►
Description
The Special Committee on Poverty Reduction and Prevention of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Monday, November 25, 2019, at 4:00 PM, in The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, 3500 N. Broad Street, Phila., PA 19140, to hear testimony on the following items:
190239 Resolution authorizing the creation of a “Special Committee on Poverty Reduction and Prevention” to hold hearings to propose and implement actionable policies and programs that substantively prevent and alleviate poverty in every Philadelphia neighborhood.
A
Good
afternoon
an
early
evening,
thank
you
so
very
much
for
joining
us
this
evening.
For
the
special
committee
on
poverty
reduction
and
prevention.
We
are
so
very
happy
to
be
here
at
Temple,
University,
Lewis,
Katz
School
of
Medicine,
and
we
want
to
be
gracious
to
our
host
and
we
will
have
Dean
JD.
He
said
I
can
call
him
JD
now
dr.
John
Daly,
who
is
the
Dean
here
at
the
Medical
School?
B
Chairwoman,
queerness
Sanchez,
really
appreciate
your
being
here
in
choosing
temple
to
come.
The
members
of
the
committee
are
also
welcome,
and
we
thank
you
for
being
here
for
this
hearing.
I
appreciate
your
leadership
in
passing
resolution
when
I
know
239,
which
established
a
special
committee
on
poverty,
prevention
and
reduction.
B
We
are
the
city's
public
university
and
we're
here
to
help
offer
some
solutions.
As
you
move
forward
in
your
process,
we
also
look
forward
very
much
to
working
together
to
address
poverty
in
a
city
of
Philadelphia.
It
is
one
of
the
major
issues
that
we
face,
along
with
our
care
of
patients
and
care
of
the
people
of
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
Poverty
is
one
of
the
major
issues
that
impacts
their
care,
so
we're
we're
grateful
for
your
work
in
this
area.
B
A
A
Many
of
us
are
frustrated
with
being
highlighted
as
one
of
the
the
largest
cities
with
the
highest
number
of
poverty.
This
committee
looks
and
has
enlisted,
as
I
mentioned
folks
from
all
sectors
to
come
together
and
put
together
what
I
like
to
to
call
a
process
of
how
do
we
improve
people's
income?
How
do
we
improve
their
access
to
safety,
net
and
other
programs?
How
do
we
increase
their
opportunities
so
that
they
can
improve
their
quality
of
life
with
an
aggressive
goal
that
council
president
Clark
would
say
about?
A
A
We
have,
as
I
mentioned
earlier,
we
have
a
committee,
so
this
is
the
last
time
I'm
gonna
say
it
to
you,
because
then
it's
not
I'm
gonna
have
to
I'm
gonna.
Ask
you
to
leave
you're
gonna
come
here,
you're
going
to
testify
we're
gonna,
listen
to
you
and
we're
not
going
to
be
disrespectful
to
you
and
so
I'm
going
to
ask
you
not
to
be
disrespectful
to
others.
So
we
have
enlisted
members
from
from
different
stakeholders.
A
In
fact,
tomorrow,
I
we're
hosting
a
focused
group
of
people
with
lived
experience,
particularly
from
the
homeless
community,
that
the
committee
is
doing.
Every
committee
and
subcommittee
has
been
given
all
the
freedom
to
not
only
invite
other
other
members
into
the
committee,
but
create
different
processes.
We
had
a
hearing
last
week.
We
will
have
another
one
next
week
there
is
a
flier
available
and
we
have
enlisted
in
the
different
types
of
focus
groups.
A
Tomorrow,
I
will
be
with
again
folks
from
the
homeless
sector,
participating
in
an
in-depth
conversation
about
the
3,000
folks
in
homelessness
that
the
city
currently
supports
and
the
5,000
that
are
industry,
so
I
will
beg
to
differ
on
process.
That
said,
when
members
of
the
committee
want
to
quickly
introduce
themselves.
G
H
Afternoon,
good
evening,
members
of
council
guests
members
of
the
Special
Committee
on
poverty
reduction,
the
housing
subcommittee.
My
name
is
marquise
de
maras,
Louie
I'm
chief
strategy
officer
of
compass
working
capital,
I'm
honored,
to
offer
you
an
example
of
a
rental
equity
program
model
that
could
be
employed
here
in
our
city.
Comp
is
working.
H
Capital
is
a
nonprofit
financial
services
organization
whose
mission
is
to
support
families
with
low
incomes,
to
build
assets
as
a
pathway
out
of
poverty
and
toward
financial
stability
at
composit
sar
stronger
predictor
of
financial
stability
than
income,
and
yet
our
country
has
historically
measured
and
address
poverty
solely
in
terms
of
income.
In
fact,
our
nation's
anti-poverty
programs
generally
discourage
families
from
or
penalize
them
for,
building
assets
needed
to
invest
in
their
future.
H
These
penalties
intersect
with
historic
and
persistent
structural
barriers
that
are
core
to
the
racial
and
gender
wealth
gaps
of
which
we're
all
too
familiar.
Compasses
long-term
vision
is
to
end
asset
poverty
for
2.2
million
families
by
integrating
asset
building
strategies
into
our
nation's
social
safety,
net
and
public
assistance
systems,
beginning
with
families
living
in
federally
subsidized
housing.
For
neither
in
the
last
10
years,
compasses
focuses
efforts
on
developing
and
expanding
an
asset
building
model
for
the
Department
of
Housing
and
Urban
development's
family
self-sufficiency
program
or
FSS.
H
Fss
is
a
promising,
but
underutilized
employment
and
savings
program
and
its
power
is
rooted
in
its
ability
to
integrate
asset
building
into
the
delivery
of
federal
housing
assistance.
So
family,
who
receives
housing
assistance
generally
pay
30%
of
their
income
toward
rent.
Although
designed
to
keep
housing
affordable.
This
structure
also
discourages
families
from
increasing
your
income,
as
they
were
about
paying
more
rent
at
the
same
time
as
they
losing
other
benefits
tied
to
income.
H
The
rent
calculation
for
families
in
subsidized
housing
effectively
functions
as
a
marginal
tax
or
increased
earnings,
in
effect,
which
also
makes
it
difficult
for
households
to
build
savings.
Families
often
share
the
sentiment
that
they
are
getting
by,
but
they
feel
trapped
and
instead
they
want
to
get
ahead.
So
the
FSS
program
removes
this
dense
incentive
by
allowing
families
who
increase
their
earned
income
to
capture
the
corresponding
rent
increase
into
an
escrow
account.
This
savings
account
is
held
by
the
housing,
a
provider.
H
It
builds
over
time
and
families
can
use
this
savings
to
achieve
their
financial
goals.
There
is
no
other
anti-poverty
program
like
FSS
in
the
country,
one
that
integrates
asset
building
into
the
provision
of
housing
or
public
assistance.
No
one
other
in
2010
Compass
became
the
first
nonprofit
in
the
country
to
launch
an
asset
building
model
for
the
FSS
program,
partnering
republic,
housing
authorities
and
other
agencies
to
executors
in
our
model
that
combines
the
program's
powerful
savings
account
with
high-quality
financial,
coaching
and
other
asset
building
strategies
to
drive
financial
and
outcomes
for
the
participants.
H
The
compass
model
also
incorporates
effective
program
management
practices
to
increase
program,
participation,
enrollment
and
graduation
rates.
Generally,
national
enrollment
rates
hovered
around
3%,
while
a
competence
we
achieve
enrollment
three
to
four
times
the
national
average
and
have
90
percent
of
our
graduates
graduate
receiving
as
compared
to
47%
nationally.
In
fact,
just
last
year,
our
program
graduates
saved
an
average
of
eighty
four
hundred
dollars
and
use
their
savings
to
meet
a
variety
of
financial
goals,
including
purchasing
homes,
paying
down
debt,
establishing
and
growing
emergency
savings
funds
and
funding
their
education
or
the
education
of
their
children.
H
Just
over
40
percent
of
our
graduates
purchase
homes
or
make
a
positive
exit
for
housing.
