
in
in
Philadelphia,
and
there
may
be
some
studies
around
the
rate
of
corporate
ownership,
but
just
to
speak
back
to
something.
You
just
mentioned
that
again
you're
right.
H
There
is
a
difference
right
in
terms
of
stability
that
a
homeowner
brings
to
a
community
versus
a
renter,
and
it's
because
of
lack
of
rental
protections
that
allow
renters
to
have
that
same
level
of
stability,
understanding
that
not
everybody's
going
to
be
able
to
be
a
homeowner
so
right,
why
not
stabilize
renters
to
make
them
be
able
to
stay
in
communities
just
as
long
as
homeowners
and
be
able
to
contribute
back
to
those
communities?
So
I
just
wanted
to
speak
to
that.
But
I
can
definitely
try
to
get
you
some
additional
information.
I.
D
I
didn't
expect
total
answers,
but
something
for
us
to
think
about
as
we
contemplate
what
we're
doing
here.
Finally,
one
of
the
the
concerns
that
has
been
raised
that
people
like
Postman-
and
you
know
the
the
the
school
teacher
that
invest
in
rental
properties.
What
what
impact
will
this
have
on
their
ability
to
maintain
those
kinds
of
small
Investments,
not
the
big
Mega
corporate
folk
that
are
swooping
in
here.
But
how
do
we?
D
H
Absolutely
and
one
of
my
colleagues
will
be
on
I,
think
of
one
of
the
next
panels,
trom
Wong,
and
she
can
speak
to
that
more
specifically,
particularly
because
of
her
experience,
developing
rent
control
policies
in
St
Paul,
but
just
to
say
that
these
policies
can
be
locally
designed
to
ensure
right
that
again
it
works
for
Philadelphia.
It
works
for
all
parties
involved.
H
You
know
again
just
that
statistic.
I
mentioned
earlier
that
naturally,
landlords
in
Philadelphia
are
not
raising
rents
more
than
3.3
percent,
and
so
a
rent
cap
does
make
sense
in
Philadelphia,
because
it's
sort
of
in
line
with
what's
already
happening,
and
so
you
know
just
on
that.
On
that
front,
we
don't
think
it
will
have
a
a
bad
impact,
a
negative
impact
on
landlords.
I
think
it
can
be
designed
to
to
support
everyone.
H
B
H
H
That
is
fair,
and
that
is
that
that
will
help
folks
be
able
to
afford
and
live
in
their
in
their
units.
So
that's
the
that's
the
immediate
connection
between
those
two
issues
that
that
having
rent
control
will
help
to
alleviate
the
voucher
program
and
and
public
housing,
which
does
not,
unfortunately,
have
the
resources
that
it
needs
to
serve
all
low-income
philadelphians
who
who
need
affordable
housing.
H
B
You
I
was
really
concerned
to
hear
you
say
that
a
Philadelphian
with
a
minimum
wage
job
or
a
minimum
wage
worker
rather
in
Philadelphia,
would
need
to
work.
3.4
full-time
I
think
you
said
full-time
jobs
to
afford
a
two-bedroom
apartment.
Can
you
talk
more
about
that
and
you
know
what
that
means
for
the
average
person
living
in
our
neighborhoods.
H
H
So
and
I
won't
say
not
normal,
not
normal,
meaning
the
home
is
too
small
to
accommodate
their
families
and
other
things.
So
that's
that
that's
what
we'll
see
we'll
see
more
of
that
kind
of
dangerous
circumstances
happening
I
hate
to
say
that.
But
that's
that's!
The
outcome
of
a
situation
where
Folks
by
and
large
in
the
city
in
the
poorest
largest
city
in
the
country,
cannot
afford
rent
and
have
to
work
four
or
five
jobs
that
they
can't
get
right,
because
folks
also
have
issues
accessing
stable
job
opportunities.
H
So
all
these
things
are
interlinked.
We
can't
just
see
this
as
as
a
jobs
issue
and
then
a
housing
issues.
These
things
are
absolutely
interlinked
and
then
also
just
thinking
about
again.
The
health
of
philadelphians,
the
ability
of
black
and
brown
folks
to
have
a
life
outside
of
working
be
able
to
take
care
of
their
families,
be
able
to
have
fun,
be
able
to
sleep,
be
able
to
rest.
H
You
know
just
to
get
into
other
things
right:
black
people
sleep
less
than
other
people
right,
and
so,
if
we're,
if
we're
having
to
work
three
jobs,
how
are
we
able
to
stay
healthy,
maintain
our
families
these
things?
So
you
know
that
that's
a
little
bit
more
abstract,
but
it's
absolutely
outcome
of
these
kind
of
situations
that
philadelphians
are
dealing
with
now
and
again.
Rent
stabilization
immediately
can
can
impact
that
and
support
folks
being
able
to
have
Healthy,
Lifestyles
and
and
stable
homes.
B
M
M
For
15
years
and
I've
been
a
landlord
for
12
years
in
the
city
I'm,
actually
in
your
District
council
member
Gautier
and
I'm
here
today,
to
testify
in
support
of
rent
control
as
an
important
step
to
ending
the
housing
crisis.
That
brings
us
all
here.
Today,
housing
prices
are
skyrocketing
out
of
control,
my
wife
and
I
report
to
be
able
to
buy
our
current
house
when
we
did
because
since
2017
the
average
assessed
value
at
Philadelphia,
houses
has
increased
over
50
percent.
M
This
is
especially
important
for
me
as
someone
who
values.
Community
I
want
my
renter
friends
and
neighbors
to
have
the
same
opportunity
for
stable
housing
as
homeowners,
so
they
can
stay
and
build
our
community
and
raise
a
family.
But
at
the
current
rate,
where
home
values
are
on
Pace
to
double
in
less
than
a
decade
and
with
no
barriers
to
landlords
raising
rents,
most
current
renters
won't
be
able
to
afford
to
stay
in
their
current
home
for
long.
B
M
M
M
I
know
that
some
landlords
try
to
justify
huge
hikes
in
rent
by
pointing
to
increases
in
property
taxes,
but
the
rent
increases
that
many
landlords
have
been
imposing
on
renters
are
far
higher
than
we
need
to
cover
the
taxes.
I
know
this
because
I
see
my
own
finances.
Rent
control
allows
for
increases
in
rent.
Just
not
the
exploitative
increases
that
philadelphians
have
experienced
recently.
M
I
know
that
others
will
talk
about
how
rent
control
makes
it
impossible
to
repair
our
properties,
but
existing
rent
control
legislation
allows
landlords
to
get
back
the
cost
of
repairs
through
rent
increases,
covering
the
cost
of
the
repair.
Rent
control
just
prevents
large
increases
in
rent
unrelated
to
things
like
repairs.
M
The
way
that
I
hope
those
of
us
in
this
room
all
do
everyone
knows
that
corporate
landlords
have
less
concern
for
property
maintenance
than
small
landlords
like
myself
who
live
in
the
neighborhoods,
they
rent
property
in
it's.
Actually,
the
small
landlords
like
me
who
could
increase
their
portfolios
of
rental
properties
under
event,
control,
because
out-of-state
institutional
investors
will
lose
their
unlimited
ability
to
profit
off
the
backs
of
Philly
residents.
M
Dear
city,
council,
I
beg
you
to
please
begin
the
process
of
establishing
a
rent
control
policy
that
stabilizes
our
communities
protects
residents
and
my
friends
from
having
to
leave
Philadelphia
and
still
allows
landlords.
Small
landlords
like
me
to
make
good
income
from
our
property
we're
not
too
late,
but
we
have
to
start
now
before
our
housing
crisis
gets
even
worse.
Thank
you
for
your
time
and
for
listening.
B
N
Yes,
thank
you
good
afternoon.
My
name
is
Tron
Huang
and
I'm.
A
senior
associate
at
policy
link
I
work
with
dozens
of
jurisdictions
across
the
country
at
every
level
of
government
to
study,
pass
and
Implement
and
improve
tenant
protection
and
Community
stabilization
policies,
including
run
stabilization.
Thanks
for
the
opportunity
to
support
the
city's
goals
of
making
Philadelphia
a
place.
Excuse
me
we're
all
people,
regardless
of
race,
class
or
zip
code,
can
live
and
Thrive
when
it
comes
to
housing,
stability
and
affordability.
N
It
is
clear
what
works,
what
works
is
increased
federal
state
and
local
investments
in
building
more
deeply
and
permanently
affordable
housing.
What
works
is
a
spectrum
of
Housing
Solutions
from
home
ownership
programs
to
increasing
the
supply
of
housing
in
sub-markets,
in
which
there's
the
most
need,
so
at
the
lowest
income
levels
and,
most
importantly,
what
works
is
tenant
protection
policies
to
increase
access
to
stable
housing
such
as
just
cause
protection
spread
to
council
for
tenants
changes
to
tenant.
N
Screening
policy
is
to
reduce
discrimination
and,
of
course,
rent
stabilization
to
ensure
that
people
who
have
a
place
to
call
home
can
stay
in
their
homes.
Increasing
housing,
Supply
alone
is
not
enough
to
address
the
housing
crisis.
These
production,
oriented
Solutions,
must
be
paired
with
protections
to
prevent
displacement
and
protect
the
current
supply
of
housing
that
is
Affordable
to
Residents.
N
The
federal
government
implements
one
of
the
strongest
rent
stabilization
programs
in
existence
for
homeowners
actually
through
fixed
interest
rate
mortgages,
which
provides
borrowers
with
steady,
predictable
monthly
housing
payments
for
the
entire
duration
of
their
loan.
We
see
15
or
30
years.
These
forms
of
Consumer
Protections
are
not
new,
however,
seeing
tenants
as
consumers
worthy
of
protections,
Can,
Be,
A,
New
Concept
for
many,
for
example,
states
have
been
active
regulations
that
protect
consumers
from
predatory,
payday
lending
activity
by
implementing
interest
rate
caps,
so
these
policies
are
not
new.
N
Furthermore,
there
is
a
wealth
of
empirical
evidence
and
research
demonstrating
the
positive
impacts
of
rent
stabilization,
as
well
as
data
addressing
the
myths
that
have
been
perpetuated
by
groups
who
have
a
financial
interest
in
preventing
or
weakening
land
stabilization
and
I'll.
Just
mention
a
few
of
them.
A
report
from
USC
Dorn's
life,
which
included
a
robust
literature
review
of
rent
stabilization,
found
that
rent
stabilization
promotes
resident
stability
and
can
therefore
help
to
slow
down
the
displacement
dimension
of
gentrification.
N
A
comprehensive
study
of
the
rental
housing
market
in
Washington
DC
found
a
positive
relationship
between
rent
stabilization
and
building
maintenance.
Low-Income
renters
said
that
rent
regulation
actually
made
them
more
willing
to
insist
on
repairs
because
they
no
longer
feared
retaliation
by
economic
eviction.
N
There's
an
abundance
of
research
and
evidence
pointing
to
the
affecting
this
event
stabilization
and
in
considering
this
policy.
