►
Description
City and state leaders joined with anti-poverty organizations on Monday, May 7, 2018 to announce new efforts to prevent foreclosures to help economically vulnerable homeowners with past-due property taxes from losing their homes.
Legislation to enhance the Owner-Occupied Payment Agreement (OOPA) program to prevent tax foreclosures was passed by Council on October 5, 2017. The City is now required to offer housing counseling assistance and reasonable installment payment agreements to tax-delinquent homeowners facing financial hardships.
Read more: phlcouncil.com/city-state-leaders-announce-new-tax-foreclosure-prevention-program/
A
A
It's
good
to
be
able
to
stand
here
and
talk
about
good
news,
particularly
news
for
citizens,
sometimes
citizens
that
may
have
challenges
in
their
lives
in
terms
of
meeting
some
of
the
things
that
they
need
to
do
on
a
daily
basis.
So
I'm
proud
to
be
here
today.
It's
just
like
the
knowledge
bomb,
my
good
friends
and
colleagues,
the
ones
that
travel
up
that
State
Road
up
that
76
I
know
it's
not
not
a
very
great
trip.
Thank
you
all.
A
So
much
for
your
travels
state
representative,
McClinton
state
senator
tony
way:
M
State,
Center,
Street
Street.
Thank
you
guys
so
much
for
being
here.
Thank
you
all
for
being
playing
a
significant
role
in
making
sure
that
we
had
a
state
financing.
You
won't
be
hearing
from
our
speakers
here
today.
So
why
are
we
here
today?
A
She
led
the
fight
and
she
did
an
awesome
job
and
putting
together
a
mortgage
foreclosure
program
that
saved
literally
saved
people's
homes
on
a
consistent
basis.
But
lo
and
behold
we
weren't
necessarily
paying
attention
to
the
other
side
of
the
equation
and
I
want
to
start
out
by
saying.
I
want
to
thank
the
revenue
department,
in
particular
for
their
support
and
recognizing
and
acknowledging
that
we
have
a
challenge
as
it
relates
to
tax
foreclosures.
So
over
the
last
several
years
we
looked
on
average.
A
Not
simply
somebody
signing
a
document
with
no
idea
how
they
want
to
comply
with
the
document
that
they
sign,
because
that
is
very
key
because
heretofore
when
people
are
knocking
on
your
door,
people
say
you
got
to
do
this,
or
else
I
was
talking
to
Senator
Street
about
that
people
will
sign
virtually
anything
right
and
that's
not
a
good
thing.
So
I
would
like
to
announce
today
on
behalf
of
all
of
us
up
here.
A
We
will
be
announcing
this
awesome
program,
commitment
from
phf,
a
commitment
from
the
city,
revenue
department
and
all
the
other
stakeholders
and,
more
importantly,
a
commitment
from
CLS
who
had
a
responsibility
of
kind
of
dealing
with
this
on
a
daily
basis.
So,
first
up
I
like
to
bring
my
good
friend
and
colleague,
state
senator
Vincent,
Hughes,
and
he's
going
to
be
talking
about
on
that
awesome
program.
Senator
from
the
state.
B
B
B
Clearly,
don't
know
how
hard
we
work
for
this
stuff,
this
counseling
that
you
know
it
is
when
city
and
state
are
working
together.
Good
things
happen
and
we've
been
going
down
this
path
of
trying
to
address
all
of
the
series
of
issues
around
our
housing
situation
in
Philadelphia
council
president
Clark
has
kind
of
walked
through
the
broad
spectrum
of
it,
and
our
colleagues
will
talk
in
individual
pieces
about
this,
and
we're
also
going
to
hear
from
our
good
friend,
longtime
friend,
from
phff
very
shortly.
Who
is
the
the
benefactor?
B
B
Contextually,
as
we
continue
to
hear
more
information
around
the
discrimination
that
has
existed
around
mortgage
lending,
which
is
troubling
all
of
us,
which
we're
collectively
trying
to
put
our
put
our
arms
around
and
get
it
resolved
to
when
we're
able
to
respond
to
a
crisis
with
this
kind
of
support.
I
think
does
a
couple
of
things
one.
It
dresses
clearly
the
folks
here
in
this
city,
but
number
two.