If
it
is
their
choice
to
do
so.
On
average,
our
graduates
decrease
their
debt
by
$2,100
and
increase
their
credit
scores
by
sixty
nine
points.
An
interim
cost-benefit
analysis
of
our
programs
found
that
participants
gained
more
than
ten
thousand
dollars
and
increase
incomes
over
a
five
year
period
as
a
result
of
participation
in
program
at
a
net
cost
of
the
government
of
only
two
hundred
seventy
six
dollars
per
participant.
H
We
currently
operate
our
FSS
model
across
nine
sites
in
Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode,
Island
and
Connecticut,
serving
nearly
two
thousand
families
a
year.
We
have
enjoyed
a
partnership
with
the
Philadelphia
Housing
Authority
since
2018,
and
through
that
collaboration
are
seeking
to
grow
the
program
to
be
one
of
the
top
five
nationally
in
terms
of
enrollment.
H
We
also
see
significant
opportunity
and
partnering
with
multifamily
owners,
both
for-profit
and
nonprofit
developers
of
affordable
housing
when
a
program
was
first
created
in
the
90s
Congress,
inexplicably
limited
participation
to
families
living
in
public
housing
or
receiving
housing,
choice
or
section
8
vouchers,
but
in
2018
Congress
passed,
comprehensive,
FSS
legislation
that
permanently
authorized
multifamily
owners
with
units
subsidized
by
project-based
rental
assistance
to
operate
the
FSS
program,
though
the
participant
escrow
accounts,
are
funded
by
HUD
and
available.
Without
cap,
the
service
coordinator
dollars
the
dollars
that
are
used.
H
The
fund,
the
roles
that
provide
direct
service
to
the
families
that
participate
like
financial
coaching
are
available
through
a
competitive
process,
but
only
to
housing
authorities
not
to
multifamily
owners.
So
we've
been
successful
in
attracting
philanthropy
to
support
the
growth
and
expansion
of
our
FSS
programs
and
our
partnerships
with
Philadelphia
and
Boston
housing
authorities,
and
we
believe
additional
sources
of
funding
are
necessary
to
incentivize,
more
multifamily
owners
to
set
up
and
operate.
Fss
programs
as
well.
H
Nonprofit
developers
all
affordable
housing
developers
will
tell
you
that
they
operate
with
tight
margins,
whether
you
believe
that
or
not
what
we
do
know
is
that
the
FSS
program
will
not
grow
in
the
multifamily
market
without
additional
investment
at
the
local
level.
Council
created
a
fund
that
allows
multifamily
owners
to
access
dollars
to
support
tenants
and
residents
in
the
creation
and
operation
of
FSS
programs.
These
dollars
pair
with
HUDs
contribution
through
the
escrow,
could
create
opportunities
for
families
to
convert
their
rent
into
an
asset.
H
B
F
You
so
liske
is
also
trying
to
do
more
in
support
of
preserving
at
risk
federally
subsidized
rental
housing.
I'm
just
curious.
Have
you
had
particular
engagement
with
any
of
the
owners
where
you
think
that
the
there's
a
strong
interest
there
in
Philadelphia,
but
for
the
coordinating
dollars
absolutely.
H
We
actually
having
conversations
with
two
owners
that
have
pretty
large
portfolios
nationally
and
have
a
significant
presence
in
Philadelphia.
The
initial
two
are
both
for-profit.
We
would
love
to
talk
to
some
nonprofit
owners
who
were
interested
in
mission.
Aligned.
We've
been
able
to
bring
some
philanthropy
to
the
table
to
least
test
out
this
program
and
to
in
provide
initial
seed
funding
to
get
them
launched,
but
we
are
advocating
at
the
federal
level
and
also
identifying
additional
payers
to
support
this
work
so
that
it's
sustainable
in
a
long-term
and.
H
In
Philadelphia,
we
actually
partnered
with
clarify,
which
is
a
well
known:
quantity
I've
spent
nearly
seven
years
as
senior
vice
president
general
counsel,
clarify
so
I,
absolutely
vouch
for
the
quality
of
the
services
and
a
reputation
as
a
HUD
HUD,
certified
housing,
counseling
agency
and
also
a
strong
financial
coaching
agency.
Our
model
is
really
about
being
client,
centered,
acknowledging
and
understanding
and
having
a
firm
belief
in
the
power
and
it
creativity
and
ingenuity
of
the
families
that
we
serve,
that
they
are
the
best
authors
of
their
own
lives.
H
A
A
H
Graduation,
so
graduation
means
families
initially
have
to
set
goals
and
graduation
means
achieving
those
goals
and
being
free
from
cash
assistance
for
12
months.
Those
are
the
kind
of
core
standards
for
graduation
and
once
families
achieve
graduation,
they
make
a
request
for
disbursement
of
the
escrow
and
that
money
is
theirs.
So
you
know
just
to
give
you
a
sense
of
scale.
We've
seen,
we've
seen
households
exit
the
program
with
$35,000
and
that's
because
they've
made
a
significant
increase
in
their
earned
income
and
allowed
that
to
communicate
over
five
years,
but
yeah
the
families.
H
You
know
they
can
get
it
and
we
track
how
families
use
the
escrow
once
they
exit
some
folks
use
it
for
a
down
payment
on
a
house.
We
have
some
Marco
who's
here
from
PHA.
Who
could
talk
a
lot
about
that
and
they
take
advantage
of
PHAs
to
rific
homeownership
programs
and
use
that
escrow
in
conjunction
with
other
grants
available
through
PHA
through
the
Federal
Home
Loan
Bank
system
and
in
Palawan,
and
there
are,
but
they
have
equity
the
moment
they
set
foot
in
the
door,
significant
equity
in
their
homes.
In
that
case,
so.
H
Five
years,
but
if
families
achieve
their
goal
sooner,
they
can
graduate
sooner
the
maximum
is
seven
years
and
they
allow
the
extension
in
kind
of
six
months
in
increments.
If
they
hit
a
roadblock
or
or
you
know,
just
need
a
little
additional
time,
they
achieve
their
goals,
but
the
the
general
program
LIF
is
five
years
when.
H
The
big
is
so
primary
is
mission
alignment
right
like
we
want
folks
who
do
this,
because
they're
committed
to
seeing
their
residents
do
well
and
achieve
their
goals
and
and
get
on
a
road
towards
economic
stability,
but
they
also
have
to
commit
some
financial
skin
in
a
game
right.
It's
not.
Unfortunately,
there
are
no
dollars
available
at
the
federal
level
for
the
multifamily
providers
to
support
the
the
program
cost
right,
so
they
have
to
be
willing
to
come
out
of
pocket,
but,
like
I
mentioned
so
many
say
that
their
margins
are
tight.
H
H
H
So,
with
the
with
the
program
we
have
with
the
Philly
Housing
Authority,
we
are
about
700
enrolled
now
and
that's
we've
been
partnered
with
the
Philly
Housing
Authority
since
about
2018
and
nearly
doubled
enrollment,
since
the
time
that
we
partnered
with
Philly
housing
on
a
multifamily
side,
we
haven't
started
any
launch
any
programs
on
the
multifamily
side
in
Philadelphia,
but
in
terms
of
cost
we're
actually
working
on
cost
per
serve
and
getting
that
down
right.
Now
it's
about
$1,200
but
you're.
H
A
H
B
H
That
is
so,
the
all-in
net
benefit
associated
when
you
add,
in
the
the
cost
of
the
program,
the
the
earnings
of
the
families
over
time
and
the
escrow.
The
net
is
two
hundred
seventy
six
dollars
once
you
in
in
terms
of
the
amount
that
is
output
and
what's
brought
back
by
the
families,
increasing
their
income
and
building
this
asset.
Okay,
so.
H
A
B
E
Well,
good
afternoon,
members
of
the
committee-
thank
you
for
having
me
today.