Philadelphia
joins
over
180
other
jurisdictions,
adding
this
tool
to
its
anti-displacement
toolbox.
The
benefits
of
following
the
footsteps
of
other
jurisdictions
includes
learning
from
the
experiences
of
other
places.
For
example,
Washington
DC
experience,
increased
condo,
conversions
after
the
implementation
of
rent
control
and
later
responded
by
passing
condo
conversion
laws
to
prevent
the
loss
of
units
in
the
rental
housing
market.
That's
an
important
lesson
learned.
N
Another
example
is
in
the
many
cities
and
states
that
passed
CPI
or
inflation-based
Red
Cap
formulas
prior
to
2020..
Now,
in
times
of
record
inflation
they're
realizing
that
annual
rent
caps
that
are
equal
to
CPI
or
CPI
plus
seven
percent,
for
example,
are
much
too
high.
Cities
and
states
are
going
back
to
city
councils
and
state
legislatures
to
amend
those
formulas
with
additional
caps
to
provide
additional
protections
for
tenants.
Current
stabilization
policies
vary
across
the
country
and
the
right
policy
design
can
be
achieved
to
balance
the
needs
of
all
Philadelphia.
N
B
B
O
I
knew
but
every
day
since
I've
been
sworn
into
office
here,
neighbors
and
community
members
have
been
counting
on
my
doors
here
at
my
office,
asking
for
assistance
and
obviously
small
things
like
keeping
their
heads
in
households
above
water.
Although
every
story
is
different,
the
root
cause
is
very
simple
and
Remains.
The
Same
for
everyone,
their
household
income,
has
not
been
able
to
keep
up
with
the
prices
they
are
being
charged
and
facing
these
days
now,
I
believe
it's
a
two-step
approach
to
this
press
pressure.
Countless
philadelphians
are
facing
right
now.
O
We
need
to
lift
wages
and
bring
costs
down,
which
is
why
I'm
excited
to
be
here
today
to
talk
about
keeping
costs
down.
In
the
most
crucial
and
expensive
area
of
most
of
us,
offense
Excuse
excuse
me
face
today,
which
is
rent
as
landlords
have
scrambled
to
recoup
their
losses.
During
the
pandemic,
rent
prices
have
skyrocketed.
O
O
Currently,
there's
no
regulation
in
this
space
running
Philadelphia
is
apparently
can
and
have
see
increases
of
20
30,
40
and
up
to
50
percent
of
whatever
their
landlord
wants
to
charge
them
it's
time
for
a
change
for
this,
it's
time
for
renters
to
have
a
level
of
stability
in
their
homes
that
allows
them
to
keep
a
roof
over
their
head
and
provide
for
their
families
to
grow
wealth
and
enjoy
your
standard
living.
That
I
know
many
philadelphians
and
pennsylvanians
can
provide.
O
B
B
P
Thank
you
so
much
to
the
housing
committee
for
holding
this
hearing
on
regulation,
I'm
a
senior
policy
Analyst
at
the
community
service,
Society
of
New
York,
we're
leading
non-profit
that
promotes
economic
opportunity
for
all
New,
Yorkers
and
tenant
stability
and
housing.
Affordability
are
Central
to
that
mission
and
as
part
of
our
work,
we
have
long
monitored
and
research
New
York
City's,
rent
stabilization
system.
P
My
remarks
will
primarily
cover
some
of
the
benefits
of
rent
regulation
that
we
have
observed
in
New,
York
City,
and
also
address
a
frequent
concern
that
often
comes
up
about
rent
regulation.
First,
rent
regulation
benefits
low
income
renters
the
most
in
our
state.
There
are
over
a
million
of
regulated
units
and
the
vast
majority
of
those
are
in
New
York
City
about
a
million
and
22
000.
P
P
Households
are
also
more
likely
to
be
headed
by
women
and
to
include
senior
citizens
than
those
that
are
in
unregulated
housing
as
a
concept.
Rent
regulation
mediates
the
relationship
between
tenants
and
landlords,
two
parties
that
don't
have
equal
bargaining
power,
especially
in
gentrifying
neighborhoods.
P
The
system
corrects
this
imbalance
by
defining
a
process
for
determining
rents,
outlining
basic
habitability
standards,
providing
tenants
with
security
of
tenure
and
setting
limits
on
security
deposits
and
other
types
of
fees.
As
with
any
sets
of
Rights
regulation
is
not
income
tested,
meaning
that
Renters
of
all
incomes
benefit
without
any
public
subsidy,
which
is
extremely
important.
P
However,
similar
to
antitrust
laws,
consumer
protections
and
other
types
of
regulations
that
are
imposed
by
governments.
Low-Income
tenants
who
have
the
least
Choice
within
the
rental
market
often
benefit
the
most,
and
that's
definitely
what
we
see
in
New
York.
Second
regulation
acts
as
a
counterbalance
to
displacement
and
homelessness
on
the
neighborhood
level.
P
According
to
latest
data
collected
by
our
housing
agency,
the
EDM
monthly
rent
in
rent
regulated
units
was
fourteen
hundred
dollars,
which
was
425
dollars
lower
than
in
unregulated
rentals.
More
strikingly
asking
rents
so
rents
for
apartments
that
are
open
and
available
for
rental
on
the
market
in
unregulated
apartments
in
Manhattan
have
reached
an
average
of
four
thousand
dollars
a
month.
B
F
O
Kendra,
it's
been
more
or
less.
The
scenario
of
you
know
me
being
born
and
raised
here
in
Northeast,
Philadelphia
I've
come
from
the
youth
sector
through
things,
but
I've
been
helping
families
and
children
all
across
Southeastern
PA.
When
you
know
it's
come
to
think
so,
just
through
my
natural
network
of
people,
you
know
when
they
found
that
I
got
elected.
It
was
all
right.
You
know
now
there's
ways
for
him
to
help
his
neighborhoods
help
his
communities
and
help
help
his
families
and
stuff
from
a
situation.
O
O
Just
saying:
hey,
I'm
wondering
if
you
could
help
me
in
this
realm
and
obviously
we
we
brainstorm
ourselves
as
a
staff
up
here
and
I
I
use
my
mentors
and
I
use
the
people
that
are,
you
know
from
from
the
the
local
legislators,
the
bounce
ideas
and
thoughts
off
of
so
what
I'm
hearing
that
you
know
a
single
mom
who
has
a
waitressing
position
at
a
restaurant
who's
working
four
days
a
week,
making
money
to
provide
her
kids.
You
know
clothing
and
their
rent
and
their
their
schooling.
O
You
know
sending
their
kids
to
Catholic
schools
on
top
of
things
and
her
rent
is
going
from
thirteen
hundred
dollars
that
she's
been
in
there
for
over
10
years
to
her
receiving
a
notice
from
her
landlord
saying,
oh
by
the
way
you
have
60
days
to.
Let
me
know
if
you
want
to
stay
in
this
house
and
your
rent's
going
to
be
twenty
one
hundred
dollars
and
there's
no
regulation
on
this.
So
I
looked
into
and
I'm
like.
O
How
is
this
legal,
where
they're,
literally
asking
and-
and
you
know
to
to
the
dissatisfaction
of
things
this
young
lady
ended
up
moving
back
to
Arkansas
with
her
family
and
stuff
and
out
of
Philadelphia
again,
because
people
are
finding
out
what
houses
and
what
rent
is
going
for
in
their
neighborhoods
and
because
people
have
been
locked
in
for
so
long
to
rest.
They're
like
well
I'm
missing
out
on
thousands.
O
For
this
money-
because
you
know
maybe
I
lost
money
during
the
pandemic
through
things,
so
that's
just
one
example
of
things
but
I'm
sure
that
everybody
on
this
panel
here
knows
somebody
who's
been
affected
by
just
ridiculously
high,
triggered
rent
costs
with
no
regulations
on
them.
So
in
my
act
and
and
my
ability
as
a
senator
here,
it's
important
for
me
to
be
able
to
pass
some
legislation
here
to
try
and
control
these
things.
So
the
families
are
are
not
facing
such
dire
situations.
F
Yeah,
thank
you
so
much
for
that,
because
actually
we
just
had
a
rally.
The
rent
control
Coalition
had
a
rally
outside
City,
Hall
and
Jess.
As
soon
as
I
finished
speaking,
I
had
four
people
lined
up
I
had
to
call
my
constituent,
Services
folks
outside
to
help
support
folks
that
just
heard
what
they
were
talking
about.
So
that's
why
I
asked
that
question
just
to
see
if
our
experiences
are
the
same
as
me
being
a
municipally
elected
official
and
then
you're
on
the
state
level.
O
You
know
my
constituents
and
the
people
of
Philadelphia
and
when
I
hear
of
extreme
things
like
that,
it's
my
job
to
attack
me
through
things,
but
just
for
an
example.
Right
now,
we've
had
some
co-sponsorship
on
this,
along
with
Senator
cappelletti
and
myself,
from
Senator
Haywood,
Senator,
Street
and
Senator
John
Kane
through
things
so
again,
I
feel
like
I,
have
the
ability
to
reach
out
on
both
sides
of
the
aisle
up
there
when
it
comes
to
mainstreaming
here
and
protecting
people
across
the
Commonwealth,
where
you
know,
there's
there's
a
lot
of
you.
O
You
look
up
some
of
these
people
who
own
these
properties.
You
know
in
the
systems
and
you
see
either.
You
know
a
non-philadelphia-based
unit
or
organization
who
owns
them.
You
see
a
New
York
Corporation
who
owns
these
things
and
they're
they're,
not
from
the
area
they're,
not
from
the
community.
They
don't
understand
the
ups
and
downs
of
what's
Happening
down
there.
O
They
say:
hey,
I'm,
buying
an
investment
property
and
I'm
going
to
find
out
what
the
rent
is
around
there
and
that's
what
I'm
going
to
make
it
and
if
the
family
can't
meet
those
needs
or
anything
at
all,
they're
going
to
be
on
their
way
out.
I'm
going
to
find
somebody
new
and
that's
not
acceptable.
In
my
book.
F
Thank
you
so
much
for
your
support,
because
I
think
some
people
sometimes
see
me
as
an
extremist
and
even
having
this
conversation
so
I'm
glad
to
hear
that
it's
a
conversation
that
we
can
have
across
the
aisle-
and
you
know
about
real
life
situations,
just
just
some
support
people
across
the
Commonwealth.
So
thank
you
for
coming
out.
F
M
Definitely
definitely
not
I
mean
I,
wouldn't
be
here,
testifying
in
support
of
rent
control.
If
I
did
see
it
as
a
threat
to
me,
I
want
to
be
the
kind
of
business
person
that
can
make
a
good
living
and
live
in
a
community
that
feels
good
and
that
is
stable
and
safe,
and
to
me
just
focusing
on
trying
to
like
raise
rents
as
much
as
possible
while
wrecking
our
community
is
counterintuitive
to
me.