B
If
we
can
demonstrate
a
state
of
the
art
program,
that's
operating
at
a
high
level
that
is
really
addressing
folks
issues,
folk
circumstances,
folks
realities
around
the
issue
of
foreclosure,
then
we
can
look
to
and
advocate
for
the
expansion
of
this
program
to
find
more
dollars
for
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
but
also
also
expand
this
program
and
find
more
dollars
for
other
families,
similarly
situated
across
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania,
and
that
is
that
is
important.
Needless
to
say,
all
of
this
is
in
the
struggles
when
we
find
dollars
like
this.
B
All
of
this
is
in
the
struggles
of
a
very
tight
state
budget
and
with
pressures
from
competing
interests
from
all
across
various
different
venues
across
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
all
kinds
of
different
interests,
but
this
hits
home.
This
goes
directly
to
the
needs
of
homeowners
here
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
It
is
one
of
the
tools
that
we
need
to
utilize
to
address
the
issue
of
this
high
levels
of
poverty
that
exists
in
the
city
and
it's
an
opportunity
to
deal
with
the
gentrification
issue
and
as
opportunity
to
turn
family's
lives
around.
B
B
But
again,
the
pressure
is
on
all
of
us
to
do
good
things
with
this
program
to
make
sure
that
we're
able
to
increase
it
to
expand
it,
to
spread
it
across
other
parts
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
to
share
it
and
expand
it
and
make
it
available
to
people
across
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania.
The
economic
pressures
that
exists
for
families
and
for
home
in
every
sector.
Every
corner
of
the
Commonwealth
of
Pennsylvania
are
a
dramatic,
are
significant.
They
need
this
kind
of
help.
B
Let's
show
them
the
way
and
that's
work
to
go
back
on
next.
Get
back
our
next
round
of
money.
Okay,
I
keep
hitting
the
council
president
alright
I'm
next
round
of
money
and
also
to
expand
the
pot
available.
So
thank
you
all
to
pH
FA.
Thank
you
for
the
collective
support
of
everybody
gathered
here.
Let's
go
make
this
happen
and
then
let's
go
get
the
rest
of
it.
Thank
you
all
very
much.
C
Thank
You
senator
good
afternoon
and
and
I
echoed
the
sentiments
of
both
council
president
Clark
and
Senator
Hughes,
and
all
the
gratitude
that
we
have
for
all
of
the
partners
that
put
in
work
to
make
today
happen.
Today's
announcement
brings
much
needed
resources
to
our
growing
city.
This
funding
will
help
keep
our
seniors
in
their
homes
and
stabilize
our
affordable
housing
stock.
Increasing
property
values
across
the
city
Philadelphia
often
lead
to
a
higher
rate
of
property
tax
delinquency
that
threatens
this.
C
The
displacement
of
longtime
senior
residents
and
some
of
those
neighborhoods
neighborhoods
like
Strawberry
Mansion
in
Point
Breeze.
These
residents
have
experienced
the
ebbs
and
flows
of
growth
and
decline
for
decades.
The
neighborhoods
affordability
twenty
thirty
years
ago
had
allowed
for
high
rates
of
home
ownership
among
low-income
families.
In
fact,
thirty
eight
percent
of
our
city's
homeowners
earn
less
than
$35,000
and
40
percent
of
our
homeowners
do
not
have
a
mortgage.
Many
of
these
low
income
homeowners
are
concentrated
in
neighborhoods
that
are
now
rebounding
from
years
of
predatory
lending
practices,
redlining
and
disinvestment
in
their
community.
C
Only
now
to
become
the
epicenter
of
our
city's
growth
with
developers
knocking
on
their
doors
and
sending
letters
asking
to
buy
their
homes.
Now
more
than
ever,
our
senior
homeowners
and
their
homes
are
vulnerable
to
the
pressures
that
the
senator
mentioned.
The
pressures
of
the
market,
rising
property
values
and
turn
rising
real
estate
taxes,
longtime
hone
on
homeowners
fear
that
they
will
be
forced
to
sell
simply
because
they
can
no
longer
afford
to
stay
in
their
neighborhoods
when
a
senior
loses
their
home
to
a
mortgage
or
a
tax
foreclosure.
C
It
impacts
their
health
and
their
well-being,
but
it
doesn't
just
hurt
that
senior
it
impacts.
The
seniors
family
who
lose
the
wealth
of
homeownership
the
most
affordable
home
is
the
one
that
you
already
own.
It
damages
a
community
that
one
vacant
home
now
becomes
an
eyesore
on
a
block
bringing
down
property
values
for
the
entire
block
or
neighborhood,
particularly
in
our
middle
neighborhoods.
