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From YouTube: Press Conference: Eviction Task Force Update 1-30-2018
Description
Philadelphia City Council Members Helen Gym (At Large), Bill Greenlee (At Large,) Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) and Curtis Jones, Jr. (4th District) joined Mayor Jim Kenney for a press conference to give an update on the Eviction Prevention Project.
A
No
downside
to
keeping
people
with
a
roof
over
their
head
and
doing
it
in
a
legal
way,
with
proper
legal
assistance
and
guidance.
So
I
want
to
thank
all
the
partners
that
are
here
today
to
help
with
this
and
keep
Philadelphia
sound
and
safe
and
secure
and
people
in
their
homes
as
happy
as
they
can
be
so
IVA.
Thank
you.
B
Thank
Thank,
You
mayor
and
thank
you
everybody
for
being
here
a
few
hours
earlier.
A
number
of
us
and
a
number
of
members
of
City
Council
were
at
the
opening
of
the
hub
of
hope,
a
daytime
engagement
Center
for
the
homeless,
just
down
to
two
or
three
levels
and
under
the
Broad
Street
subway,
and
that's
necessary
because
people
lose
their
homes
and
don't
have
a
place
to
be
during
the
daytime
or
sometimes
in
the
evenings,
to
get
a
meal
to
get
to
use
bathrooms.
B
They
had
a
shower
to
do
their
laundry
and,
most
importantly,
to
engage
and
get
the
kinds
of
assistance
they
need.
So
so
I
think
I'm
doubly
and
I
know.
A
number
of
us
are
doubly
pleased
to
be
here
today
because
in
order
to
address
that
issue,
we
need
the
hub
of
hope.
But,
more
importantly,
we
need
to
get
to
people
before
they're
in
that
situation,
and
this
project
is
going
to
be
a
very
important
step
in
doing
that.
B
So
we're
excited
to
be
here
today,
I
wanted
kind
of
just
to
share
a
few
details
of
the
eviction
prevention
project
with
City
Council's
leadership.
Last
June,
the
city
general
fund
allocated
additional
resources
for
hundred
thousand
dollars
to
be
available
for
a
project,
and
we
were
very
pleased
when
the
Department
of
Planning
and
Development,
the
Department
of
Housing
and
Community
Development,
is
that
when
you
are
Melissa
anyway,
thank
you.
B
Division
I
have
to
get
it
in
my
head
allocated
an
additional
hundred
thousand
dollars,
so
we
had
five
hundred
thousand
dollars
available
to
initiate
this
project
to
the
managing
directors
office.
We
issued
a
request
for
proposals
and
went
through
a
rigorous
selection
process
with
a
number
of
our
team
members,
and
we
were
really
I'm
happy
to
be
able
to
select
a
team.
That's
led
by
community
legal
services
as
the
provider,
but
each
it's
a
it's.
B
A
very
robust
team
and
I'm
gonna
recognize
all
of
them
in
a
minute,
and
many
of
them
are
here
today,
but
each
member
brings
specific
skills
and
experience
and
expertise
to
the
table
and
they've
actually
already
begun
the
work
which
is
really
thrilling
just
a
couple
of
days
ago.
So
the
partners
who
are
primary,
I,
hope
or
sitting
in
this
front
row
right
are
clarify
which
will
provide
financial
assistance.
Legal
center
for
the
disabled,
philadelphia
VIP
will
look.
They
are
looking
to
recruit
more
pro
bono
lawyers.
B
So
that's
that's
my
advertisement
so
fee
mutual
housing,
legal
services,
senior
law
center
and
turn
the
tenant
union
representative
network.
Many
of
these
groups
and
many
other
people
in
the
room
today
have
been
part
of
a
process.
That's
helping
us
continue
to
think
through
this
issue
more
deeply,
and
that
is
the
I'm
gonna
get
the
name
probably
incorrect,
but
the
eviction,
prevention
and
response
working
group
and
mitch
little
and
liz
Hirsch
are
here
today
from
CEO
and
the
office
of
homeless
services
and
their
many
other
members
of
the
group
here.