So
definitely
not
so.
F
M
Yeah,
definitely
so
that's
something
we
really
prioritize.
We
like
to
do
multi-year
leases
with
people
if
it's
possible,
one
of
our
longest
term
tenants
was
a
single
mom
who
had
a
kid
with
autism
and
she
worked
as
a
music
teacher,
and
we
all
know
that,
like
the
world
needs
more
music
teachers
and
yeah,
just
being
able
to
you,
know
really
provide
for
my
own
retirement
without
being
immoral,
feels
very
doable
to
me
and
I.
Think
that's
what
we
should
all.
F
F
N
Yeah
I
think
the
potential
harm
is
that
when
we
pay
attention
only
to
what
we
build
and
not
who
we
build
for,
we
end
up
housing
people
where
the
need
is
not
as
desperate
right.
Supply
is
not
just
we
don't
look
at
Supply
across
one
massive
Market
we
have
to
look
at
some
markets.
Right
is
neighborhoods
can
be
some
markets.
N
Different
levels
of
income
can
be
sub-markets,
and
so,
when
folks
are
designing,
Supply
Solutions,
it's
really
important
to
match
that
Supply
with
the
sub-market
needs
right,
so
it
doesn't
mean
just
building
any
unit.
It
means
building
units
where
there
is
more
cost
burden
building
units
where
there
is
higher,
I'm,
sorry
building
units
where
there's
a
lower
vacancy
rate,
so
that
we
can
start
to
decrease
the
pressure
not
just
Citywide
right
but
specifically
sub-market-wide,
and
this
kind
of
parallels
how
we
look
at
rent
increases.
N
So,
for
example,
in
Minnesota
there's
a
report
done
that
looked
at
Ren
increases
across
the
region,
and
it
said
what
they
found
was
that
you
know
annual
rent
increases
weren't
that
bad
there
was.
You
know
below
four
percent
in
the
past
20
years,
but
then,
when
they
disaggregated
by
income,
they
actually
found
that
the
lowest
quartile
of
income
earners
were
experiencing
the
highest
rents
right,
not
not
the
three
four,
but
actually
the
11
12,
and
so
this
disaggregation
and
this
ability
to
look
Beyond.
N
You
know
broad
General
numbers
and
really
focus
in
on
sub-markets
or
subgroups
of
renters.
That
is
really
what
gives
us
the
best
strategies
when
it
comes
to
policy
design
and
so
Building
without
regard
to
those
sub-markets
just
means
that
we're
building
without
intention
about
who
benefits
and
then
what
ends
up
happening
is
that
the
people
who
benefit
are
are
the
ones
that
build
the
housing
right
and
the
ones
who
can
afford
it,
which
does
not
always
match
with
who
needs
housing.
The.
F
N
N
It's
the
reason
that
rent
stabilization
or
rent
control
policies
are
being
passed
and
improved
to
this
day
it,
the
the
secret,
is
really
in
designing
a
policy
that
matches
the
local
housing
conditions
right.
So,
like
Rashida
said
earlier,
the
history
of
rent
increases
in
Philadelphia
showed
that
average
rent
increases,
were,
you
know
around
I,
think
she
said:
3.3,
no,
no
greater
than
3.3
percent
and
so
designing
a
cap
that
is,
you
know
around.
That
number
would
make
most
sense,
because
that
is
where
most
people
were
operating.
N
Most
property
owners
were
already
operating
freely,
with
even
without
rent
stabilization.
When
we
look
at
percentage
increases,
it's
also
really
important
to
do
actual
math
right,
I
think
a
lot
of
times
in
our
heads.
We
think
you
know
oh
two,
three
percent.
That
sounds
like
a
really
small
number,
but
when
we
apply
that
to
Big
rents
which
high
rents,
which
is
what
people
are
paying,
it
can
actually
add
up.
So
one
example
is
just
a
theoretical
right:
we
have
an
apartment.
Building
with
20
units
rents
are
set
at
1500
a
month.
N
If
there
is
a
theoretical
three
percent
rent
cap
rents
would
grow
45
per
unit
per
month
and
across
20
units
across
12
months.
That
would
result
in
an
increased
annual
rental
income
of
over
ten
thousand
dollars
for
the
building,
and
so
when
we,
when
we
apply
those,
you
know
the
the
percentages
that
can
feel
small.
It's
really
important
to
actually
do
that
math
and
figure
out
what
those
look
like.
N
It's
also
important
to
consider.
You
know
the
proportionality
of
what
can
what
makes
up
the
the
rental
payment
right.
We
think
about
mortgage.
We
think
about
property
taxes
utilities.
All
these
things
that
come
in,
but
a
10
increase
in,
say,
property
tax
doesn't
equate
to
a
need
to
increase
the
rent
by
10.
There's
that
proportionality
of
you
know
if
the
property
tax
only
makes
up
20
of
the
rent,
then
you
only
need
to
increase
it
by
that
proportion
in
order
to
make
make
up
that
payment.
F
P
Yeah,
absolutely
so,
rent
control
generally
in
the
US,
but
also
in
other
countries
as
well,
is
not
income
tested
in
the
same
way
that,
like
public
housing
or
Section
8
are
so
at
its
surface
level.
Everyone
who
is
a
renter
benefits
was
living
in
their
unstabilized
unit
and
arguably
people
who
are
not
living
in
rent
stabilized
units
benefit
as
well,
because
there's
less
speculation
overall
in
the
rental
market.
P
B
Thank
you
and
I
want
to
tell
you
you're,
not
an
extremist
council
member
Brooks,
you're
fighting
for
the
basics
and
thanks
so
much
I
have
a
question
for
tram
tram.
Can
you
talk
more
about
how
rent
control
is
similar
to
programs
that
we
use
frequently
like
subsidized
mortgages
for
homeowners
or
the
minimum
minimum
wage.
N
Right,
like
my
mortgage,
is
practically
frozen
for
30
years.
All
rent
stabilization
policies
are
seeking
to
do
is
add
some
predictability
to
the
formula.
So,
rather
than
saying
you
know,
rent's
going
to
be
x
amount
every
year,
it's
X
plus
a
certain
percent,
and
that
allows
just
a
safety
net,
a
weight
off
of
folks's
shoulders
when
they
think
about
the
next
week.
The
next
month,
the
next
year,
other
policies
that
we
can
draw
parallels
to
like
what
I
mentioned
with
payday
lending
right.
N
We
have
capped,
payday
lending
interest
rates,
because
we
know
that
they're
predatory
and
that
they
do
not
benefit
the
people
who
need
them
most,
and
so
we
have
managed
to
some
states
have
managed
to
restrict
interest
rates,
and
that
is
a
way
to
prevent,
predatory
and
egregious
activity
and
protect
consumers.
And
then
the
the
other
parallel
I'll
make
is
to
labor
right.
Minimum
wage
is
to
labor
as
rent
stabilization
is
to
housing.
Even
if
everyone
has
a
job,
they
still
need
basic
protections,
even
if
everyone
has
a
home
right.
N
If
we
live
in
this
Ideal
World,
where
there
is
enough
supply
for
each
person
to
have
a
home,
we
still
need
basic
protections
to
ensure
that
they
cannot
be
priced
out
of
their
home.
It
cannot
be
no
cause,
evicted
and
and
all
of
the
many
of
the
policies
that
Philadelphia
frankly
has
already
passed,
and
so
those
are
some
of
the
ways
that
we
can
think
about
consumer
protections
and
then
broadening
that
definition
of
consumer
to
include
tenants
which
are
which
make
up
just
a
huge
proportion
of
our
population.
O
I
did
Madam
chairman.
Thank
you
so
much
again,
I'd
just
like
to
make
like
a
clarifying
statement
here
in
terms
of
the
legislation
that's
being
proposed.
You
know
my
legislation
here,
isn't
about
kind
of
you
know,
punishing
landlords.
You
know
it's
about
creating
a
fair
right
and
reasonable
rental
market.
O
You
know
why
I'm
only
really
kind
of
focused
on
landlords
who
are
15
units
plus
you
know,
because
the
bigger
landlords
are
the
ones
who
who
set
the
market
rate
for
rentals.
You
know
if
the
majority
of
places
available
are
restricted
like
this,
that
smaller
landlords
go
in
line
and
remain
competitive
in
the
marketplace.
O
We
also
don't
want
to.
You
know
not
to
not
to
kind
of
stereotype.
Here
you
know
we
don't.
We
won't
like
our
our
little
old
runner,
lady
to
have
a
spare
room
just
to
jump
through
bureaucratic
oops.
Here
you
know
this
legislation
that
I'm
passing
is
about
reining
in
the
corporate
landlords
who
are
making
a
living
off
of
rent
checks.
You
know
it's
not
about
punishing
the
people
who
want
to
buy
an
investment
property
or
two
and
make
a
few
extra
dollars
for
their
families
and
stuff.
You
know
perfectly
fine
with
that.
O
So
when
it
comes
to
the
bigger
picture
of
things
here,
you
know
housing
needs
to
have
that
steady
pricing.
You
know
it's
not
like
a
luxury
for
some
of
these
people,
it's
essential
for
the
people
and
especially
in
Philadelphia.
You
know
this
is
a
check
against
landlord
passing
off
costs
to
the
renter
while
retaining
all
the
profit.
You
know,
renters
can't
be
the
only
one
exposed
to
risk
in
our
housing
market,
but
you
know
I
do
want
to
still
advocate
for
people
investing
in
our
city.
O
So
if
I
seem
a
little
shaken
up
through
things,
but
I
appreciate
you
giving
me
the
the
platform
to
to
talk
how
we
at
the
state
are
planning
on
collaborating
with
the
city
here
and
at
the
end
of
the
day,
you
know
the
opportunity
just
clarify
things
from
a
standpoint
of
what
exactly
it
is
I'm
trying
to
get
done
here
to
protect
us
down
here
in
Philadelphia.
Thank
you
again.
B
D
You
are
absolutely
right:
Madam,
chair
I,
just
wanted
to
show
the
respect
that
that
this
is
a
thoughtful
piece
of
legislation
and
that,
if
you
heard
my
remarks
earlier,
I
commented
about
the
small
investor,
the
postman,
the
school
teacher
that
uses
this
as
a
retirement
to
supplement
their
retirement
and
how
this
would
impact
the
net.
Clarification
was
important,
and
so
thank
you.
Thank.
B
Q
Good
afternoon
my
name
is
Sherry
Thomas
I'm,
the
director
of
housing
at
the
legal
clinic
for
the
disabled,
the
legal
clinic
for
the
disabled,
is
a
direct
Services
legal
agency.
We
provide
representation
for
low-income
individuals
who
live
with
physical
and
mental
health
disabilities,
and
we
have
also
been
a
long
time
partner
in
the
Philadelphia
eviction
prevention
project.
Q
I
myself
have
been
working
with
the
pep
program
since
it's
an
Inception
and
I
appreciate
the
time
that
this
committee
is
taking
to
hear
about
what
we're
seeing
as
advocates
on
the
ground
with
our
client
populations
as
I
move
forward.