It
also
hurts
our
local
economy
and
results
in
direct
cost
to
our
city
government,
who
is
now
responsible
for
maintaining
a
vacant
property
at
thousands
of
dollars
per
year.
C
The
services
provided
under
this
grant
by
our
partners
at
Community,
Legal,
Services,
Philadelphia
legal
assistance,
the
Philadelphia
unemployment
project
and
clarify,
will
provide
valuable
housing,
counseling
and
legal
services
to
these
low-income
senior
homeowners.
No
one
and
I
mean
no
one
should
lose
their
home
because
they
could
not
afford
to
pay
real
estate.
Taxes.
I
know
that
my
colleagues
and
I
believe
in
this.
That
is
why,
over
the
years,
the
state
legislature
has
worked
with
City
Council
to
create
programs
like
the
property
tax
and
rent
rebate
for
our
seniors.
C
The
homestead
exemption
the
loop
program,
also
known
as
the
long
time
owner-occupied
program
in
the
senior
tax
freeze.
These
programs
help
keep
our
residents
in
their
homes
and
this
this
grant
this
collaborative
holistic
approach
to
addressing
tax
delinquency
and
tax
foreclosures
in
our
city
will
make
a
difference.
An
additional
will
add
an
additional
layer
of
help
to
our
many
of
our
low
income
seniors
in
their
communities.
C
I
look
forward
to
working
with
all
of
our
partners
to
make
sure
that
this
resource,
like
the
senator
said
like
Senator
Hugh,
says,
can
be
replicated
in
other
parts
of
the
Commonwealth.
The
pressures
of
the
real
estate
market
doesn't
just
exist
here
in
Philadelphia.
We
know
that
it
exists
in
cities
across
and
in
small
towns
across
the
Commonwealth
like
Allentown
and
New
York,
and
we
hope
that
we
can
provide
an
example
here,
a
model
here
that
can
be
replicated
and
we
can
get
more
dollars
right.
Senator
and
Senator
get
more
dollars.
I
know
he's
appropriation.
C
D
Thank
You
representative
bull
out
families
at
risk
of
foreclosure,
sometimes
simply
give
up
they
fall
behind
and
they
can't
see
their
way
out.
They
stop
opening
up
the
mail
taking
calls
and
often
don't
know
where
to
go
to
get
help.
For
years.
Community
Legal
Services
has
been
an
affiliate
of
a
network
of
historic
season,
legal
professionals
providing
free
and
vital
legal
services
throughout
the
Commonwealth,
often
working
in
tandem
with
the
Pennsylvania
Housing
Finance
agencies,
housing
counseling
network,
who,
by
virtue
of
their
mission,
expand
homeownership
opportunities.
D
Cls
will
work
with
its
partners.
Partner
organizations
to
provide
holistic
services
for
homeowners,
CLS
will
work
with
the
Philadelphia
legal
assistance.
Together
they
will
provide
legal
representation
to
homeowners
with
a
variety
of
challenging
legal
issues
while
clarify
and
the
Philadelphia
urban
project,
also
known
as
the
urban
information
center
will
provide
housing
counseling
to
homeowners,
who
need
face-to-face
assistance,
but
not
full
legal
representation.
D
This
is
a
statewide
I
mean
a
citywide
effort,
but
in
the
northwest
part
of
the
city,
this
program
will
be
coordinated
by
the
regional
housing
legal
services
for
greater
impact.
Now
is
a
perfect
time
to
launch
this
pilot
project,
increase
the
capacity
of
legal
services
and
housing
counseling
agencies
to
serve
these
vulnerable
homeowners.
The
city
of
Philadelphia
has
recently
established
several
programs
to
assist
owner
occupants
remain
in
their
homes.
D
D
He's
one
of
the
youngest
movies
he's
one
of
the
youngest
members
of
the
City
Council
and
the
crater
of
innovative
programs
to
enhance
the
lives
of
young
people
in
his
district,
a
champion
for
affordable
housing
and,
most
recently,
fighting
to
combat
unfair
lending
practices
in
predominantly
low
and
moderate
income.
Neighborhoods
I
give
to
you,
councilman
Kenyatta,
Johnson.