As
Maria
mentioned,
my
name
is
Harry
Tapia
I'm,
the
director
of
operations
for
Jose
Jose,
is
a
CDC.
That's
located
in
the
Fairholme
in
sang-hee
neighborhood
of
Philadelphia
we've
been
operating
and
developing
low-income
and
senior
housing
for
the
past
38
years
in
in
our
neighborhood.
One
of
the
things
that
we
are
really
looking
forward
to
and
trying
to
figure
out
is
how
can
we
make
the
4%
tax
credit
vehicle
work
for
us,
as
we
have
expiring
old?
E
You
know
affordable
housing
that
is
already
reaching
that
30-year.
You
know
affordability
period,
I
know
that
there
is
a
vehicle
right
now
through
the
housing
trust
fund
that
we
can
give
some
of
the
money
in
order
to
you
know
sort
of
make
our
gap
works
right
now,
there's
a
two
million
dollar
cap,
which
is
very
similar
to
the
nine
percent
and
again
we
feel
that
because
a
four
percent
is
not
competitive
and
it's
kind
of
harder
to
do.
It
would
be
perfect
if
we
can
get
get
that
cap
increase
for
the
4%
tax
credits.
E
In
order
for
us
to
be
able
to
actually
make
more
deals,
work
at
the
4%
tax
credits-
currently
we
have
completed
one
in
our
neighborhood
Lehigh
Park
Apartments
is
74
units,
however
needed
to
really
be
heavily
subsidized,
so
meaning
that
all
of
our
units
need
to
either
be
section
8
or
rad,
funded
or
subsidized.
In
order
for
us
to
make
that
deal,
work
which
was
great
for
that
deal,
however,
ideally
we
wouldn't
want
all
of
our
units
to
be
that
heavily
subsidized.
E
Another
function
that
we
really
want
to
focus
on
is
really
home
ownership,
and
we
really
would
like
to
have
maybe
some
subsidies
that
could
be
directed
into
home
ownership
right
now.
There
isn't
any
vehicle
for
that.
We
are
currently
working
on
a
land
trust
program
at
Hoss
a
so
any
of
you
know.
We
were
in
the
competition
with
the
Philadelphia
foundation
and
we
won
first
place
in
order
to
develop
that.
So
we
are
currently
were
with
foundations
to
see
how
we
can
actually
get
that
funded.
E
So
if
there
is
any
subsidies
that
would
be
able
to
go
tours,
our
units,
you
know,
would
help
us
actually
get
those
units
off
the
ground
and
in
addition
you
know
we
would
like
to
put
some
of
them
to
be
rent
to
all.
So
if
we
would
able
to
be
have
some
long-term
shallow
subsidies
to
get
those
residents
from
renters
to
owners
through
that
vehicle,
we
would
really
appreciate
it.
A
A
I
J
Good
afternoon,
council
members,
DOM
and
Kiana
Sanchez
and
members
of
the
subcommittee,
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
today
since
1988,
rebuilding
Together
Philadelphia
has
revitalized
communities
by
transforming
vulnerable
owner-occupied
houses
to
safe,
healthy
and
energy-efficient
homes.
Every
year,
rebuilding
Together
repairs
a
hundred
to
one
twenty-five
homes.
With
about
a
thousand
volunteers,
as
you
all
know,
Philadelphia
is
a
city
of
homeowners.
We
have
a
51%
homeownership
rate
citywide.
Many
of
these
homeowners
are
living
on
a
fixed
or
low
income
and
are
unable
to
afford
to
maintain
their
homes
and
safe
conditions.
J
A
census
study
has
shown
that
houses
with
roof
leaks
and
other
repair
issues
are
much
more
likely
to
be
abandoned
to
prevent
homelessness
and
poverty.
We
need
to
keep
homeowners
in
their
homes
to
reduce
poverty.
We
need
to
preserve
a
family's
greatest
asset
that
asset,
a
safe
and
healthy
home,
is
the
leg
up
that
families
need
to
move
out
of
poverty.
The
need
is
vast.
The
city's
2018
has
an
action
plan
reported
that
27,000
housing
units
in
the
city
or
without
complete
plumbing
or
kitchen
facilities
are
new.
J
Neighbors
are
living
without
ovens
without
showers,
without
toilets.
Ou
out
line
many
other
policy
reasons
why
home
repair
is
critical
to
poverty
reduction,
including
improving
health
and
safety,
promoting
equitable
development,
preserving
the
environment
and
being
cost
effective,
but
I
want
won't,
read
all
those
to
save
time
and
allow
other
witnesses
to
testify,
but
there
in
my
written
remarks
to
its
credit,
the
city
has
invested
millions
of
dollars
to
preserve
home
ownership.
J
Multiple
organizations
have
worked
for
years
to
provide
home
repairs
to
needy
households
who
faced
a
host,
who
face
a
host
of
housing
challenges,
including
including
housing,
insecurity,
health
and
safety
problems
and
high
energy
cost.
Now
is
the
time
for
home
repair
providers
to
come
together
to
ensure
that
resources
are
invested,
wisely,
collaboratively
and
comprehensively
I've
included
a
picture
of
a
home
repaired
by
the
city's
basic
system
repair
program:
this
is
a
photo
of
a
house
after
repairs
were
done
for
those
of
you
who
don't
have
my
testimony.
It
is
a
ceiling
and
great
disrepair.
J
It
is
underneath
the
roof
that
was
fixed
to
the
homeowners
satisfaction,
but,
as
you
can
see,
the
ceiling,
those
you
can't
see
the
ceiling
is
in
really
really
rough
shape.
In
fact,
this
is
a
home
that
rebuilding
Together
Philadelphia
is
repairing
now
well.
This
is
a
home
with
well.
This
home
was
first
repaired
by
the
basic
system,
repair
program,
other
home
repair
providers,
including
RTP,
unfortunately
leave
homes
with
repairs
that
are
undone
due
to
budget
constraints.
J
The
attached
health
and
housing
toolkit
which
we
were
charged
to
create
by
this
subcommittee
offers
a
way
to
ensure
homeowners
receive
all
the
repairs
they
need
the
first
time
it
provides
for
housing,
repair
agencies
to
leverage
resources,
not
just
from
the
city,
but
also
from
private
funders
that
support
nonprofits
such
as
RTP
Habitat
for
Humanity
Philadelphia,
the
energy
cordoning
aid
coordinating
agency
and
the
Philadelphia
corporate
corporation
for
agent
corporation
for
aging.
All
of
my
colleagues
were
supportive
of
this
toolkit.
In
addition,
peña
Philadelphia
liske
and
PA
CDC
also
contributed.
J
J
J
Further
homeowners
should
be
able
to
seek
repairs
during
after
work
hours
and
at
neighborhood
locations
and
all
of
those
multiple
points
of
entry
for
applicants
need
to
be
consolidated
and
coordinated
by
a
single
agency.
This
home
repair
connection
system
should
allow
application
information
to
be
shared
and
would
allow
for
the
creation
of
a
system
that
connects
providers
of
only
some
repairs
to
providers
of
other
needed
repairs.
J
J
Finally,
after
repairs
are
complete
providers
must
report
the
repairs
fixed
and
the
remaining
numbers
of
Hazard
still
in
the
home,
so
we
can
have
a
scorecard
of
how
the
system
is
working
and
make
changes.
If
it's
not
I
want
to
conclude
with
the
words
of
the
homeowner
Ruby
Beckett
from
Mantua,
whom
we
existed.
She
grew
up
in
Philadelphia
lived
in
her
home
for
35
years.
She
needed
a
roof
and
couldn't
afford
to
repair
it.
J
She
took
out
a
loan
and
had
a
contractor,
try
and
fix
our
roof,
but
the
roof
was
completed
in
a
subpar
manner.
Water
damage
eventually
caused
holes
in
room
after
room
of
her
house
after
RTP
fixed
her
home.
She
wrote
my
neighbor's
in
Mantua
and
I
are
grateful
to
rebuilding
Together
Philadelphia
for
our
repairs,
but
we
have
many
friends
and
neighbors
who
are
living
in
unsafe
houses.