In
my
testimony
today,
I
want
to
I
want
Count,
City,
Council
Members,
to
remember
one
number
that
I'll
be
repeating
throughout
my
testimony
and
that
number
is
914.
Q
People
who
receive
SSI
have
disabilities
that
deem
them
unable
to
work
and
they've,
also
been
deemed
by
the
Social
Security
Administration
to
be
in
extreme
Financial
need
in
2021,
roughly
97
000
philadelphians
received
SSI
and
of
those
ninety
seven
thousand.
Eighty
five
percent
are
over
the
age
of
18
and
likely
reliant
on
SSI
as
their
sole
income.
Source
remember.
That
number
is
914
dollars
a
month.
Q
Now
that
that's
a
studio
in
one
bedroom,
if
you're
talking
about
people
who
have
disabilities
and
who
are
on
SSI
with
families,
they
are
certainly
priced
out
of
those
units.
Remember
914
dollars
to
pay
for
a
studio
apartment
in
Philadelphia.
It
is
highly
likely
that
someone
on
SSI
will
have
to
use
almost
100
percent
of
their
income
for
rent
if
they
do
not
have
a
subsidy
and
subsidies
are
hard
to
come
by
this
year,
nearly
37
000
philadelphians
applied
for
housing,
Choice
vouchers
with
Philadelphia
Housing
Authority
of
the
37
000.
Q
914
dollars
is
the
only
income
that
is
received
by
the
following
LCD
clients,
whose
stories
I'd
like
to
share
with
you.
Both
of
these
tenants
are
elderly
and
disabled.
One
is
on
a
month-to-month
lease.
He
has
received
rent
increased
notices
from
his
landlord
every
couple
of
months,
which
is
completely
legal
without
rent
control,
as
we
heard
because
he
cannot
afford
to
move,
he
continually
pays
the
increased
amounts
which
has
caused
him
severe
financial
hardship
and
pretty
soon.
Q
If
the
increases
go,
the
way
they
are
going,
this
senior
disabled
man
will
no
longer
be
able
to
live
in
his
apartment.
Another
LCD
client
who's
living
with
her
daughter
and
granddaughter
recently
received
a
notice
for
a
300
increase.
Again,
that's
300
increase
where
her
sole
income
is
914,
41
dollars
and
she
can
no
longer
afford
it
and
her
family.
Q
Her
granddaughter
and
daughter
are
currently
looking
for
shelter
placements.
These
stories
are
typical
of
LCD
clients,
and
this
is
especially
challenging.
We
heard
testimony
today
of
renters
who
can
no
longer
afford
where
they're
living
and
decide
that
the
affordable
thing
to
do
would
be
to
move
and
sometimes
outside
of
the
city
for
tenants
who
are
living
with
multiple
disabilities
and
need
access
to
Quality
Health
Care.
This
is
not
an
easy
thing
to
do,
and
nor
is
it
advisable.
We
can
see
that
Rising
rents
can
affect
Health
outcomes
in
that
way.
Q
If
you
have
a
doctor,
if
you
have
a
care
team
that
you
are
seeing
in
your
neighborhood,
that
accessibility
is
really
important,
so
it
is
not
as
simple
as
getting
up
and
moving
to
someplace
more
affordable
in
2019.
This
city,
council
and
members
of
this
committee
supported
and
passed
the
good
cause
ordinance.
This
law
was
passed
in
order
to
protect
tenants
from
being
displaced
as
property
values,
increased
and
neighborhoods
across
the
city.
Q
The
absence
of
rent
control
affects
all
renters,
especially
those
living
on
fixed
incomes.
They
are
most
at
risk
of
homelessness.
When
you
are
receiving
disability
benefits
and
specifically
SSI,
there
are
limits
on
how
much
you
can
work
you're
deemed
as
unable
to
work,
or
that
is
very
difficult
for
you
to
work.
There
is
a
small
allowance
to
supplement
that
income.
However,
that
allowance
comes
with
its
own
limits.
Q
B
B
R
Displacing
a
tremendous
number
of
tenants
in
Philadelphia
I
want
to
start
with
some
quotes
from
2022
to
2023
from
the
owner
in
his
office
management
staff.
When
tenants
decided
to
fight
back
on
the
unacceptable
conditions
of
our
building
and
exploitive
rent
practices
quote,
we
are
thankful
to
the
tens
who
recommended
possible
designation
with
the
historical
commission.
Please
anticipate
your
rental
rates.
R
Increasing
substantially
quote
two:
it
has
come
to
our
attention
that
you
are
unhappy
with
the
conditions
and
management
of
I'm
not
going
to
name
the
exact
apartment
complex,
but
my
apartment
complex.
You
can
terminate
your
occupancy
in
15
days
and
move
from
the
complex
in
45
days.
If
you
accept
this
offer
and
leave
in
good
standing,
you
are
free
to
leave
without
liability
or
further
obligations.
This
is
a
one-time
offer
that
will
expire
8
20
22.
R
R
He
continues
to
charge
late
fees,
although
he
connect
cannot
charge
late
fees
when
he
has
no
rental
license
and
the
rent
is
legally
placed
in
escrow,
which
it
is,
there
is
still
no
lead
certificate
stating
our
building
is,
let's
say:
although
the
building
was
tested
as
one
of
our
tenant
escrow
demands
in
December,
there
has
never
been
any
lead
certificates
given
to
tenants
to
show
the
building
and
the
units
are
LED
safe.
Since
our
area
was
phased
in
mandating
this
by
law
in
October
of
2021,
there
were
around
50
violations.
R
Illinois
noted
in
a
report
back
in
the
summer
sewage
flooded
our
basement
where
the
laundry
room
was.
We
were
barricaded
via
the
front
doors
due
to
very
slow
construction
on
the
front
of
the
building
and
only
had
one
exit
on
the
side
door
of
the
building
and
two
of
the
and
the
fire
escapes
two
of
the
doors
to
the
fire
escapes
were
boarded
shut
threats
for
walk-throughs
for
tenants
who
had
heaters
on
were
were
made.
The
building
in
many
units
had
no
heat
for
days.
R
At
a
time
on
this
management
and
owner
stated
in
a
letter
to
all
tenants
that
l
I
inspection,
inspection
violations
were
due
to
us
tenants
which
they
were
not
and
threatened
to
throw
all
of
the
children's
bikes
and
toys
that
were
in
the
back
out.
Our
current
lease
is
145
Pages,
where
we
were
forced
to
sign
and
waive
all
our
rights
as
tenants.
R
R
If
we
did
not
sign,
we
were
informed
by
management
that
our
rent
would
increase
to
350
dollars
and
if
we
still
did
not
sign
by
October
of
2022,
they
would
charge
us
what
they
quoted
mark
value
to
be
between
two
thousand
and
three
thousand
dollars.
A
month.
Units
are
lived
in
by
families,
some
who
have
resided
in
this
building
for
30
years,
their
children
go
to
schools
up
the
road
we
have
established
a
strong
community
in
the
building
and
within
the
neighborhood.
R
Most
tenants
are
civil
server
were
servant,
workers,
teachers,
sociologists,
midwives,
therapists
and
social
workers.
We
are
significant
participants
in
the
community.
We
pay
our
city
work
and
residency
taxes,
I
myself
work
for
an
agency
that
oversees
behavioral
and
mental
health
providers
in
the
city.
Although
I'm
not
considered
a
city,
employee
I
am
mandated
to
live
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
by
my
employer
if
I
am
forced
to
move
due
to
spiked
and
unfair
rent.
R
R
There
are
many
families
due
to
inflation
and
other
reasons
that
are
living
paycheck
to
paycheck.
Already
increased
rent
will
result
in
homelessness,
and
if
this
occurs,
separation
of
children
from
parents
over
packed
shelters
and
Foster,
Care,
Homes
children,
displaced
outside
of
the
city
and
further
away
from
their
parents,
we
will
most
certainly
see
a
spike
in
poverty
levels
and
area.
Our
city
already
see
significant
suffering
in
many
families
also
take
care
of
their
elderly
parents,
Aunts
Uncles,
family
members
with
disabilities,
as
well
as
their
own
children.
R
They
will
be
forced
to
live
on
top
of
one
another
in
small
apartments,
barely
making
even
the
excessive
rents
there.
Landlords
have
not
been
held
accountable
for
poor
and
sanitary
and
unsafe
conditions
of
buildings
and
often
go
without
rental
licenses,
because
they
cannot
pass
inspections
when
Ellen
and
I
are
able
to
get
to
the
buildings
to
inspect
yet
they
are
not
all
yet
they
not
only
continue
to
collect
rent
but
continue
to
increase
it
to
a
point
that
is
beyond
excessive
and
unfair.
R
People
are
scared
to
put
rent
into
escrow
due
to
retaliation
and
scared
to
reach
out
when
they
learn
on
when
they
do
learn
of
legal
resources
such
as
Community
Legal
Services.
In
turn,
for
the
same
fear,
Philadelphia
was
built
on
life,
liberty
and
the
pursuit
of
happiness.
The
city,
council
and
political
leaders
must
protect
the
citizens
of
the
greats
of
this
great
City
from
gentrification
and
exploitation
of
its
valuable
renters.
We
are
active
community
members
who
love
and
cherish
this
city.
This
is
our
home.
Please
protect
us
as
we
do.
B
S
To
contact
through
your
office,
the
resident
because
I
would
like
to
follow
up
on
some
of
those
concerns.
They
are
deeply
deeply
troubling
and
you
know
the
idea
that
they
are
continuing
to
collect
rent
without
a
renter's
license
and
some
of
the
conditions.
Some
of
the
very
blatant
attempts
at
intimidation
don't
sit
well
with
me
at
all.
S
So
I
would
like
to
get
additional
information
to
follow
up
on
those
matters,
and
you
know
stop
this
sort
of
predatory,
abusive
conduct,
five
people-
and
you
know
unless
anyone
conducting
business
so
I
see
a
comment
or
response
from
Miss
douglan
and
councilwoman
Madam,
chair
Gauthier.
If
you
could
make
the
connection
I
would
greatly
appreciate.
B
T
Yeah,
thank
you.
My
name
is
Samuel
Stein.
Thanks
for
the
opportunity
to
offer
comments
of
this
hearing
today,
like
Oksana
Miranova,
who
spoke
before
me,
a
senior
policy
Analyst
at
the
community
service
Society
of
New
York,
which
is
a
non-profit
organization
that
promotes
economic
opportunity
for
New
Yorkers
for
the
last
century.
Css
has
supported
rent
control
and
fought
for
the
strongest
protections
possible
for
tenants.
We've
heard
today
about
many
different
ways
that
rent
regulation
can
positively
affect
the
lives
of
tenants
and
the
life
of
a
city.