B
But,
as
the
mayor
said,
it's
our
goal
to
keep
people
in
their
homes
reduce
the
number
of
families
who
experience
a
downward
spiral
of
an
eviction
which,
in
most
cases,
leaves
to
housing,
that's
in
worse
condition
and
often
not
healthy,
as
was
mentioned
often
more
expensive
and
in
the
worst
of
cases,
homelessness.
The
services
that
are
going
to
be
provided
by
this
great
team
will
help
tenants
navigate
through
the
eviction
process,
as
well
as
increasing
that
resources
to
represent
tenants.
B
Just
as
importantly
though,
they're
gonna
be
providing
more
tools,
the
tenants
who
are
not
yet
in
court
can
access,
and
that
includes
a
hotline,
a
website,
print
materials
and
other
information
that
will
be
available.
Videos,
financial,
counseling
as
well.
The
financial
counseling
is
important,
because
sometimes
tenants
end
up
with
money
judgments
and
if
they're
able
to
pay
those,
they
might
be
able
to
improve
their
future
prospects
and
in
other
cases
they
just
need
to
stabilize
their
finances.
B
We
also
believe
that
property
owners
and
landlords
will
benefit
from
these
services,
helping
make
sure
that
all
of
the
participants
in
the
courtroom
are
aware
of
their
rights,
understand,
what's
going
on,
understand
who's
who
and
are
well
informed
about
the
process.
I
also
want
to
recognize
that
president
Judge
Nigel
judge,
Moss
and
the
staff
of
Municipal
Court
have
been
very
open
to
this
process
and
to
these
changes
and
to
these
new
resources
being
in
the
court,
and
we
certainly
could
not
do
it
without
them,
and
so
it's
you
know.
B
B
B
Don't
know
that
I
ever
expected
the
day
when
the
city
administration,
City,
Council,
nonprofits
property
owners,
I
want
to
recognize
Kelvin
Jeremiah
from
the
Housing,
Authority
and
others
were
eight
would
be
able
to
get
together
to
support
a
project
like
this.
So
for
me
it's
it's
a
particularly
meaningful
to
see
again
what
our
city
has
the
ability
to
do
to
come
together
to
solve
some
tough
issues
with
that
I'm
gonna
introduce
rashida,
Phillips
who's,
the
managing
attorney
for
the
housing
unit,
community
legal
services.
B
C
Thank
you
for
the
introduction
good
afternoon.
Everyone.
My
name
is
Rasheeda
Phillips
and
I'm,
the
managing
attorney
of
the
housing
unit
at
community
legal
services
of
Philadelphia,
which
provides
free
legal
advice
and
representation
to
low
income,
tenants
living
in
both
private
and
public
housing,
as
well
as
significant
advocacy,
locally
statewide
and
nationally
around
issues
of
affordable
housing
and
protection
of
tenant
rights.
C
We
are
deeply
deeply
thankful
to
mayor
Kenney,
our
champions
and
city
council,
particularly
councilman
Jamm,
councilman,
quinones,
Sanchez,
councilman,
Blackwell
and
other
members
of
City
Council
for
recognizing
the
importance
of
preventing
eviction
and
thus
alleviating
poverty
in
our
great
city.
Philly
joins
a
growing
number
of
cities
such
as
Baltimore
and
New
York
that
have
launched
similar
efforts
to
address
their
eviction
crises.
We
are
also
deeply
grateful
for
our
partnerships
from
the
Philadelphia
Bar
Association
members
of
the
private
bar
and
Philadelphia's
Municipal
Court.
C
We
would
also
like
to
thank
all
of
our
partners,
the
Senior
Law
Center
legal
clinic
for
the
disabled,
Philly
VIP,
regional
housing,
legal
services
turn
and
clarify
who
will
be
working
with
us
and
who
are
working
with
us
to
bring
this
project
to
life.
This
new
collaborative
project
will
significantly
increase
services
for
low-income
and
vulnerable
tenants
that
will
allow
them
to
stay
in
their
homes
and
will
help
the
city
by
preventing
homelessness
and
its
devastating
effects.
C
The
project
includes
increased
representation
of
tenants
by
expert
public
interest,
and
pro
bono
attorneys
advocacy
to
help
improve
our
court
systems
and
outcomes,
a
dramatically
expanded
and
accessible
tenant
helpline
and
outreach
to
individuals
at
risk
of
eviction.