I
want
other
Philadelphians
to
receive
the
help
they
need
to
repair
their
homes
together.
J
A
B
Said
your
name
for
the
record:
Beth
McConnell
Philadelphia
Association
of
CDC's
hair.
Your
specific
recommendation
was
to
lift
the
cap,
the
two
million
dollar
cap
on
4%,
low-income
housing,
tax
credits.
Can
you
just
say
briefly
whose
cap
is
that?
What
cap
is
that?
What
power
control
do
we
have
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
to
lift
that
cap?
So.
E
The
cap
is
from
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
they
have
it
for
both
the
nine
percent
tax
credit
and
the
four
percent
tax
credits.
But
again,
as
I
mentioned,
the
nine
percent
they're
so
competitive
and
hard
to
get.
If
we
were
able
to
have
additional
money
set
aside
for
4%
deals
specifically
we'll
be
able
to
get
more
off
the
ground
and.
B
E
A
B
E
A
E
A
F
Fresh
cough
Philadelphia
Liske,
so
you
mentioned
your
4%
project
and
without
having
to
go
into
details,
but
so
because
there
was
a
two
million
dollar
cap.
How
many
funding
sources
did
you
end
up
having
to
come
up
with
you
mentioned?
You
got
a
lot
of
subsidies
and
generally,
what
was
the
total
gap
that
you
needed
to
so.
E
For
Lehigh
Park
apartment
project,
which
was
our
4%,
we
intentionally
had
to
make
the
entire
building.
You
know
sort
of
section
8,
which
is
not
really
how
we
like
to
build
our
communities
right,
we'd
like
to
have
a
mixed
income
so
that
we
have
some
that
are
subsidized,
but
some
that
aren't
so
heavily
subsidized.
So
we
had
to
put
together.
It
was
six
different
funding
sources
and
we
had
to
get
an
extension
of
all
the
section
8
contracts
for
another
20
years,
and
some
some
HUD
does
not
like
to
do
that
so
yeah.
A
J
A
K
Thank
you,
I
said
a
question
and
I'm
looking
at
your
testimony,
and
thank
you
to
all
of
you
for
your
testimony.
Thank
you,
everybody
for
being
here
11,000.
We
do
basic
repairs
versus
434,
434
thousand
for
a
new
property,
but
of
the
434.
How
much
of
that
is
city
funds
versus
maybe
state
or
federal,
so.
J
D
K
J
I
A
You
folks
very
much
we're
gonna
move
to
a
second
panel.
We
have
in
Warrington
micro
Froelich
from
Community
Legal
Services
Andy
Bonnie
Taggart
from
the
women's
community,
revitalization
project,
just
so
that
people
are
in
the
queue
after
that.
I
have
Jamal
Henderson
from
act-up
Carrie
Rothman
from
Habitat
for
Humanity
and
Jenny
Greenberg
from
the
neighborhoods
trust.
A
B
L
Name
is
ebony
tagger
and
I'm,
an
organizer
with
the
women's
community
revitalization
project.
We
are
part
of
a
citywide
65
member
Philadelphia
Coalition
for
affordable
communities
with
members
from
community
Union,
faiths,
faith-based
disability
and
urban
agricultural
organizations,
our
Coalition
for
more
than
five
years
ago,
because
we
saw
the
early
signs
of
gentrification
and
displacement
and
knew
that
without
low-income
rental
housing
families
would
not
be
lifted
out
of
poverty.
L
I'm
here
today
on
behalf
of
renters,
who
make
up
about
50%
of
the
city's
population
you're
here
for
me,
because
due
to
transportation,
cost
childcare
challenges
and
alternative
work
schedules,
this
meeting
is
not
accessible
to
many
individuals
that
would
like
to
be
here
today.
In
the
last
decade,
housing
costs
have
Scott.
As
you
know,
housing
costs
have
skyrocketed,
leading
many
to
be
house
cost
burden,
meaning
they
spend
too
much
of
their
earnings
on
housing,
leaving
less
money
for
medication,
transportation
and
more.
L
We
need
the
city
to
do
more,
to
preserve
and
create
low-income
rental
housing
for
w
CRP.
The
need
for
low-income
rental
housing
has
been
clear
for
the
last
30
years
we
house
nearly
300
families
in
our
developments.
More
than
70%
work
full-time,
but
do
not
earn
enough
money
to
purchase
a
home
when
they
come
to
us.
Many
earn
an
8
$12,000
per
year
in
Philadelphia.
You
need
to
earn
50%
of
the
area
median
income
to
earn.
L
Excuse
me,
you
need
to
earn
50%
of
area
median
income
or
earn
at
least
41
thousand
dollars
per
year
to
purchase
a
home
median
household
income
in
Philadelphia
is
less
than
$40,000,
and
the
cost
of
housing
is
steadily
going
up.
In
North,
Philadelphia
alone,
media
residential
sells
prices,
increase.
363.
L
Several
weeks
ago,
W
CRP
opened
up
applications
for
our
new
35
unit
development.
In
Germantown
we
had
700
applicants
for
35,
low-income
units,
700
for
35
units
and
so
for
context.
Contra
Germantown
is
an
area
that
most
people
consider
affordable.
Still.
Our
organization
also
offers
supportive
services
to
our
families
and,
as
a
result,
has
end-up
knowledge
about
their
personal
circumstances.
What
I
can
share
is
that
many
of
our
tenants
have
gone
on
to
become
home
owners
after
many
years
of
having
stable
low
income
rental
housing.
L
They
experience
less
stress
while
raising
their
families,
develop
job
skills
into
careers
and
were
able
to
meet
more
money
if
you
own,
a
home
I
want
you
to
take
a
second
to
remember
when
you
were
a
renter,
because
most
of
us
were
at
some
point.
It
was
having
that
affordable
option
that
laid
the
foundation
for
you
to
own
a
home
today,
maybe
among
many
other
things,
our
Coalition
has
grown
75
percent
since
its
inception,
because
all
over
the
city,
people
were
feeling
the
pinch
of
the
quickly
evaporating
low-income
housing
stock.
L
Here
are
some
examples
of
why
organizations
from
all
over
have
partnered
with
us
to
preserve
and
create
low-income
rental
housing.
One
of
our
coalition
members
advocates
for
low-income
rental
housing
because
they
work
with
battered
women
who
are
afraid
to
leave
their
abuser
because
they
don't
earn
enough
money
to
live
on
their
own
another
another
one
of
our
coalition
partners
joined
us
because
employees
in
your
Union
are
required
to
live
in
city
limits,
which
has
become
an
increasingly
challenging
due
to
being
out
priced
by
higher
earning
newcomers.
L
Another
coalition
partner
stands
with
us
because
they
work
with
the
disability
community,
who
makes
up
almost
20%
of
the
city's
population,
the
majority
living
on
a
fixed
income
making
home
ownership
nearly
impossible.
We
acknowledge
that
the
city
has
taken
action
around
housing
in
the
last
four
years.
However,
many
of
the
benefits
of
the
programs
implemented
have
weighted
towards
homeowners
and
for
the
record,
we
support
home
ownership
programs.
However,
we
are
here
to
lift
up
the
plight
of
the
50%
of
city
residents
who,
at
any
given
time,
are
not
in
the
position
to
purchase
a
home.
L
Furthermore,
with
the
reputation
as
the
poorest
city
in
America,
one
of
them
who
can
really
afford
to
buy
all
these
homes,
we
are
asking
that,
when
the
10
year,
tax
abatement
is
reformed,
that
the
money
coming
back
to
the
city
is
used
to
fund
programs
that
preserve
and
create
low-income
rental
housing.
We
also
want
council
to
focus
on
supporting
permanent
affordability
through
tools
like
the
Community
Land
Trust.
Thank
you.