T
T
First
last
summer,
we
at
the
community
service
Society
surveyed,
low-income
New
Yorkers,
to
see
if
their
rent
went
up
last
year
and
if
so,
whether
landlords
had
made
any
improvements
to
their
apartment
or
their
buildings.
We
found
that
Rhett
regulated
tenants
who
experienced
rent
a
rent
increase
were
12
percentage
points
more
likely
to
see
improvements
in
their
buildings
compared
to
unregulated
tenants.
So,
according
to
our
survey,
data
rent
stabilized
landlords
seem
to
be
more
likely
to
invest
in
improvements
than
market
rate
landlords.
Why
is
this
in
the
New
York
System?
T
So
rent
regulation
can
be
an
incentive
for
landlords
to
invest
in
their
building,
rather
than
the
opposite,
as
opponents
often
claim.
The
second
point
I'd
like
to
make
is
about
who
has
opportunities
to
purchase
homes
in
a
city
with
rent
stabilization
in
a
speculative
and
unregulated
real
estate.
Market
buildings
are
bought
and
sold
less
for
the
prices
less
for
prices
grounded
in
the
revenue
they
currently
generate
and
more
for
prices
based
on
the
revenues
the
purchaser
expects
they
can
extract
from
a
building.
T
Investors
will
therefore
pay
much
more
for
buildings
than
the
rent
rolls
would
seem
to
justify,
under
the
assumption
that
they
can
significantly
raise
the
building's
profit
Levels
by
raising
rents
or
diminishing
labor
and
maintenance
costs,
or
sometimes
both
with
rent
regulation
in
place.
However,
building
values
are
based
more
on
the
actual
income
and
expenses
of
rental
buildings
than
the
theoretical
rents
or
resale
values.
The
building
could
conjure
if
the
new
buyer
could
raise
rents
to
any
level
they
like.
T
This
keeps
buildings
and
land
prices
from
escalating
dramatically,
making
purchase
prices
more
reasonable
for
those
long
excluded
from
home
ownership
and
creating
more
opportunities
for
public
authorities.
Non-Profits
Community,
Development
corporations,
Community
Land
trusts
and
tenants
themselves
to
buy
buildings
and
convert
them
into
permanently
affordable
housing
models.
T
So
I
just
want
to
to
reiterate.
Rent
regulation
can
be
an
incentive
to
increase
investment
in
buildings,
whereas
in
a
market
rate
system
landlords
can
just
raise
the
rent
without
investing
in
their
buildings
and
rent
regulation
can
help
keep
sale
prices
more
in
line
with
rents
and
therefore
make
home
ownership
possible
for
the
tenants
of
the
buildings
themselves,
as
well
as
for
non-profits
and
others
who
intend
to
keep
Apartments
affordable
in
perpetuity.
B
F
Q
Yeah,
that's
a
that's
a
great
question.
Council
member
and
I
appreciate
that
it
it
really
depends
on
the
disability,
but
what
we
found
is
that
our
shelters
are
not
really
fully
equipped
to
take
some
of
our
clients,
and
so
the
answer
to
that
question
is
you
know:
tenants
with
disabilities
may
have
to
double
up
with
family
members
rely
on
hotels.
Q
We
have
seen
a
number
of
our
clients,
go
to
Extended
Stays
and
can
barely
afford
that,
and
it's
it's
really
a
grave
situation
because
the
shelter
systems
are
already
and
then,
once
you
add
someone
who
has
a
disability
and
they
you
know
they
may
be
far
from
their
care
team
and
their
health
care
access.
So
it
severely
impacts,
People's
Health
outcomes,
and
then
we
just
find
that
we
we
continue
to
have
a
growing
chronically
ill
population.
Q
F
F
R
The
other
thing
that
triggered
retaliatory
letters
was
that
multiple
reports
went
out
to
l,
I
not
just
from
the
tenants
but
from
homeowners
that
surrounded
this
apartment,
complex
with
Mass
concern
over
the
building
and
Ellen
I
came
out
and
did
multiple
checks
on
the
building
and
there
were
I
I
want
to
say,
51
total
violations
on
the
building,
and
he
has
no
rental
license
so
I
think
what
triggered
the
retaliation
was.
The
l
I
reports
and
then
certain
tenants
put
putting
their
money
into
escrow.
R
Yes,
because
one
of
the
things
that
we
really
feel
that
he
is
going
to
do
further
in
retaliation
because
he
had
to
then
move
forward
and
make
the
repairs
that
were
long
needed
that
he
had
been
responsible
for
on
he's,
threatened
to
increase
our
rent
substantially
for
multiple
for
for
before
he
increased
our
rent
in
the
summer.
Two
hundred
dollars
and
and
I
can
tell
you
right
now,
I
believe
it
was
because
he
couldn't
get
a
rental
license.
R
A
neighbor
had
heard
from
her
window,
either
property
management
or
the
owner.
Speaking
to
somebody
from
the
city
saying
he
was
going
to
make
repairs
on
the
front
of
the
building
and
he
was
going
to
do
it
ASAP
and
the
very
next
day
we
got
notified
that
our
rent
would
be
increasing
two
hundred
dollars
on
and
once
that
happened,
concerns
started
to
go
out.
Ellen
I
reports
were
going
out
on,
and
you
know
he
said
in
the
increase.
R
There's
always
this
threat
that
he
makes
of
our
rent
increasing
substantially
and
because
he
is
working
on
the
building
repairs
right
now
still
doesn't
have
a
rental
license.
So
I'm,
assuming
even
more
repairs,
need
to
be
made.
I
know
that
that
down
the
pipe
the
tenants
are
going
to
wind
up
suffering.
The
cost
of
this.
R
When
your
lease
we
began,
okay
and
then
it
people
didn't
sign
that
agreement
by
October
of
2022,
they
automatically
would
get
an
increase
of
350
and
if
they
still
didn't
sign
their
lease,
even
if
it
was
way
before
their
lease
was
up.
Okay,
they
would
automatically
get
their
rent
increase
to
market
value,
which
would
be
between
two
thousand
and
three
thousand
dollars.
R
You
know,
and
a
lot
of
us
don't
have
that
kind
of
money
to
just
pick
up
and
move
when
a
landlord
increases,
rent
and
then
you're
at
risk
for
other
landlords
just
doing
the
same
thing.
So
what
would
even
be?
Why
would
you
even
bother
to
move
when
all
when
other
landlords
in
the
city
are
doing
the
same.
F
T
So
tenants
have
a
much
stronger
capacity
to
organize
under
a
system
of
rent
stabilization
than
without
it.
Why
that
is
is
rent
stabilization,
like
my
colleague
Oksana
says,
sets
up
a
framework
between
the
tenant
and
the
landlord
and
says
that
the
landlord
can't
simply
evict
the
tenants,
for
you
know
calling
on
their
landlord
collectively
to
do
what
needs
to
be
done
just
like
in
the
building.
We
were
hearing
about
right
before
me.
T
Without
rent
control,
landlords
can
find
fairly
easy
ways
to
do
retaliatory
evictions
with
them.
They
cannot
so
tenants
have
the
confidence
that
they
can
knock
on
each
other's
doors,
form
those
tenant
associations
and
act
collectively
and
know
exactly
what
their
rights
are.
They
can
also
speak
out
politically
on
behalf
of
tenants
in
general
and
before
I
was
talking
about
investment
in
buildings
as
a
result
of
the
mechanism
that
allows
landlords
to
raise
rents
when
they
invest
in
buildings.
T
That's
true,
but
I,
I
neglected
to
say
The
other
reason
why
there
might
be
more
investment
in
rent
stabilized
buildings.
You
is
because
tenants
in
them
can
organize
and
demand
those
improvements
without
fear
that
the
landlord's
going
to
you
know
arbitrarily
evict
them
or
raise
their
rent
as
a
result.
So
rent
stabilize
landlords
in
some
ways
just
have
to
be
more
responsive
to
their
tenants
because
they
don't
have
the
option
of
Simply
ending
the
lease
of
so-called
troublemakers.
F
T
Yeah,
my
argument
is
that
rent
regulation
means
that
home
prices,
home
sale
prices
don't
escalate
to
really
really
high
levels
based
on
fictional
rents,
based
on
the
rent.
Somebody
thinks
that
they
could
get
for
an
apartment.
It
stays
pretty
close
to
a
multiple
of
what
the
rent
actually
is
and
what
it
costs
to
operate.
The
housing
that
keeps
the
speculators
from
you
know
choosing
to
Target
that
particular
type
of
Housing,
and
it
keeps
the
home
prices
more
in
line
with
the
actual
cost
that
makes
it
more
possible
for
tenants
to
purchase.
T
There
are
cities
in
the
United
States
that
have
tenant
opportunity
to
purchase
acts
where,
when
a
building
goes
for
sale,
the
tenants
have
the
first
right
of
refusal.
Washington
DC
has
had
this
for
40
years.
I
think
that's
a
great
policy
and
I
think
it
works
a
lot
better
when
there's
something
like
rent
control
in
place
to
keep
the
the
sale
price
from
being,
you
know
what
someone
would
buy
it
for,
if
their
expectation
is
that
they
could
double
all
the
rents.
F
B
A
A
B
F
F
Yes,
several
people,
council,
member,
okay.
We
will
now
take
a
brief
break
to
connect
those
individuals
who
have
registered
to
provide
public
comment
to
the
hearing.
Due
to
the
volume
of
those
registered
for
public
comment.
We
will
limit
the
remarks
to
two
minutes.
Michelle's.
Would
you
please
read
the
name
of
the
first
person
registered
for
public
comment.
A
U
F
U
U
U
U
U
Dollars
but
the
stare
steps
out
the
side
of
my
building
at
the
bottom
is
full
of
trash.
It's
been
that
way
since
I
moved
here
and
maintenance
that
nobody
has
not
cleaned
it.
They
don't
they
don't
have
adequate
maintenance,
I
think
I,
don't
think,
because
my
sink
was
leaking
downstairs
to
my
neighbor
below,
and
that's
really.
U
The
only
time
when
they
come
in
here
is
when
my
neighbor
below
complains
the
water
leak
or
something
like
that,
and
it
was
the
electrician
that
changed
the
faucet
and
they
put
in
a
faucet
that
really
doesn't
fit.
It's
I
got
like
two
holes
where
the
hot
and
cold
water,
where
they
that's
not
being
used,
they
put
some
kind
of
plugs
in
them,
and
this
faucet
looks
like
it's
a
one
deal
thing
that
goes
in
a
new
renovated
apartment
and
it's
got.
U
U
We
went
to
a
meeting,
we
were
having
a
meeting
with
the
manager
before
and
the
guy
said.
Oh
yeah
yo,
your
maintenance
complaints
have
been
erased,
so
they
just
black
shoved
me
to
the
side,
ignore
me
and
just
deleted
my
request,
and
if
it's
really
hard
I
love
this
community
I'm
not
ready
to
move
back
down.
North
Carolina
I
have
a
little
piece
of
land
that
I
could
put
a
double
wide
trailer
on
I.