The
project
vastly
expands
the
landlord
tenant
Help
Center
at
Municipal
Court,
and
will
provide
for
court
navigators
a
lawyer
of
the
day
program
and
dedicated
help
center
staff.
C
The
project
will
also
provide
financial
counseling
by
clarify
to
tenants
to
help
them
plan
to
meet
their
housing
expenses
and
to
be
able
to
afford
to
make
payments
on
court
approved
agreements.
Finally,
the
project
provides
increased
community
education
and
neighborhoods
directly
impacted
by
the
eviction
crisis
to
educate
and
empower
tenants
and
communities
on
their
housing
rights.
The
tenants
who
will
get
help
from
this
project
include
and
picked
it
and
excuse
me
impacted
by
evictions
to
most
parents
working
low-wage
jobs,
seniors
and
people
with
disabilities.
C
A
large
majority
are
black
and
women
of
color,
many
of
whom
have
children.
When
something
goes
wrong
with
their
job,
health
or
family.
They
have
little
to
fall
back
on
and
become
at
risk
of
eviction.
The
the
effects
of
eviction
go
long
beyond
the
violence
of
being
evicted
itself.
It
affects
education,
it
impacts,
employment
and
and
all
other
standards
of
living.
Many
of
the
tenants
are
living
in
substandard,
unsafe
housing
conditions
and
neatly
will
help
to
get
repairs
and
remediation.
C
One
example
of
a
tenant
who
has
benefited
from
legal
representation
is
Juanita.
Juanita
lived
in
the
same
home
for
five
years
before
a
new
landlord
purchased
it.
The
home
was
in
good
condition
until
the
new
landlord
decided
to
make
renovations
while
Juanita
was
living
there.
He
started
the
renovation
and
then
stopped
the
work,
leaving
Juanita
without
heat,
hot
water,
a
working
kitchen
and
other
and
uninhabitable
conditions
causing
health
problems
for
her
and
her
son
to
try
and
get
her
landlord
to
make
repairs
Juanita
withheld
her
rent,
which
was
her
legal
rights.
C
The
landlord
moved
to
a
Victor
anyway,
and
my
Juanita
may
have
been
out
on
the
streets
if
she
did
not
have
a
lawyer
by
her
side.
Fortunately,
Juanita
was
connected
with
a
legal
aid
attorney
who
was
able
to
stave
off
eviction,
while
I
need
to
look
for
a
new
place
to
live
because
of
his
program
and
a
commitment
of
our
leaders
and
housing
advocates.
C
Many
more
attendants
will
be
able
to
benefit
from
expert
legal
representation
like
Juanita,
ensuring
access
to
justice,
improving
substandard
housing
conditions
and
preventing
homelessness,
and
it's
devastating
effects
for
many
more
of
our
city's
most
vulnerable
residents
moving
us
closer
to
a
goal
of
safe,
affordable,
inhabited
housing
as
a
basic
human
need
and
right.
Thank
you
again,
the
City
Council
for
dedicating
resources
to
protect,
Philadelphia,
tenants
and
for
being
brave,
creative,
bold
and
unrelenting,
and
ensuring
equity
justice
and
safe
and
affordable
communities
for
tenants
who
need
the
resources.
C
D
I'm
not
counseling
again,
but
she
told
me:
I
should
go
first,
I
always
do
what
I'm
told
I'm
councilman
bill
Greenlee
for
those
you
don't
know,
and
we
councilman
Kenyatta,
Johnson
and
I
know
councilman
Curtis
Jones.
It's
still
here.
He
unfortunately
has
to
go
to
another
vent.
I
want
first
one
a
recognize,
Councilwoman
Ginn
for
her
strong
leadership
on
this
issue,
there's
something
she
took
up
and
fought
and
fought
for
very,
very
hard
in
city
council
with
the
other
members
just
quickly.
D
I'm
glad
IVA
mentioned
your
back
good
councilman,
Johnson,
I'm,
glad
I
even
mentioned
the
Hubble
hope
today,
because
I
was
thinking
the
same
thing
and
that
and
the
word
they
kept
coming
up
a
hub
of
hope
and
I,
and
it
was
mentioned
here
today
is
team
because
that's
what
it
takes
it
takes.