E
Good
evening,
everyone
good
evening,
everyone
I,
want
to
first
and
foremost
thank
my
colleagues
from
the
Philadelphia
delegation
who
I've
worked
with
when
I
served
in
capacity
of
a
state
representative
in
my
former
life
for
I'm,
stuck
in
your
stepping
up
to
the
plate
and
providing
the
much-needed
resources
and
partnership
with
the
city
of
Philadelphia
I'm,
often
throughout
the
second
count,
sematic
district,
which
is
a
very
diverse
district.
But
specifically
the
aerial
point
breeze
where
I
grew
up
at
where
I'm
raising
my
family
at.
E
We
are
seeing
significant
development
through
the
issue
of
gentrification
and
although
our
welcome
development
throughout
the
second
count,
somatic
district,
my
primary
purpose
is
focusing
on
development
without
displacement.
As
the
council
person
representing
the
second
count
somatic
district,
we
recognize
that
people
should
have
the
right
to
live
where
they
want
to
live
regardless
of
their
checkbook
or
their
pocketbook
and
as
I
go
throughout
my
district
on
any
given
day
a
person
or
person
is
asking
a
couple
of
questions.
One
time
I
spoke
with
a
young
lady
and
she
said
councilman
king
out
at
Johnson.
E
E
We
do
a
lot
of
work
for
corporations
such
as
Comcast,
but
surely
we
can
advocate
and
fight
for
those
people
in
our
neighborhoods
who
most
need
our
support
and
so
I'm
just
honored
to
be
a
part
of
this
fight
to
make
sure
long-term
residents
have
the
opportunity
the
same
side
their
homes.
As
we
see
rapid
development
taking
place
throughout
the
second
counselor
medic
district,
but
also
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
E
F
Good
afternoon,
everyone
it's
a
pleasure
to
be
here
and
I
wanted
to
first
start
out.
I
notice,
haraam
Carmona
here
in
the
audience
and
I
wanted
to
acknowledge
her
mom,
because
many
moons
ago,
when
I
work,
I
was
the
sole
employee
for
what
is
now
Mount.
Airy,
USA
and
haraam
was
the
person
over
at
O
HC
d,
who
guided
me
through
the
process
of
homeowner
counseling
and
helping
to
help
first-time
low-income
homebuyers,
be
able
to
purchase
homes.
F
So
I
just
saw
you
here
and
I
just
wanted
to
shout
you
out
and
recognize
you
and
thank
you
for
all
the
work
that
you
do
because
I
know
that
you
also
helped
with
the
mortgage
foreclosure
component,
which
is
sort
of
like
the
other
side
of
what
we're
doing
here
today.
So
I
just
wanted
to
recognize
you
and
thank
you
for
all
of
the
years
of
work
that
you've
done.
That's
been
many
many
moons
ago.
F
I
also
wanted
to
say
and
to
recognize
to
our
council
president
Darrell
Clarke
and
to
all
of
our
state
delegation
and
all
the
leadership
senator
Hughes
and
and
and
for
everyone
who's
here.
Thank
you.
So
much
for
all
of
the
work
that
you've
put
in
I
have
to
say:
council
president,
this
is
a
legislative
homerun,
I
would
say,
and
so
the
work
that
was
put
into
this
I'm
honored
to
be
associated
with
it.
F
This
is
going
to
help
people
and
when
we
all
signed
up
to
be
elected
officials
to
be
in
public
service,
that's
what
we
all
said
that
we
wanted
to
do.
We
wanted
to
help
people,
and
this
is
going
to
go
a
long
way
to
making
a
difference
in
our
communities.
So
what
I
wanted
to
do
is
just
go
over
some
of
the
facts
about
the
program,
so
that
you
would
know.
F
Excuse
me
you
would
know
exactly
how
this
will
help
folks,
and
so
you
should
know
that
the
owner-occupied
payment
agreement
is
a
program
that
allows
people
who
own
and
live
in
their
home
to
make
affordable,
affordable
as
the
key
word,
their
monthly
payments
on
property
taxes
that
are
past
due
the
current
program
has
been
in
place
since
2013
tying
monthly
payments
to
household
income.
In
February
of
this
year,
we
improve
the
Opa
Opa
program
and
for
ways
to
make
it
easier
for
homeowners
to
and
stay
in.
F
The
program
oppa
has
changed
in
four
ways:
number
one
very
low-income
taxpayers
are
eligible
for
zero
monthly
payment
agreement.
It
lets
vulnerable
homeowners,
such
as
a
single
person
making
less
than
$800
a
month
or
a
senior
citizen
making
less
than
$1,500
a
month
continue
to
live
in
their
homes
without
the
threat
of
foreclosure.