U
Don't
want
to
do
that,
but
with
the
prices
going
up
the
way
they
are
they
it's
like
they
pushing
out
people
of
color
and
people
that
do
not
have
her
wages,
that
they're
earning
I'm,
retired
and
I
don't
think
in
another
couple
years.
If
it
keeps
going
like
it
is
that
I'll
be
able
to
stay
up
here,
and
you
see
all
these
buildings
being
built
in
Mount
Airy
and
a
little
piece
of
land
they
going
straight
up
and
I
think
they're
really
going
to
try
I.
U
Think
they're
running
people
out,
like
my
name,
is
one
of
the
most
diverse
communities
in
the
country,
I
heard
and
I,
don't
think
in
a
few
more
years.
It's
going
to
be
that
way.
We
just
ain't
gonna
be
able
to
afford
to
rent.
In
a
couple
of
my
friends,
they're
getting
eviction
notices
in
other
apartment
buildings
around.
K
U
And
I'm
supposed
to
sign
a
renewal
lease
by
the
end
of
this
month.
They
sent
me
one
in
February,
but
my
lease
doesn't
run
out
until
May,
the
31st
and
I.
Don't
know
if
that
has
any
brand
on
what
we're
talking
about
today,
but
I
really
hope.
The
councilman
councilman
can
pass
this
bill.
Councilman,
Dylan
and
and
city
council
can
help
because
myself
and
others
are
on
the
brink
of
having
to
move
out
of
Philadelphia,
as
other
people
have
so
I
hope.
U
A
F
F
F
F
F
F
A
A
A
A
F
L
V
My
name
is
Carrie
Nelson.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
for
speaking
today.
I'll
try
to
be
very
brief.
I
am
a
housing
provider
and
I
have
been
for
many
years,
and
it
has
been
an
overwhelmingly
great
experience
when
thinking
about
the
concept
of
limiting
rent
and
rent
increases
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
One
of
the
things
that
we
know
is
that
of
the
hundred
top
cities
in
the
country.
Philadelphia
has
some
of
the
lowest
housing
costs.
V
V
Since,
according
to
the
interactive
map
done
by
the
national
low-income
housing
coalition,
there
are
at
least
16
ZIP
codes
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
where
something
around
17
an
hour
would
allow
somebody
to
rent
an
apartment
and
not
exceed
30
percent
of
their
income,
and
Glassdoor
tells
us
that
someone
working
at
an
Amazon
warehouse,
for
example,
makes
about
that
amount.
So,
even
somebody
without
a
college,
education,
extra
degrees
training.
You
know,
member
of
the
Union,
finds
it
affordable
if
they
search
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
V
But
what
we
do
know
is
that
people
have
seen
a
large
increase
and
their
budgets
are
really
strange.
We
understand
that,
but
of
all
the
variables
that
they
might
look
at
to
think
are
the
ones
that
are
squeezing
them.
It's
not
going
to
be
housing
that
comes
out
at
the
top.
On
the
other
hand,
in
my
humble
opinion,
it's
the
number
on
the
other
side,
it's
that
income.
V
One
thing
that
I
would
request
of
city
council
is
that
city
council
help
us
to
be
better
landlords
right
now,
I
can't
find
any
place
in
the
city
where
I
can
go
to
see
what
all
the
laws
are
and
requirements
are
for
me
to
be
following
I,
don't
know
whether
I'm
in
step
or
whether
I'm
out
of
Step
I,
don't
know
whether
I'm
doing
well
or
I'm
doing
terribly.
So.
V
W
F
T
W
A
couple
of
girl
houses
I
bought
some.
You
know
when
I
was
younger
in
order
to
be
able
to
supplement
Social,
Security
and
I
rely
on
them
for
income.
Now.
The
issue
we're
in
control
is
that
it,
it
creates
unintended
consequences
and,
and
capital
has
run
into
this
before
the
one
thing.
If
I
am
told
to
do
a
rent
that
is
not,
you
know,
are
reasonable.
For
me,
the
upshot
of
that
is
I
will
sell.
W
The
house
and
I'll
go
elsewhere
and
I
suspect
that
that
will
be
true
for
a
lot
of
people.
They
will
sell
their
houses,
they
will
invest
elsewhere,
I
can't
start
to
lose
income,
I
mean
I,
barely
make
it
with
the
the
house
if
I
have
and
Social
Security.
So
the
unattended
consequence
there
is
that
the
number
of
rental
units
in
the
city
will
decrease,
and
this
has
happened
nationally.
One
of
the
10
consequences
is
people
get
out
of
Market.
W
Having
providers
leave
new
ones,
don't
come
in
because
they're
not
going
to
make
money
on
their
Investments.
Now,
there's
a
there's.
Another
unintended
consequences.
A
couple
of
years
ago,
I
renovated
two
of
my
houses.
I
put
a
new
kitchens
new
bathrooms
new
amenities.
Each
house
cost
me
about
fifty
thousand
dollars
to
do.
I
had
refinance,
you
know
the
mortgages
so
that
I
have
Equity
to
work
with,
but
even
with
that,
it's
going
to
take
me
four
to
five
years
to
recoup
my
investments.
If
there
was
rent
control,
there's.
X
W
Way,
I
would
have
done
that
I
couldn't
have
afforded
to
do
that,
because
I
wouldn't
be
getting
the
money
back
on
my
investment
in
both
houses,
the
rent
went
up
substantially,
they
had
to.
They
were
like
practically
new
houses.
That
would
not
happen
in
rent
control
and
that's
one
of
the
unintended
consequences
that
have
happened
nationally.
People
don't
renovate,
they
don't
make
Capital
Improvements
and
then
you
get
blight.
You
know
so
the
one
other
thing
that
I
do
want
and
I
want
to
reiterate
what
the
the
other
young
lady
said
about.
W
You
know
not
knowing
what's
all
right
and
not
all
right,
I'll
just
give
you
a
very
quick
example.
During
the
pandemic,
one
of
my
tenants
stopped
paying
rent.
This
is
not
a
person
that
was
thrown
out
of
work.
You
just
stopped
wearing
red
because
he
could
get
away
with
it
and
there
was
no
repercussion
because
there
was
an
eviction
moratorium.
W
I
I
went
to
small
claims
court
because
I
wanted
to
you
know,
get
the
the
rent
for
him
and
I
was
told.
Apparently
his
wife
had
left
him.
So
now
he
was
in
the
house
by
himself
and
I
was
required,
which
I
didn't
know
to
get
a
new
rental
suitability
license.
So
what
they
told
me
is
that
in
small
claims
court
you
know
what
since
she's
his
wife
left
and
you
didn't
get
a
new
rental
security
suitability
license.
You
can't
go
to
court
they're,
going
to
throw
they're.
W
W
C
Y
Yes,
my
name
is
Stanley
Daniel
I'm,
a
licensed
PA
and
New
Jersey
realtor
I'm,
a
investor,
a
property
manager,
I've
probably
had
600
tenants
in
the
last
15
years
or
so
I'm
not
going
to
talk
to
you
about
the
insanity
of
rent
control,
everybody
else's
I'm,
gonna
mention
other
things
that
the
city
has
done.
That
sticks
their
hands
in
my
pocket
in
the
pocket
of
the
other
of
the
other
landlords.
F
Y
Which
effect
extra
rent
that
tenants
pay
and
the
condition
of
the
units
that
they
that
they
rent
for,
for
example,
okay,
I,
have
an
expense
for
having
a
a
lead
safe
place
for
a
property
that
doesn't
have
any
children
under
seven.
That's
a
a
law,
the
city
council
passed
that
affects
rents
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
Things
of
that
sort,
incidentally,
PHA-
is
not
held
to
the
same
standard
as
as
I
am
why?
Y
Okay,
you
offer
a
free
attorney
to
the
tenants.
That's
fine!
Why
am
I
not
offered
a
free
attorney,
so
I
have
to
pay
two
three
four
hundred
dollars
extra
every
time.
I
have
an
eviction.
All
the
things
that
city
council
has
done
has
raise
rents
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
we
still
are
like
the
78th
deepest
large
city.
Y
Z
Hi,
my
name
is
Mike
Lynch
I'm
also
am
a
landlord
and
I
thought.
It
would
be
important
to
remind
you
of
the
landlord's
contributions
to
the
city.
The
landlord
pays
highest
real
estate
taxes
of
anyone
because,
as
I
understand,
if
home
owners
don't
pay
the
same
real
estate
tax,
they
get
an
exemption
and
we
also
pay
income
to
the
city.
Z
When
I
make
my
money,
a
good
portion
of
it
goes
in
terms
of
income
tax
to
the
city
in
the
terms
of
the
two
or
three
different
documents
that
have
to
fill
out
every
year.
For
that,
so
landlords
are
important
to
the
city
and
you're
driving
them
away
with
making
a
situation
untenable
for
landlords
to
Exist
by
requiring
the
landlords
to
stop
increasing
the
rent,
but
you're
not
increasing
the
income
for
the
tenants
to
pay
you're,
not
decreasing
the
cost
for
the
landlords.
Z
Z
It's
important
to
help
poor
people
survive
and
one
of
the
ways
you
do
it
is
with
Section
8
PHA
and
you
get
that
money
from
tax
money
from
people
who
live
in
the
city,
like
landlords
and
I,
think
it's
important
to
be
able
to
provide
that
I
had
a
whole
bunch
of
other
things,
I
wanted
to
say,
but
I'm
running
out
of
time
so
quickly.
Let's.
Z
E
AA
Yes,
my
name
is
Richard
Moore
good
afternoon
city
council,
chair
council
members.
My
name
is
Richard
Moore.
My
name
is
licensed
real
estate
broker
property
manager
and
a
Philadelphia
Housing
provider
who
has
been
providing
housing
in
our
city
for
43
years
before
I.
Go
into
my
testimony,
I
want
to
comment
on
some
of
the
testimonies
this
morning
of
Kenneth
and
speaking
about
some
of
the
horrible
situations
that
they're
living
in
landlords
without
rental
licenses.
AA
Conditions
of
the
of
the
tenants
of
these
tenants
had
to
put
up
with
there
are
laws
already
against
this.
These
tenants
shouldn't
be
paying
rent
and
I
just
want
to
convey
to
you
that
landlords,
like
myself,
who
are
properly
licensed,
who
do
properly
run
their
businesses.
You
know,
are
kind
of
down
because
of
a
few
bad
apples
anyway,
I'm
here
today
to
speak,
not
against
or
in
favor
of
rent
control,
I'm
sure
you
have
heard
a
lot
of
tests
and
they
both
before
and
against
the
subject.
AA
Bug
coordinates
that
that
places
the
responsibility
of
treatment
on
an
owner
to
real
estate
taxes
and
some
cases
have
increased
as
much
as
500
percent
to
insurance
rates
that
have
tripled
due
to
crime
and
increasing
construction
costs,
to
maintenance
costs
that
have
doubled
and,
finally
to
coveted,
which
has
allowed
tenants
to
stand
units
without
paying
rent
for
as
long
as
10
months.