C
The
home
ownership
and
consumer
rights
unit
at
community
legal
services
tries
very
hard
to
help
our
low-income
homeowner
clients
save
their
homes,
because
we
know
that
the
most
affordable
housing
that
they
will
ever
have
is
very
likely
the
home
in
which
they
now
live.
There
are
many
aspects
to
how
to
increase
in
preserve
homeownership
among
low-income
Philadelphians
and
how
homeownership
is
directly
related
to
reducing
and
preventing
poverty.
C
Intergenerational
family
homes
are
one
way
that
low-income
families
can
protect
against
rising
property
values
in
some
parts
of
the
city
and
avoid
involuntarily
involuntary
displacement,
and
it
is
one
of
the
strongest
ways
that
families
of
color
in
particular
build
wealth
in
our
country
nationally.
The
median
black
household
is
estimated
to
have
only
one
twelfth
of
the
wealth
of
the
median
white
household
and
two
thirds
of
household
wealth
is
tied
up
in
a
home's
equity.
C
According
to
pews,
failed
Philadelphia
research
initiative
between
2006
and
2007
teen,
the
city's
homeownership
rate
dropped
from
60%
to
48%,
and
while
it's
important
to
help
families
purchase
homes,
it
is
equally
important
to
help
current
homeowners
save
their
homes
and
at
CLS
we
understand
that
the
intergenerational
Philadelphia
family
home
is
under
attack.
We
hear
these
stories
from
our
clients
every
day.
There
are
several
things
that
the
city
can
do
to
acknowledge
and
address
these
attacks
very
doable
things,
I've,
included.
C
Nine
suggestions
in
my
written
material
and
I'll
just
highlight
a
few
now
in
no
particular
order.
The
number
one,
the
high
cost
of
probate
fees,
makes
it
very
difficult
for
many
families
to
raise
their
loved
ones.
Estates
for
our
clients,
for
example,
cost
to
probate
in
a
state
in
Philadelphia,
is
about
four
hundred
and
fifty
dollars,
and
four
hundred
fifty
dollars
may
not
sound
a
lot
like
a
lot
to
some
people,
but
after
a
family
has
gone
through
and
raised
money
to
give
their
loved
one
a
proper
burial.
C
It
is
oftentimes
unaffordable
for
many
and
will
result
in
the
estate
simply
going
unaddressed
and
the
record
ownership
of
the
home
remains
the
deceased
families
members
named
for
years
or
decades
number
two
many
home
owners
in
Philadelphia
have
federally
insured
mortgages.
Sometimes
we
refer
to
them
as
FHA
insured
mortgages
and
when
they
fall
behind
in
their
mortgage,
they
frequently
also
fall
behind
in
their
gas
and
water
bills.
Now
the
good
news
is
because
it's
an
FHA
insured
mortgage,
these
homeowners.
C
If
they
obtain
new
income,
they
can
be
a
qualify
for
mortgage
modifications
that
allow
them
to
catch
up
and
remain
in
their
home.
The
bad
news
is
that
there
are
federal
rules
governing
these
mortgages
that
require
that
a
loan
modification
have
first
lien
position
and
I
don't
want
to
get
too
much
into
the
weeds
here,
but
municipal
liens,
like
gas
and
water
liens,
no
matter
when
they're
incurred
are
considered
to
be
super
priority
and
many
mortgage
servicers
denied
mortgage
modifications.
C
So
as
a
result,
if
a
home
ownership
on
with
an
FHA
insured
mortgage
has
a
water
or
gasoline,
it
is
virtually
impossible
for
them
to
qualify
for
a
modification
and
avoid
a
mortgage
foreclosure,
Sheriff
sales.
The
city
could
help
resolve
this
by
adopting
a
policy
to
subordinate
municipal
liens
like
water,
billions
and
gasolines,
if
the
homeowner
otherwise
qualifies
for
a
permanent
mortgage
modification
and
the
homeowner
is
enrolled
in
current
in
the
tap
or
CRP
assistance
program,
this
simple
step
would
allow
families
to
qualify
for
loan
modifications
and
save
their
homes
from
sheriff
sales
number.
C
There's
nine
recommendations
in
total
I'd
be
happy
to
take
questions
about
additional
recommendations.
Community
legal
services
certainly
supports
all
of
the
testimony
that
evany
testified
about
renters
in
the
city,
but
thought
I
wanted
to
spend
some
time
today.
Talking
about
homeowners,
because
preserving
the
Philadelphia
family
home
is
critical
to
help
low
income
homeowners
and
ease
the
intergenerational
passage
of
these
homes.
It's
a
key
part
of
reducing
and
preventing
poverty,
and
we
look
forward
to
continued
to
work
with
City
Council
on
these
issues.
I
Good
afternoon
my
name
is
Karen
Warrington
and
I
appreciate
the
invitation
to
testify
before
the
City
Council
housing
Subcommittee
on
poverty
reduction
and
prevention
and
I
appreciate
the
invitation
that
was
extended
to
me
by
mr.
Taylor
Smith
I
was
born
here
at
Temple,
University
Hospital.
My
understanding
is
that
at
the
time
few
blacks
were
born
here
minutes
after
my
birth,
my
father
was
excitedly.
Looking
at
his
newborn
daughter,
the
nursery
when
a
white
boy,
father
glanced
at
me
and
said:
oh
look,
there's
a
so
just
minutes.
I
Old
I
was
identified
by
the
way
of
an
offensive
racial
epithet
and
throughout
my
lifetime,
I
have
witnessed
how
race,
being
black
in
America
affects
every
aspect
of
black
family
life.
My
family
bought
a
home
in
North
Philadelphia
in
the
1920s.
It
was
a
neighborhood
of
aspirational
and
middle-class
black
families.
We
had
black
doctors,
dentists,
nurses,
teachers
and
attorneys,
who
lived
in
the
immediate
neighborhood
when
I
was
five.
My
mother
enrolled
me
in
the
van
Logan
demonstration
Elementary
School,
which
was
the
Masterman
of
the
day.
She
deliberately
bypassed
the
neighborhood
schools.
I
Later
came
it
within
blocks
of
my
home,
even
in
the
1940s
and
50s
many
black
parents
knew
that
their
neighborhood
schools
were
not
up
to
par
gradually
our
neighborhood
declined
and
so
did.
City
services,
slumlords
cut
up
multi-storey
houses
and
businesses
were
shuttered
and
I.
Remember
my
grandmother
saying
temple
is
going
to
take
all
these
properties.
I
also
remember
my
family's
search
for
home
owners
insurance
because
insurance
companies
did
not
want
to
write
policies
in
our
community
and
banks.
I
Redline
the
area
preventing
blacks
from
securing
mortgages,
and
what
I
have
recently
discovered
is
that
black
men
returning
from
the
military
in
the
40s,
such
as
my
father,
were
denied
the
GI
Bill
to
purchase
homes
or
attend
college.
Consequently,
young
families
chose
to
move
to
neighborhoods,
then
opening
up
to
black
home
ownership
because
of
the
federal,
fair
housing
laws.
These
families
mostly
moved
to
germantown
mount
airy
in
east
with
accompanying
the
decline
of
more
philadelphia.
I
The
major
media
constantly
referred
to
the
area
as
the
ghetto
and
later
parts
of
North
Philadelphia
were
declared
as
the
badlands
for
me,
I
was
witnessing
not
only
the
wholesale
displacement
of
black
families,
but
quality
education
was
further
and
further
from
the
reach
of
black
families
who
were
not
politically
connected
or
couldn't
afford.
Private
school
and
public
schools
in
North,
Philadelphia
and
throughout
most
of
the
black
community
were
on
life
support.
I
Not
only
were
black
families
in
search
of
decent
housing,
they
were
in
search
of
quality
education,
city
governments,
response
was
more
public
housing
and
continuing
non-functioning
public
school
education
and
city
recreation
department
services.
So
today
I
see
the
direct
correlation
between
a
failing
public
school
system
racially
segregated
hand-me-down
neighborhoods
and
little
or
no
sustainable
wage
employment.