People
working
together.
Government
has
a
responsibility
to
try
to
help
people
and
I.
D
Think
all
of
us
have
tried
to
step
up,
certainly
with
the
mayor
and
the
administration,
to
help
where
we
could
like
with
the
hub
of
Hope
like
this
issue
today,
which
would
help
Intendant
stay
in
their
in
their
in
their
properties.
But
it
also
takes
a
team.
It
also
takes
all
the
folks
that
have
been
mentioned
already
and
others
to
make
sure
that
the
people
get
the
proper
help,
the
proper
respect
and
and
this
issue
it
certainly
is
gonna
help
tenants.
D
E
Thank
you
very
much,
and
it's
so
great
to
stand
up
here
with
my
colleagues,
council
and
Jones
Johnson
Greenlee,
who
were
really
champions.
I,
just
also
want
to
acknowledge
that
councilmembers
Mary
Aiken
Jana,
Sanchez,
Blackwell,
Green,
DOM
and
talbin
Berger,
also
very
much
supportive
and
and
really
it
was
a
big
council
effort
in
partnership
with
our
advocates
and
our
city
agencies.
So
I
am
just
incredibly
proud
to
stand
with
everybody
here
today.
E
When
the
lawyers
told
me
that
they
were
hitting
wall
after
wall
with
too
little
funding
to
represent
philadelphians
who
needed
them
the
most,
we
knew
that
we
had
to
get
involved
the
advocates
you
guys
really
brought
it
together.
We
hosted
hearings,
town
halls
and
even
a
briefing
on
the
eviction
crisis.
We
brought
in
the
stories
of
a
veteran
who
was
paying
rent
for
an
apartment,
with
a
hole
who
was
asked
to
pay
rent
for
an
apartment
with
a
hole
in
the
ceiling
and
the
snow
falling
through
during
the
winter
months.
E
We
brought
stories
of
a
mother
who
was
fixing
dinner
for
her
family
left,
the
dinner
on
the
stove.
Only
to
have
it
be
devoured
by
rodents
in
the
household
before
it
they,
the
family
could
eat
it.
Within
minutes.
We
had
to
talk
about
a
crisis
that
had
to
be
brought
out
of
the
shadows
and
into
the
light,
not
only
because
we're
shedding
light
on
a
bunch
of
statistics
or
anecdotal
stories,
but
we're
trying
to
change
people's
understanding
of
how
massive
systems
can
work
against
vulnerable
people
and
communities.
E
This
investment
that
we
worked
on
that
that
has
been
announced
today
is
truly
transformative.
Housing
is
a
human
right
and
we're
trying,
together
as
a
city,
to
figure
out
what
that
looks
like
and
how
we
do
it
in
the
best
interest
of
everybody.
We
are
still
far
from
doing
as
much
as
we
hope,
but
we
have
made
a
significant
step
today
and
announcing
that
the
experiences
that
people
who
are
too
often
neglected
are
not
going
to
go
unnoticed.
E
I
have
to
thank
the
unsung
heroes
of
this
process:
Eva
Gladstein
Liz,
Hirsch,
Mary,
horsemen,
Melissa
long
for
your
hard
work
of
turning
a
budget
task
into
a
meaningful,
an
incredible
RFP
that
is
really
going
to
change
things
for
people
as
soon
as
they
walk
in
the
doors
of
our
court
room
and
I
can't
wait
to
do
more
with
with
all
of
us
together
and
finally,
I
want
to
also
like
Eva
said
earlier.
We
really
want
to
thank
our
courts.
E
Judge
Maas
and
I
felt
for
taking
leadership
in
the
courts
to
ensure
that
both
renters
and
landlords
uphold
their
end
of
the
bargain
and
again
you
know
it
is
an
incredibly
difficult
thing
to
transform
statistics
into
a
changing
of
how
we
look
at
one
another
in
this
city,
but
the
ways
in
which
we
are
transforming
our
relationships
with
each
other,
where
we
humanize
and
bring
compassion
to
issues,
and
we
realize
that
this
isn't
just
for
those
who
are
neglected
or
on
the
margins.
This
is
for
all
of
us
in
this
city.