F
That
is
significant,
new
property
taxes
automatically
added
to
existing
agreements
for
low-income
taxpayers.
That's
another
part
of
this
program.
Homeowners
and
OPA
do
not
need
to
keep
track
of
and
pay
a
separate
agreement
for
their
new
property
taxes
every
year,
and
they
won't
see
an
increase
in
their
monthly
bill
for
property
taxes
again,
a
significant
change
also
the
city
will
apply
payments
to
the
most
current
year's
taxes.
First
for
homeowners
enrolled
in
Opa,
who
are
also
eligible
for
Pennsylvania's
property
tax
and
rent
rebate
programs.
Senior
citizens
will
get
the
biggest
possible
refund
from
Pennsylvania.
F
With
this
change
so
again,
significant
and
finally,
all
applicants
to
the
OPA
program
will
have
the
right
to
meet
with
a
housing
counselor,
absolutely
important
that
we
are
able
to
get
that
information
in
the
hands
of
people
who
are
in
distress
with
their
tax
situation,
while
home
owners
have
always
been
able
to
get
free
housing
counseling.
The
city
will
now
make
sure
that
every
homeowner
understands
this
right.
Housing
counselors
help
residents
apply
for
OPA
and
other
programs
that
can
save
money.
F
A
A
A
toast
I
was
at
a
church,
Sunday
and
I
was
talking
about
the
tax
man
right
tax
man
is
coming
to
get
you
right,
I'm
to
say
about,
but
but
the
reality
is
that
Frank
I
just
want
to
say
to
you
and
your
team
I
really
appreciate
what
you
all
have
done.
You
sat
down
with
all
of
us
in
Council
in
particular,
and
we
crafted
work.
We
had
a
number
of
stakeholder
meetings
with
you.
Guys
were
more
than
willing
to
participate
in
leading
the
charge.
A
G
This
really
started
years
ago,
with
the
original
OPA
and
over
the
past
several
months,
a
collaborative
effort
with
CLS
and
City
Council
and
others.
So
so,
thanks
to
all
everyone,
who's
participated,
because
this
is
a
home
run.
I
think
it
really
is.
As
everyone
knows,
real
estate
tax
funds
are
crucial
to
city
services
such
as
police
fire
protection
park
and
libraries
and
funding
for
the
school
district.
It's
why
we've
worked
so
hard
to
increase
collections
and
dramatically
reduce
delinquency
using
increased
enforcement,
but
also
improved
outreach
to
council.
G
President
talked
a
little
bit
about
my
team
being
out
there
and
this
fiscal
year
they've
been
out
over
a
hundred
and
seventy
events,
so
we're
really
getting
out
there
in
the
community
and
that's
evenings
and
weekends
I
really
want
to
acknowledge
my
team.
That's
out
there
and
doing
that.
It's
an
incredible
effort
and,
at
the
same
time,
we're
trying
to
help
vulnerable
folks
who
can't
pay
the
real
estate
taxes
by
offering
assistance
programs
and
connecting
them
to
other
forms
and
support.
So
what
is
the
owner-occupied
payment
agreement
or
OPA
as
we
affectionately
refer
to
it?
G
It's
just
one
of
the
tools
in
our
toolbox
to
make
sure
homeowners
can
stay
in
their
home.
This
program
allows
people
who
own
and
live
in
their
home
to
make
affordable
monthly
payments
on
property
taxes
that
are
past
due.
There
is
no
required
down
payment
and
monthly
payments
are
based
on
a
percentage
of
the
households.
Monthly
income.
More
than
10,000
homeowners
are
already
enrolled
in
this
program,
protecting
them
from
tax
foreclosure.
G
The
changes,
too,
are
part
of
a
larger
collaborative
effort
to
protect
homeowners
from
foreclosure
and
enroll
them
in
assistance
programs.
So
I'm
going
to
walk
through
on
some
a
PowerPoint
here
and
I'll
try
to
go
through
it
quickly,
but
just
highlight
some
of
the
most
significant
pieces
of
the
program.
Some
of
it
has
already
been
referred
to,
but
I'll
go
through
it
quickly,
beginning
now.
There
are
four
big
changes
to
OPA.
The
first
and
I
think
the
most
significant
is
low.
Income.
G
G
Secondly,
is
that
low
income
taxpayers
will
automatically
have
current
year.