Black
families,
no
matter
where
they
live,
tried
to
get
their
children
into
the
handful
of
so-called
good
schools,
but
were
restricted
to
the
failing
schools
in
their
neighborhoods
I
call
it
educational
apartheid.
I
Today,
the
ravages
of
this
level
of
Philadelphia's
race-based
societal
neglect
reveals
itself
in
the
numbers
of
black
men
in
prison,
unemployed,
black
men
standing
on
corners,
while
white
men
in
trucks
with
Jersey
licences,
work
on
construction
sites
in
their
neighborhoods
and
black
men
being
released
from
prison,
saying
they
learned
to
read
while
they
were
incarcerated.
It
amazes
me
how
the
American
public
education
and
basically
one
generation,
was
able
to
lift
up
largely
poor,
non-english
speaking
immigrants
and
help
them
on
the
path
to
higher
education
and
professional
careers.
I
Today,
access
to
quality
education
and
safe,
stable,
affordable
housing
continue
to
beyond
the
reach
of
too
many
black
families.
Too
many
black
people
will
find
low-paying
jobs
as
CNA
security
guards
or
working
at
McDonald's
if
they
find
employment
at
all,
and
that
is
because
this
city,
its
government,
academics,
philanthropic
foundations
in
the
business
and
the
corporate
communities
have
turned
their
back
on
the
educational
and
housing
needs
of
the
black
community.
I
The
recent
debacle
at
Penn
Franklin
High
School,
which
was
once
Central
High
until
the
color
of
the
population
change,
is
now
the
site
of
Ben
Franklin,
with
majority
black
and
Puerto
Rican
students
and
the
science
Leadership
Academy,
with
mostly
white
students
whose
parents
refer
to
themselves
as
privileged.
This
has
become
a
half
and
half
not
separate
and
unequal
education.
Travesty
on
one
hand,
you
have
the
presence
of
hell
threatening
asbestos
which
Franklin
parents
say
the
school
district
paid
little
attention
until
the
privileged
in
quotes.
I
As
always,
students
were
to
share
the
building
space
and,
on
the
other
hand,
you
have
the
unequal
curriculum,
access
to
technology
and
other
academic
resources.
The
school
district
also
assured
the
public
that
not
only
will
the
school's
academically
separate
that
they
would
even
have
separate
entrances.
From
my
point
of
view,
predictably,
we
can
then
expect
different
outcomes
ray
higher
education,
employment,
family,
sustaining
wages
and
the
possibility
of
in
conservation.
Now
as
we
speak,
the
Franklin
students
are
housed
in
a
shuttered
charter
school
in
the
heart
of
the
bed.
I
Blacks
continue
to
be
how
affordable
housing,
nomads
and
their
children
are
undereducated
and
the
problem
of
the
urban
poor
will
not
change
every
day
we
see
new
high-priced
high-rise,
condos
appearing
in
the
city,
but
where's
the
housing
for
the
non
wealthy,
and
where
is
the
opportunity
for
quality
education
for
their
children?
Thank
you.
A
B
C
Come
in
dumps
and
thank
you
for
the
question
so
that
the
issue
is
regards
the
so
many
homeowners
in
Philadelphia
have
these
mortgages
fha-insured
mortgages,
which
I'm
sure
you're
familiar
with
there's
a
special
rule
for
FHA
insured
mortgages
that
if
you
want
to
get
it
modified
and
a
lot
of
people
who
fall
behind
in
their
mortgages,
get
it
modified.
Capitalized
the
arrears,
affordable,
monthly
payment
going
forward,
there's
a
special
rule
that
applies
to
fha-insured
mortgages.
C
C
A
A
A
What
do
you
find
to
be
one
of
your
most
challenging
issues
with
the
programs
we
currently
have
in
terms
of
you
getting
out
of
a
rental
tour,
Oh
ownership,
although
I
would
say
Stacey
who
was
a
former
president
WC
RT
argued
me
into
there's,
always
gonna
be
a
rental
community
Maria,
as
she
reminded
me,
she's,
like
not,
everybody
wants
to
be
a
homeowner,
but
I
want
my
children
to
be
homeowners.
What
would
you
say
is
some
of
the
biggest
obstacles
you're
confronting.
L
Like
many
people,
I
think
that
wages
is
an
issue
right
now,
luckily
I'm
in
a
place
where
I
do
make
a
little
more
money
than
I
have
in
the
past,
and
so
home
ownership
is
a
little
bit
more
in
reach
for
me
than
it
had
been.
But
I
feel
like
that's
one
of
the
biggest
obstacles
and
I
do
agree
with
Stacey
that
I
guess
people
will
consider
me
a
millennial
and
I
think
that
the
mindset
towards
home
ownership
has
changed.
L
A
For
for
Michael,
I
know
that
the
probate
issue
is
one
that
I
know.
You've
been
talking
to
the
incoming
registered
wills
and
there's
been
some
commitment
to
to
redress
this,
as
it
relates
to
the
PGW
lien
situation.
Has
this
been
requested
before
the
PUC
and
who
has
said
no
in
the
past
about
the
the
lien
situation,
the
lead
positioning
right.
C
Tried
to
distill
it
down
to
as
basic
as
simple
I
guess
as
possible.
It's
within
the
cities,
it's
within
PGW
and
the
water
departments
of
to
subordinate
lien
x'.
If
they
would
like
to
do
so.
We've
been
legal
services
on
behalf
of
our
homeownership.
Clients
have
been
working
with
the
law
department
and
with
PGW
and
with
the
water
department.
They
want
FHA
to
change
their
rules
FHA.
He
wants
the
mortgage
servicers
to
change
their
rules.
C
A
C
A
C
In
this
particular
issue,
so,
fortunately,
and
unfortunately,
HUD
moves
at
a
glacial
pace
and
some
of
the
some
of
the
changes
that
went
into
place
during
the
Obama
administration,
we're
still
seeing
now.
So,
for
example,
it's
very
important
when
we
talk
about
intergenerational
family
homes,
that
if
the
borrower
dies
before
the
mortgages
paid
off,
that
the
heirs
be
allowed
to
assume
that
mortgage
under
the
Obama
administration,
certain
changes
were
put
into
place.
C
That
would
make
it
easier
for
heirs
to
to
assume
or
take
over,
excuse
me
assume
or
take
over
there,
parent
their
deceased
parents
mortgaged
we're
finding
it.
It's
good
that
this
new
policy
is
in
place,
we're
finding
it
it
to
be
implemented
very
unevenly,
and
in
the
past
we
would
have
complained
to
the
CFPB.
The
CFPB
has
not
been
as
open
to
resolving
these
complain.
They
define.
A
C
I
C
A
This
warrington
just
gave
us
a
history
lesson
around
redlining,
the
GI
Bill
access
to
home
ownership
and
part
of
the
debate
is
always
the
banks
who
holds
them
accountable.
I've
had
the
pleasure
of
being
part
of
CRA
disputes
in
my
previous
life
right
feel
like
we
need
to
go
back
to
some
of
that
discussion.
A
As
you
see
the
consolidation
of
the
banking
world,
but
you
know
we
have
a
lot
of
banking
partners
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia
and
we
should
know,
write
in
a
very
formal
way,
because
you
know
to
the
one
hand
we
invest
in
all
of
you
to
help
us
fight
with
people
that
are
in
our
backyard,
and
we
should
know
that
right
and
so
I'm
not
gonna
put
you
on
the
spot,
Pollak
Lee
here,
but
if
there
are
particular
institutions,
any
institutions
that
the
city
is
doing
business
with.
We
should
know
that
I'd.
F
C
What
I
can
say,
though,
is
that
in
our
experience
this
would
not
be
money
which
is
not,
which
is
currently
being
paid,
which
would,
if
there
was
a
policy
to
waive
those
fees,
would
not
be
way
it
would
not
be
paid
instead.
What
many
of
our
clients
do?
Is
they
go
down
to
the
Register
of
Wills,
with
the
intent
to
probate
their
loved
ones
estate?