The
affordable
housing
market
in
our
industry
is
on
the
verge
of
collapse.
AA
Our
73
year
old,
non-profit
landlord
association's
current
membership
is
less
than
half
of
the
membership
that
it
was
30
years
ago.
Our
industry
has
simply
been
over
regulated
and
burdened
with
coordinances
after
ordinances,
all
which
are
well-meaning,
but
are
very
hard
to
actually
work
with
passing
rent
control
measures
at
this
time
without
carefully
examining
the
facts,
reviewing
the
other
rent
control
laws
in
other
cities
and
coming
up
with
a
plan
that
is
tailor-made
for
our
great
City.
AA
The
only
way
that
such
a
law
can
be
implemented,
Council,
chairperson,
you
have
the
ability
to
form
a
task
force
comprised
of
professionals
from
the
real
estate
industry,
legal
experts,
Community
leaders
attendant
Advocates
investors
and
government
officials,
whose
mission
would
be
to
come
up
with
a
list
of
suggestions
to
be
forwarded
to
you
for
your
consideration
to
implement
in
a
Philadelphia
rent
control
act.
That
would
make
sense.
AA
AA
AA
The
wife
who
brings
delicious
homemade
Sherry
dumplings
to
her
tenants
during
the
holidays
to
this
single
mother,
Philadelphia
school
teacher,
who
owns
three
try
practices
that
the
income
will
be
used
to
put
her
son
through
college
to
the
owners
like
myself,
a
single
father,
raising
two
sons,
one
who
became
a
highly
decorated
naval
officer,
one
that
is
a
affordable
housing
counselor.
My
two
younger
Sons
one
went
through
a
four-year
opioid
addiction
battle,
Mr.
AA
We
all
are
passionate
and
we
all
care
about
what
we
do
railroading.
A
rent
control
act
right
now
into
law
will
change
all
this.
The
personal
interest,
the
Hands-On
approach
to
real
estate,
investment
of
our
city
will
change.
The
small
landlord
will
no
longer
be
able
to
compete,
and
you
only
have
large
corporations
number
numbers
crunchers,
like
Ironstone
real
estate,
Partners
stepping
into
the
picture
is
this:
is
this?
What
we
all
want
is
this?
What
Philadelphia
is
all
about
right?
Now
you
have
the
ability
to
change
it.
All
the
individuals
like
myself
ask
for.
F
Moore
we
aren't
making
it
Mr,
Moore
I,
don't
mean
to
rush
you,
but
you
pass
your
testimony
time
and
we're
not
making
any
decisions
today.
This
is
just
an
informational
hearing
to
discuss
rent
control.
There
is
no
bill
on
the
table
at
all
and
I
do
appreciate
all
your
suggestions
and
I
would
love
to
have
a
deeper
conversation
later
on
about
some
of
the
suggestions
that
you
offered.
I
really
appreciate
your
time.
AB
I
hope
we
can
come.
My
name
is
Joan
Preston
I
hope
we
can
come
to
a
peaceful
and
righteous
agreement,
especially
restoring
landlord
and
tenants
relationship
that
is
Paramount
if
Philadelphia
is
going
to
prosper
as
a
historical
City
that
it
has
been
credited
for.
You
must
stop
encouraging,
helpless
the
helpless
mentality.
Here
recently,
small
landlords
have
been
threatened
with
higher
taxes
accused
of
not
paying
our
brts
and
npts.
Where
is
this
coming
from,
or
does
it
matter
to
add
insult
to
injury?
AB
It
appears
that
outside
investors
are
encouraged
to
come
into
our
city
and
granted
certain
perks.
Small
landlords
are
doing
what
is
right.
There
is
no
wonder
our
city
is
crumbling.
If
you
continue
to
encourage
the
mentals
that
you
have
the
right
to
live,
rent
free
you're,
the
government
responsibility,
they
should
take
care
of
you.
AB
I
say
you
are
bringing
our
city
to
nothing,
and
that
is
not
right:
you're
driving
people
out
of
business
and
out
of
Philadelphia
what
hurts
is
to
observe
some
Council
person
and
some
neighborhood
organization
who
have
government
salaries,
taking
care
of
them
and
their
families,
and
yet
your
cap
and
landlords.
Yet
experts,
small
landlords,
expect
small
landlords
and
maintain
their
properties,
pay
mortgages
utilities
tax
and
maintain
our
properties
upkeep.
Is
there
any
wonder
that
too
many
of
our
communities
are
run
down?
How
can
it
be
different
again?
AB
The
small
landlords
are
not
in
the
business
to
price
Gauss
tenants.
Our
concern
is
smaller
land
laws
and
stance
of
small
landlords
of
suffering
and
have
suffered
because
of
certain
SEC
of
our
city.
Government
believes
that
we
are
have
no
purpose
and
we
must
go
away.
Many
of
us
have
worked
for
years
and
did
without
to
maintain
our
investments
like
have
habitable.
No
small
landlords
are
price
gouging
during
covert
certain
Council
persons
were
encouraging
tenants
not
to
pay
rent.
AB
In
fact,
there
were
several
parades
where
people
were
carrying
signs,
disclosing
I
want
to
live
rent
free.
This
is
not
Philly,
and
that
is
not
who
we
are.
Most
small
landlords
have
worked
hard
during
covet.
Most
of
us
were
living
off
of
Social,
Security
and
small
pensions,
and
some
had
none
why
you
thought
it
was
a
joke.
I
stand
on
that
because
you
focus
your
focus,
was
primary
own
tenants
and
the
devil
with
landlords.
While
we
were
getting
no
rents,
no
evictions
and
many
of
our
properties
were
being
destroyed.
AB
AC
So
I'm
Dina
Ballinger
I'm
a
senior
vice
president
and
group
manager
with
jll
I'm
here
today,
in
my
capacity
as
the
chair
of
building
owners
and
Managers
Association
of
Philadelphia,
commonly
referred
to
as
Boma,
given
the
limited
time
today,
I've
taken
the
liberty
of
condensing
our
submitted
testimony.
Wellman
members
typically
operate
in
the
commercial
office,
industrial
and
Retail
and
real
estate
sectors,
rather
than
in
multi-family
and
or
residential
as
private
sector
owners
and
managers
of
real
estate.
However,
the
issue
of
rent
control
raises
some
serious
concerns
for
our
members
and
our
organization.
AC
The
notion
of
fixing
an
individual's
rent
or
housing
costs
may
be
rooted
in
Good
Intentions
as
a
strategy.
However,
rent
control
does
not
occur
in
isolation.
It
has
consequences
both
positive
and
negative
in
a
multi-family
asset.
Rent
or
revenue
from
our
perspective
is
only
one
component
of
the
overall
investment
setting
the
revenue
component
at
a
particular
rate.
Without
the
ability
to
stabilize
the
expense
side
of
the
equation:
I.E
the
real
estate,
taxes,
interest
rates,
utilities
and
other
regulatory
burdens,
you
then
enter
the
land
of
unintended
consequences.
Let's
turn
the
table
for
a
moment.
AC
Imagine
in
this
very
high
inflationary
and
Rising
interest
rate
environment,
the
city
of
Philadelphia
was
told
it
could
no
longer
raise
taxes.
What
would
you
do
to
make
the
ends
meet?
You
could
start
scaling
back
on
services
to
Citizens.
You
could
stop
investing
in
New,
City,
Vehicles
police
cars,
trash
trucks,
Etc
you
could
eliminate
Pre-K
or
after
school
sports
you
could
close
rec,
centers
and
libraries
or
defer
maintenance
on
City
assets
or
terminate
employees.
Now,
let
me
be
clear:
I
would
not
recommend
actually
doing
any
of
these
things.
AC
I
am,
however,
attempting
to
illustrate
the
problem
of
turning
to
rent
control
alone.
Is
a
strategy
for
achieving
an
adequate
supply
of
affordable
housing
fixing
one
component
without
also
fixing
the
others,
has
a
host
of
consequences.
In
the
case
of
multi-family
real
estate
Investments
imposing
the
rent
controls
could
have
the
following
effects:
it
could
drive
investors
and
lenders
away
from
Philadelphia,
potentially
reducing
the
overall
assessed
value
of
real
estate
and
tax
base.
AC
It
could
cause
landlords
to
defer
maintenance,
not
fixing
the
leaking
roof,
Plumbing
Etc,
thereby
reducing
the
value
of
the
existing
housing
stock
and
creating
unsafe
or
unhealthy
conditions.
It
could
stifle
the
development
of
new,
affordable
housing
and
it
could
cause
mortgage
or
loan
defaults.
In
that
end,
the
private
sector
investment
is
predicated
upon
consistent
public
policy
and
a
clear
level
of
confidence
that
the
balance
of
risk
reward
will
not
be
tilted
unexpectedly
towards
an
increased
risk.
AC
AD
Good
afternoon
councilmember,
Brooks
and
members
of
the
housing,
neighborhood
development
and
homes
committee,
my
name
is
Andre
Del
Valli
I'm,
the
vice
president
of
government
Affairs
for
the
Pennsylvania
Apartment
Association
locally.
Here
in
Philadelphia,
we
represent
over
38
000
units
and
49
property
management
companies.
I'd
like
to
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
on
today's
resolution,
which
was
introduced
back
in
January
23
of
2020
at
the
peak
of
the
covid-19
global
pandemic.
AD
We
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
put
our
comments
on
record
as
stakeholders
like
the
Pennsylvania
Apartment
Association
were
not
invited
to
speak
at
today's
hearing
as
one
of
the
largest
stakeholders
that
would
be
impacted
by
any
future.
In
legislation
the
Pennsylvania
Apartment
Association
has
cross-collaborated
on
a
number
of
policies
from
assisting
flood
victims
to
assisting
resettlement
efforts
for
Afghan
refugees
and
preventing
housing
and
stability
during
the
covid-19
pandemic.
Well,
today's
hearing
is
an
important
conversation.
It's
a
conversation
that
should
be
a
balanced
one.
AD
That
brings
all
state
holders
together
to
the
table
to
find
an
innovative
solutions,
not
simply
one-sided
conversation
that
limits
one
side
to
two
minutes
after
panelists
were
given
10
minutes
to
testify.
The
reality
is
that
state
legislators
understand
that
rent
control
is
counterproductive
to
achieving
affordable
housing,
which
is
why
37
States
prohibit
municipalities
from
imposing
ceilings
on
rents.
It's
rare
for
economists
across
the
political,
political
Spectrum
to
agree
on
public
policy.
However,
right
control
is
one
of
the
few
subjects
that
Bridges
this
divide.
AD
Economists
from
Milton
Friedman
to
Paul
Krugman,
have
a
positive
regulation
on
rents
and,
according
to
a
poll
of
economists
by
the
American
Economic
Review,
a
resounding
93
percent
agree
that
it's
healing
on
rents
reduces
the
quantity
and
the
quality
of
housing
available.