Taxes
rolled
into
their
agreement
under
the
prior
OPA
was
a
requirement
that
they
needed
to
stay
current,
but
some
of
our
most
vulnerable
citizens
found
that
a
challenge
and
it
caused
them
to
breach
on
their
open,
greement
sand.
You
know
by
no
efforts
of
their
own,
they
just
didn't,
have
the
financial
resources
to
pay.
G
So
this
allows
them
to
be
able
to
participate
in
that
and
get
that
much
needed
money.
And,
finally,
all
OPA
applicants
will
have
the
right
to
meet
with
a
housing
counselor.
This
will
ensure
that
all
homeowners
have
advocates
who
can
help
them
navigate.
The
system
we
realized
into
the
system
can
be
sometimes
difficult
to
navigate.
We've
done
a
lot
with
the
outreach
and
work
on
our
webpage
and
doing
things
in
multiple
languages,
but
it
still
can
be
a
challenge
and
I
think
this
is.
G
G
You
can
stay
in
the
program
we
sent
over
3,000
letters
out
to
people
in
the
program,
letting
them
know
that
we're
going
to
roll
their
taxes
and
kind
of
what
changes
would
mean
to
them
for
people
who
are
not
in
the
owner-occupied
payment
agreement
in
Opa
and
they
are
delinquent
or
they
breached
on
a
prior,
what
we're
telling
them-
and
this
is
really
important-
it's
just
come
to
us.
This
is
here
to
help
we
have.
You
know
we
have
a
program
that'll
make
their
payments
affordable
and
it'll
reduce.
G
You
know
it
will
eliminate
that
cloud
of
tax,
foreclosure
people
that
are
waiting
and
dreading
the
possibility
that
they're
going
to
get
that
notice
that
their
house
is
being
foreclosed,
come
to
the
department,
walk
them
through
the
process.
Applying
for
an
oppa
is
easy.
The
first
step
is
to
fill
out
the
application
that
is
available
online
or
request
an
application
over
the
phone.
We've
completely
redesigned
this
this
application
to
make
it
plain
language
and
easier
to
navigate
and
understand
in
your
packet.
The
press
packet
you'll
see
a
copy
of
that
application.
G
Second
step
that
people
need
to
do
is
they
need
to
gather
all
the
documents
they
will
need
to
apply
for
the
program.
The
documents
you
need
to
prove
eligibility
are
listed
in
the
application,
and
again
we
try
to
keep
that
simple
for
people.
The
main
thing
is,
you
know,
they're
proving
that
it's
their
home,
that
they
reside
there
and
then
they're
proving
that
they
meet
the
income
eligibility.
The
last
step
is
to
submit
the
application
and
documents
they
can
be
done
by
mail
in
person
email.
G
We
have
satellite
offices
we're
trying
to
make
it
as
easy
for
people
to
participate
in
this
program
in
three
steps.
A
person
can
sign
up
for
oopah
and
protect
themselves
from
fat
tax
foreclosure.
So
that's
the
real
take
away.
People
should
not
hesitate
to
reach
out
to
the
Department.
The
department
really
wants
to
help
and
there's
other
agencies.
H
Thank
you.
Everyone
I
feel
very
honored
to
be
part
of
this
group
here
today.
I
think.
All
of
us
here
know
that
a
house
is
not
a
home.
A
home
is
more
than
just
a
building
for
Philadelphia
seniors
homes
are
where
they
raise
their
kids,
where
they
know
a
neighbor.
Is
there
to
shovel
the
snow
where
their
church
or
their
mosque
are.
Their
synagogue
is
down
the
street
homes
are
really
the
key
to
seniors
comfort,
their
health
and
their
well-being,
and
at
times
real
estate
tax
foreclosure
puts
all
of
that
at
risk.
H
So
we
are
extremely
grateful
to
Governor
wolf
and
to
pH
FA
for
new
funding
for
legal
representation
and
housing
counseling
that
will
save
homes
for
low-income
seniors.
This
investment
will
stabilize
neighborhoods
and
preserve
family
homes
for
the
next
generation.
A
critical
goal
for
all
of
us
I
want
to
thank
all
of
the
incredible
elected
officials.
Here.
It
truly
took
a
dream
team
to
make
this
happen.
Thank
you
to
Senators,
Hughes,
Street
and
Williams
to
Council
I'm,
sorry
to
representative
Bullock
and
McClinton
council
president
Clark
for
their
steadfast
support
of
this
project.