They
learned
that
it
costs
several
hundred
dollars
that
they
don't
have.
They
then
turn
around
and
go
home
and
they
never
complete
the
process.
C
C
B
K
You
thank
you
for
your
testimony,
so
this
is
just
on
a
big
picture
and
I'm
a
supporter
of
home
ownership.
I
would
just
put
that
out
there,
but
I've
lived
through
three
recessions:
1982
82
interest
rates
were
19
and
20
percent
in
the
90s
I.
Don't
remember
the
year
block
it
out
and
then
again
in
2008
to
2010
and
I
will
say
this
and
those
at
instances.
We
would
ask
the
owners
how
much
cash
do
you
have
to
sell,
not
the
buyer
because
they
were
underwater
and
what
happened
in
2008.
K
In
2011
we
had
a
tremendous
amount
of
inventory
that
was
underwater
I.
Think
2004
2005
was
the
peak
of
home
ownership
in
the
country
at
about
69
percent
or
so
then.
It's
today
about
64
I
think
Philadelphia
is
between
that
48
to
50
percent,
but
of
the
top
20
cities,
we're
still
pretty
high
up
for
home
ownership
that
most
cities
won't
see
big
home
ownership.
K
He
lists
their
transient
by
nature
but
by
the
same
token,
I'm
100%
in
favor,
of
having
people
built
well
throughout
in
their
own
homes,
but
I
will
say
that
even
on
the
higher
end
of
the
market,
what's
going
on
right
now,
people
aren't
buying
because
the
federal
government
has
changed
the
rules.
There's
a
ten
thousand
dollar
limitation
on
real
estate
taxes
in
a
seven
or
$50,000
mortgage
limitation.
So
those
people
who
used
to
buy
stopped
they're
renting.
K
A
L
You
so
as
I
thought
about
it.
Another
thing
that
I
think
is
a
barrier
in
your
remark.
Councilman
dye
made
me
think
about
it.
Recessions,
right
and
I
think
that
has
contribute
to
the
mindset
about
homeownership
tremendously
and
when
I
think
about
Community
Land
Trust,
which
is
a
tool
to
ensure
permanent
affordability.
L
I
think
I
believe
that
if
we
have
more
Community
Land
Trust,
a
lot
of
people
will
feel
more
comfortable
owning
homes,
because
you
have
that
community
to
support
you
should
anything
go
wrong,
regardless
of
how
the
market
changes,
you're,
you're,
protected
and
I
think
that
people
a
lot
of
times
can't
always
predict
what
their
income
is
going
to
be
like.
They
may
not
have
savings,
they
mean
I,
have
money
to
preserve
their
homes,
but
with
the
program
like
that,
you
do
have
a
safety
net.
So
thank.
A
You
thank
you
all
of
you.
Thank
you
so
much
for
your
testimony
this
this
evening,
I'm
going
to
call
up
our
next
panel
Jamal
Henderson
from
act-up
Carrie
Rothman
from
Habitat
for
me,
Habitat
for
Humanity
Jenni
Greenberg
from
the
neighborhood
gardens
trust.
If
any
of
you
have
written
testimony
that
you
can
share
with
the
panel,
because
some
of
you
did
not
get.
A
D
Good
evening,
thank
you
for
the
opportunity
to
testify
today
and
for
counsels
interests
in
the
focus
on
reducing
poverty
in
Philadelphia.
My
name
is
Kerry
Rothman
I'm,
the
director
of
strategic
partnerships
at
Habitat
for
Humanity
Philadelphia,
where
we
built
strain
stability
and
self-reliance
through
affordable
housing.
We
do
this
through
building
and
stabilizing,
affordable
homeownership,
so
for
our
new
homeownership
habitat
builds
new
or
rehabs
homes
to
sell
to
hardworking
families
making
between
thirty
and
sixty
percent
of
area
median
income
oftentimes.
These
are
families
working,
two
or
more
jobs
or
individuals,
working
two
or
more
jobs.
D
Within
the
household.
We
provide
an
affordable
mortgage
product
where
households,
monthly
payments,
including
mortgage
current
tax
and
insurance,
do
not
exceed
30
percent
of
their
monthly
household
income.
To
date,
we
have
built
and
sold
218
homes
to
individuals
and
families
who
would
not
have
otherwise
been
able
to
purchase
homes.
We
also
carry
out
stabilization
repair
projects
for
existing
homeowners
with
household
incomes
up
to
80
percent
of
area
median
income
we've
completed
nearly
530
across
the
city
to
date,
bringing
the
benefits
of
safe,
stable
home
ownership
to
more
than
1300
Philadelphians.
D
We
have
all
seen
how
home
ownership
can
be
a
vehicle
to
building
family
and
generational
wealth.
History
has
shown
us
that
keeping
homeownership
out
of
reach
are
systematically
stripping
black
families
of
their
home.
Ownership
has
been
a
major
factor
in
creating
the
widespread
and
entrenched
poverty.
D
Do
admit
that
this
is
a
longer
game.
Thoughtful
approaches
to
increasing
homeownership
for
Philadelphia's
low
income.
Lower
economic
residents
could
be
foundational
to
preventing
households
from
slipping
into
poverty.
Home
ownership
would
also
help
inoculate
future
generations
of
those
families
from
doing
so
as
well.
Home
ownership
creates
a
physical
asset
for
families
most
for
most
of
us.
It's
our
largest
financial
asset
that
provides
leverageable
equity
during
hardship.
Homeownership
provides
a
stable
place
to
live
where
families
are
more
protective
from
the
fluctuating
market
forces
and
thus
increasing
rents.
D
Critical
mass
of
homeowners
creates
the
basis
for
any
neighborhood
social
fabric.
Converting
vacant,
lots
and
structures
into
affordable
homes
for
safe
for
sale,
helps
revitalize
entire
blocks
and
communities,
and
this
improves
conditions
for
owners
and
renters
alike
and
all
Philadelphians
at
large.
So
we
know
that
home
ownership
is
only
an
appropriate
for
a
specific
segment
of
the
city's
low
income.
Renters,
the
households
we
assist
are
just
a
smidge
and
that's
the
technical
term
over
the
poverty
line
for
a
family
of
four.
The
differential
currently
is
only
thirteen
hundred
dollars
annually.
D
Most
renters
live
below
the
poverty
line
would
need
additional
income
and
likely
reduction
of
bad
debt
to
be
considered
for
homeownership
program.
These
renters
would
require
other
supports,
many
of
which
have
been
described
earlier
prior
to
any
homeownership
programmers
services,
but
increasing
homeownership
opportunities
for
these
thousands
of
families
on
the
cusp,
those
with
appropriate
incomes,
but
still
struggling
in
the
gentle
general
rental
market
would
go
a
long
way
to
keeping
these
families
from
dipping
in
and
out
of
poverty,
as
many
families
do
filled
up.
D
His
high
cost
of
construction
keeps
traditional
market
rate
developers
from
building
new
and
new
low
and
moderate
income
homeownership
sale
prices
are
not
adequate
to
cover
the
high
cost
of
construction.
Public
subsidy
is
needed
to
fill
the
gap
between
construction
costs
and
sale
price
just
to
break
even
Philadelphia,
used
to
fund
affordable,
homeownership
development,
but
has
eliminated
the
bulk
of
programs
due
to
federal
budget
cuts
and
the
restrictions
attached
to
federal
funding
sources.
D
The
challenges
of
low
lower
income
buyers,
ability
to
secure
mortgages
from
traditional
lenders
has
created
barriers
to
selling
these
properties
once
developed,
but
habitat
faces.
None
of
these
challenges
we
hold
our
own
mortgage.
We
have
a
guaranteed
purchaser
and
alternates
well
before
our
property
is
complete,
so
nothing
ever
sits.
Vacant
we
know
increasing
homeownership
requires
a
much
longer
view
to
reducing
poverty,
but
we
also
know
that
this
investment
in
homeowners
is
sound
to
reduce
poverty
and
increase
low
income,
an
increase,
low-income
homeownership
in
Philadelphia.