Rent
control
can
and
will,
especially
following
the
economic
impacts
of
the
covid-19
pandemic,
is
aspirate
the
income
inequality
across
our
city
in
several
ways.
AD
First,
rent
control
will
lead
to
a
misallocation
of
limited
resources,
as
many
housing
providers
will
not
be
able
to
be
able
to
invest
in
their
routine
maintenance
or
Improvement
of
their
property,
as
they
cannot
charge
more
Market
rents.
The
these
price
controls
merely
exasperate
the
issue
by
making
Apartments
housing
by
making
apartment
housing
unaffordable.
It
negatively
impacts
the
housing
market
by
discouraging
construction
of
new
new
housing
Expediting.
The
deterioration
and
loss
of
existing
housing
and
diminishing
the
value
of
investment
properties
when
this
didn't
decrease
in
rental
housing
stock
coincides
with
increased
demand.
AD
It
leads
to
the
increased
costs
for
consumers.
This
will
have
a
direct
impact
on
the
quality
and
availability
of
units
in
our
housing
stock
across
Philadelphia,
impacting
our
body
and
lower
income
communities.
The
most
rent
control
does
not
only
adversely
impact
consumers,
it
also
places
heavy
burdens
on
State
and
local
governments.
The
reduction
in
property
values
that
result
from
rent
control
leads
to
a
decline
in
property
tax
revenue.
The
revenue
decrease
occurs
when
government
expenditures
increase
as
largely
accurate
bureaucracies,
administer
administer
and
adversity
regulations.
AD
The
creation
of
new
regulatory
body
would
necessitate
the
reallocation
of
budgetary
funding
and
could
put
a
restrain
on
core
government
services
if
the
goal
of
today's
hearing
is
to
work
with
the
private
sector
to
find
innovative
solutions
to
address
the
housing.
Affordability
challenges,
the
Pennsylvania
Apartment
Association
would
welcome
the
opportunity
to
work
with
this
legislative
body
as
well
as
Senator
Dillon,
who
testified
earlier
today
on
innovative
solutions
in
lieu.
AD
Comments
into
your
testimony,
yes,
ma'am!
Thank
you
yes,
ma'am!
Thank
you.
So
much
councilmember
I
would
like
to
also
encourage
so
the
council
to
activate
the
parameters
of
bill
170719,
which
allows
city
council
to
commission
a
financial
impact
study
on
the
effects
of
rent
control
in
Philadelphia
prior
to
any
vote
being
taken.
Thank
you
for
councilmember
and
I
appreciate
the
extension.
Thank
you
so
much
for
the
ability
to
testify
today.
Thank.
K
F
K
Okay,
great
good
afternoon,
council
person,
Brook
members
of
the
housing
neighborhood
and
development
committee.
My
name
is
Aaron
Dwyer
and
I'm.
The
director
of
government
Affairs
for
the
general
building
contractors
Association
also
known
as
gbca
gbca,
is
one
of
the
Region's
oldest
and
largest
contractor
associations
with
a
membership
of
over
300
commercial,
industrial,
institutional,
General,
Contractors,
subcontractors,
material
suppliers
and
construction
service
firms
throughout
the
Greater
Philadelphia
region.
I.
Thank
you
for
the
opportunity
today
to
testify
on
this
resolution.
K
As
we
wish
to
add,
the
voices
of
our
members
to
share
the
Philadelphia
is
the
wrong
place
for
rent
control,
Philadelphia's,
deep
poverty
and
affordable
housing
shortage
requires
real
solutions
and
immediate
action.
Gbca
stands
ready
to
bring
the
construction
industry
to
the
table
with
City,
Hall
and
other
stakeholders
to
work
to
address
these
urgent
crises,
but
we
need
to
learn
from
what
has
and
has
not
worked
across
the
country.
Time
and
time
again,
rent
control
has
demonstrated
is
the
wrong
solution
for
housing
shortages.
K
I
will
let
others
talk
about
the
harmful
effects
it
will
have
on
many
small
businesses
and
landlords
in
the
city
and
the
likely
repercussions
of
higher
rents.
If
rent
control
is
imposed,
tbca
is,
of
course,
a
subject
matter
expert
on
the
construction
industry
and
numerous
Studies
have
shown
that
rent
control
discourages
investors
from
starting
new
construction,
which
would
limit
the
city's
overall
supply
of
housing,
while
also
having
a
devastating
impact
on
the
thousands
of
hard-working
Philadelphia
fans
whose
jobs
rely
on
construction
and
maintenance
of
housing.
K
Philadelphia
should
learn
from
the
mistakes
of
other
communities
and
find
real
solutions
that
can
keep
rent
low
while
encouraging
responsible
housing
stewardship.
Gbca's
members
employ
thousands
of
workers
in
the
Philadelphia
region
and
we
pay
a
fair
and
living
rate
at
a
union
work
to
our
Union
Workforce,
consequently,
paying
millions
of
dollars
in
taxes.
Our
members
have
built
this
city
and
we
want
to
see
succeed,
but
rent
control
is
not
the
answer.
Thank
you
for
your
time
today,
councilwoman
and
for
your
consideration.
Thank.
F
X
X
Hopefully
you
know
over
the
years
you
have
gotten
to
understand
my
passion
for
affordable
housing
in
the
city
and
how
important
I
think
it
is
to
the
city,
and
you
know,
as
we
listen
to
the
testimony
from
everybody.
We
heard
lots
of
stories
about
bad
landlords,
landlords
without
licenses
buildings
with
structural
issues,
real
problems
that
were
that
were
heartbreaking
to
listen
to
and
I
think.
It
only
illustrates
the
point
that
our
most
in
need.
X
Citizens
are
living
in
units
that
aren't
you
know
up
this
stuff
and
the
reason
they're
not
up
to
Snuff
is
because
they're
not
charging
enough
rent,
unfortunately,
to
be
able
to
maintain
those
properties,
and
it
just
creates
more
problems,
and
so
our
concern
is
how
do
we
provide
affordable
housing
without
it
being
a
rent
mandate
that
might
amplify
the
problem
instead
of
helping
the
problem?
So
you
know
we
have
discussed
in
the
past
ways
to
do
this
and
we
believe,
as
an
organization,
we
can
help
present
solutions
to
the
problem.
X
Different
things
with
sros
different
ways
to
work
with
accessible
dwelling
units
within
owner
occupied
properties.
We
would
love
to
be
part
of
creating
a
solution
to
the
affordable
housing
problem
and
we
think
that
we
can
be,
and
we
think
that
a
lot
of
the
other
people
on
this
call
would
be
great
in
that
role
and
a
committee
to
look
at
how
to
deliver
more
affordable
housing
would
be
great.
We
just
don't
see
rent
control
as
the
best
way
to
get
there.
Thank
you.
F
F
J
Thank
you
very
much
and
good
afternoon
my
name
is
Sarah
McGinnis
I'm,
the
executive
director
of
May
upgrader
Philadelphia,
representing
developers,
owners
and
related
Professionals
in
office,
industrial
and
mixed-use
real
estate.
I
am
here
today
to
provide
an
abbreviated
testimony
in
what
was
submitted
in
interest
of
time.
Regarding
resolution,
number
200057
authorizing
hearings
to
explore
rent
control
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
We
Believe
officials
usually
pursue
rent
control
policies
with
the
best
intentions
they
seek
to
help
tenants
by
making
rent
more
affordable.
Unfortunately,
these
policies
often
have
the
opposite
effect.
J
Rent
control
in
the
long
run
decreases
affordability,
increases
gentrification
and
has
negative
impacts
on
the
surrounding
neighborhoods.
Philadelphia
is
a
majority
minority
city
with
a
significant
racial
wealth.
Gap
implementing
a
rent
control
policy
would
only
increase
the
Gap.
It's
important
to
also
remember
the
impact
on
our
tax
base.
Rent
control
drives
down
property
values
which
in
turn
could
reduce
property
tax
revenues
going
to
the
city
and
School
District.
J
There
are
better
solutions
to
the
affordability
crisis,
the
city
and
the
Philadelphia
Housing
Authority
has
supported
programs
like
the
U.S
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
developments,
rental
assistance,
demonstration
program
and
housing.
Choice
vouchers,
cha
established
a
program
to
incentivize
landlords
who
rent
to
Residents
with
vouchers.
J
As
you
know,
this
year
marks
the
10th
anniversary
anniversary
of
the
city
city,
council's
creation
of
a
land
bank
to
ensure
that
vacant
properties
can
be
turned
into
homes
or
for
other
uses
through
the
land
bank.
You
are
increasing
the
supply
of
affordable
homes
rather
than
trying
to
artificially
limit
rent.
This
approach
in
the
view
of
neop
is
crucial
and
we
would
support
the
land
bank's
expansion.
There
are
other
options,
but
these
are
a
few
examples
of
effective
and
responsible
approaches
that
we
respectfully
suggest
should
be
the
focus
of
your
efforts.
J
Let's
tread
carefully
when
navigating
the
difficult
Waters
of
affordable
housing,
a
policy
like
rent
control
may
sound
promising
on
the
surface,
but
its
unintended
consequences.
A
drop
in
the
available
supply
of
rental
housing
and
an
increased
rental
prices
throughout
Philadelphia
can
hurt
the
very
residents
who
you
are
trying
to
help.
Thank
you
for
your
opportunity
to
testify
today.
F
Oh
okay,
if
there
aren't
any
additional
questions
or
comments
from
members
of
the
committee,
I
wanted
to
just
make
one
comment
that
the
structure
of
the
hearing
we
invited
our
most
vulnerable
constituents
and
housing
experts
to
support
their
testimony.
Some
of
the
organizations
that
signed
up
for
public
comment
towards
the
end
were
folks
that
we
already
are
in
conversation
with
around
not
just
rent
control
but
affordable
housing
in
general,
and
their
comments
are
recognized
on
a
regular
on
internal
meetings
and
I.
F
Do
appreciate
them
weighing
into
this
conversation,
because
I
do
believe
in
a
balanced
conversation
around
rent
control
and
I
appreciate
them.
Logging
on
today,
but
I
just
wanted
to
be
clear
for
the
record
that
we
entered
into
this
conversation
to
really
to
provide
support
for
the
voices
that
usually
do
not
get
heard
in
in
City
Hall
and
just
in
general.
So
I
appreciate
everyone's
time.
Madam
chair.
Would
you
like
to
take
over
at
this
point
and
close
us
out.
B
B
Hearing
none.
This
concludes
the
business
before
the
committee
on
housing,
neighborhood
development
and
the
homeless.
I
want
to
thank
councilmember
Brooks
for
the
resolution
and
for
this
vital
vital
discussion,
we
can
tell
how
you
know
by
how
many
people
participated
and
shared
their
stories
and
called
them
for
public
comment
just
what
interest
this
is
in
the
city
and
thank
you
to
everyone
who
participated
and
everyone
who
was
watching
at
home
have
a
great
day.
Everybody
have.