H
I
also
want
to
thank
president
Clark,
City
Council
members,
Bath's,
Blackwell
and
Johnson
for
their
truly
visionary
leadership
in
creating
outstanding
programs
that
are
critical
to
preventing
real
estate
tax
foreclosure
in
Philadelphia.
I
hope
that
this
group
here
today
knows
just
how
visionary
that
is
I,
don't
use
that
word
lightly
as
a
lawyer,
we're
careful
with
our
words,
but
this
group
of
elected
officials
has
really
come
together
to
do
something
transformative
for
our
city.
H
Cls
I
cannot
leave
thanking
my
partners.
Cls
is
thrilled
to
partner
with
Philadelphia
legal
assistance
clarify.
Can
the
directors
stand
up
as
I'm
talking
to
you,
the
Philadelphia
unemployment
projects?
These
organizations
were
selected
for
this
project
because
of
their
outstanding
record
for
excellent
advocacy
to
save
homes
for
low-income
seniors.
The
incredible
work
of
mark
Schwartz
and
regional
housing.
Legal
services
also
made
this
possible.
Finally,
I
cannot
stop
without
a
shout-out
to
the
relentless
CLS
real
estate
tax
litigation
team
who
work
tirelessly
to
represent
homeowners
day
in
day
out.
I
I'm,
a
senior
citizen
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
got
back
in
my
taxes
and
stuff
because
I
had
situations
to
life
situations
that
I
need
to
help.
My
family,
my
husband,
died,
I
worked
retired
and
Social
Security
started
when
Social
Security
started
I
got
behind.
In
my
taxes
and
next
thing,
I
know
the
city
of
Philadelphia
was
going
for
clothes
of
my
house,
my
kids,
my
grandkids,
my
great
grandkids,
who
are
upset
I,
went
to
the
Philadelphia
housing
projects.
I
They
helped
me
and
straighten
out
everything
gave
me
a
settlement
agreement,
that's
something
that
I
could
afford
and
don't
have
to
worry
about
and
I
appreciate
this
all
the
senior
citizens
of
Philadelphia
gonna
appreciate
this.
It
is
a
wonderful
project
to
take
all
the
nervous
stuff
that
scenes
go
through
with
your
health
medicine
getting
around
the
city
artists.
This
is
really
gonna
help
everybody
and
I'm
so
happy.
They
won't
be
happy
and
congratulations
and
thank
you
so
very,
very
much.
A
A
I
You
I
want
to
thank
our
creator
for
the
privilege
of
being
here
with
all
of
you
today.
Thank
all
who
are
concerned
with
this
all
I
could
do
is
keep
thinking
about
Mantua
and
what
we're
going
through
today
and
to
all
the
senior
citizens.
We
are
grateful
that
this
program
exists
to
all
who
have
been
involved.
God
bless
you.
Thank
you.
J
Wow
to
want
to
join
all
my
colleagues
and
all
the
steam
folks
who
have
talked
about
this
in
so
many
words,
but
I'll
tell
you.
This
Philadelphia
is
a
city
of
neighborhoods
and
communities
and
it's
not
merely
the
beautiful
edifice
or
the
historic
buildings
that
make
up
the
character
Philadelphia.
It's
the
people
in
it
and
to
the
extent
that
we
can
help
folks
stay
in
their
neighborhoods,
who
weathered
the
hard
times
and
who
now
are
getting
to
experience.
J
Thank
the
folks
at
legal
services
who
have
tirelessly
continue
to
advocate
for
young
people,
I
think
my
colleagues
in
the
House
and
Senate,
especially
senator
Hughes,
who
helped
pull
together
these
great
resources
and
I.
Thank
our
council
members,
especially
council
president
Clark,
for
their
leadership
in
being
advocates
for
folks
in
there
for
people
in
neighborhoods
in
a
way
that
makes
local
government
that
much
more
responsive
and
glad
to
play
some
small
role
in
helping
to
bring
this
possible.
Thank
you
so
much
thank.
A
We
have
this
many.
When
you
have
this
many
people
up
speaking,
we
pretty
much
touch
every
base
uh-huh,
it's
okay,
assure
that
there'll
be
no
question
to
all
of
you,
and
particularly
those
folks
that
have
worked
tirelessly
over
the
years.
We
really
want
to.
Thank
you.
I
want
to
thank
our
awesome,
awesome
awesome
partners
in
this
wonderful
program.
Thank
you
all
so
very
much.