D
We
suggest
the
following
think
about
targeting
households
from
50
to
60%
of
area
median
income.
That's
about
forty
five
thousand
to
fifty
four
for
annually
for
a
family
family
of
four
up
to
eighty
percent
ami
provide
local
per
unit
subsidy
with
a
cap
of
a
hundred
thousand
so
that
purchase
so
the
purchase
price
can
be
written
down
to
around
one
hundred
and
fifty
thousand
for
sale
to
these
families.
D
Additional
subsidy
or
substitution
of
these
subsidies
might
be
found
on
the
private
market
through
Federal,
Home,
Loan,
Bank,
pH,
FA
or
other
philanthropic
sources,
amortize
any
City
subsidy
over
a
15
year
period
to
incentivize
owner
longevity,
but
allow
for
equity
growth
for
family
wealth
building,
use
the
land
bank
more
efficiently
and
effectively
to
acquire,
assemble
and
dispose
of
land
at
nominal
value
for
affordable
housing.
We
urge
you
also
to
revisit
the
operational,
require
right
now,
showing
full
financing
for
a
project
before
any
affordable
house
or
gets
to
take
ownership
of
it.
D
Furthermore,
don't
disincentivize
non
and
for-profit
developer
partnerships
consider
allowing
nonprofits
to
directly
acquire
their
portion
of
a
property
allowing
us
to
realize
the
full
benefit
of
our
nonprofit
status
and
decreasing
costs
nonprofit
entity
entities
acting
alone
have
benefits
on
transfer
taxes
and
other
funding
sources
when
they
are
not
tied
to
for-profit
developers
and
we
lose
those
sometimes
in
in
partnerships.
We
believe
that
this
is
already
within
the
city's
discretionary
power.
D
Consider
allowing
home
funds
for
home
ownership
creation,
as
has
been
allowable
in
the
past,
but
has
stopped
in
recent
years,
evaluate
the
zoning
changes
that
would
increase
density
to
cut
costs,
allow
developers
to
build
smaller
footprint
homes,
maximize
units
per
lots
and
meet
the
needs
of
low
to
moderate
income.
Buyers,
investigate
the
city
driven
cost
drivers,
including
stormwater
management
and
street,
paving
requirements
that
add
considerable
costs
that
cannot
be
recovered
through
sale,
price.
D
Consider,
the
use
of
city
capital
funds
for
infrastructure
and
affordable
housing,
discounts
for
stormwater
fees,
consider
ways
other
ways
that
the
city
can
help
reduce
the
high
construction
cost
of
Philadelphia
and
in
terms
of
preserving
affordable
home
ownership.
We
urge
you
all
to
consider
creating
clear
guidelines
and
tracking
systems
for
Opa
assessments
of
subsidized
home
ownership
properties
that
have
a
second
soft
mortgage
that
limit
the
resale
price.
This
would
ensure
property
owners
are
not
priced
out
based
on
rising
Texas
taxes
during
and
after
any
tax,
abatements
or
affordability.
D
Expiration
expirations,
currently,
homes
with
sause
seconds
are
often
assessed
at
values
that
those
families
can't
actually
extract
from
the
market.
This
is
a
huge
issue
for
our
homeowners,
especially
in
north
and
south
philadelphia,
who,
finding
that
overnight,
their
combined
mortgage
and
tax
payments
will
double
what
was
originally
anticipated.
And,
finally,
please
continue
to
fund
critical
repair
and
stabilization
for
existing
homeowners
living
at
or
above
the
poverty
rate,
but
below
80%
of
ami.
A
M
Good
afternoon,
thanks
for
the
opportunity
to
testify,
my
name
is
Jenny
Greenberg
and
I
serve
as
the
executive
director
of
the
neighborhood
gardens
trust
I'm
here
to
offer
testimony
on
the
negative
impact
that
the
u.s.
Bank
lien
situation
is
having
on
community
gardens
that
serve
low-income
households
across
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
M
Ngt
is
Philadelphia's,
neighborhood
garden
protector.
It's
our
mission
to
acquire
and
preserve
community
gardens
and
shared
open
spaces
to
enhance
quality
of
life
in
Philadelphia's
neighborhoods.
There
are
upwards
of
400
community
gardens
in
Philadelphia
which
have
been
cultivated
and
historically
disinvested
neighborhoods
on
abandoned
land
through
the
cooperative
efforts
of
neighborhood
residents.
These
gardens
have
become
essential
community
assets
that
provide
healthy,
green
space
and
a
source
of
fresh,
affordable
produce,
often
community
gardener
steward
land
that
is
owned
by
the
city
and
a
number
of
private
tax
delinquent
owners.
M
These
gardens
are
at
risk
because
the
gardener's
do
not
have
secured
land
tenure
for
the
precious
basis
on
which
they
cultivate
food,
flowers
and
community.
The
need
to
proactively
secure
and
protect
vital
community
managed,
open
spaces
is
pressing
increases
in
real
estate
development,
land
values
and
speculation
are
putting
as
decades
old
Gardens
in
jeopardy.
Ngt
works
to
secure
ownership
or
long-term
leases
for
these
gardens,
so
they
can
be
protected
for
community
long-term.
M
We've
worked
intensively
with
gardeners
and
community
groups
in
the
city
to
protect
48,
open
spaces
across
the
city
to
date,
and
we're
working
to
actively
protect
seventy
gardens
by
2022,
often
gardens
comprise
multiple
parcels
of
land
with
different
owners.
We've
been
working
closely
with
the
city's
land
holding
agencies
to
assemble
land
to
protect
the
full
garden
footprint.
In
the
past
two
years,
we've
been
able
to
acquire
28
parcels
of
land
at
11,
community
gardens
through
nominal
sale
disposition
from
the
city
and
we're
working
with
the
land
bank
to
acquire
privately
owned
tax.
Delinquent
parcels.
M
M
These
liens,
which
we
refer
to
as
US
bank
liens
I
understand,
are
actually
now
owned
to
MBIA,
which
is
this
municipal
bond
insurance
Association
because
of
these
liens
were
losing
garden
properties
to
sheriff
sale
or
through
private
sales
entered
into
by
speculators.
These
liens
are
like
a
flag
to
real
estate
speculators
of
opportunities
to
buy
properties,
cheap
and
flip
them
to
developers.
This
is
how
we
lost
half
of
the
20
year
old,
vibrant
food,
producing
st.
M
Bernard
community
garden
in
West
Philadelphia
to
a
new
house
last
year,
and
this
is
why
we
now
have
to
fundraise
80
thousand
dollars
to
purchase
a
lot
at
the
Emerald
Street
community
farm
in
Kensington.
The
land
bank
had
acquired
two
other
tax
delinquent
parcels
at
this
garden
for
protection,
but
was
prevented
from
acquiring
this
last
one
because
of
a
u.s.
bank
lien.
M
These
liens
are
in
first
lien
holder
positions,
so
the
land
bank
cannot
move
forward
with
acquisition
of
these
parcels
until
the
US
bank
liens
are
resolved,
a
developers
purchased
the
last
parcel
right
smack
in
the
middle
of
the
garden
and
we're
fortunate
that
he's
willing
to
wait.
But
what
a
waste
of
time
to
have
to
raise
money
to
buy
it
back
now,
since
the
system,
a
system-wide
solution,
seemed
far
off
in
2018
and
GT
tried
to
take
matters
in
to
our
own
hands
to
resolve
this
issue
by
submitting
a
proposal
to
u.s.
M
bank
asking
them
to
assign
us
their
liens
on
ten
properties
within
a
tres
Gardens
for
nominal
consideration
owner.
In
order
to
further
our
preservation
efforts,
the
proposal
was
that
they
do
so
as
a
charitable
donation.
After
extensive
research,
we
were
unable
to
get
a
contact
directly
at
the
bank
and
were
directed
to
submit
the
proposal
through
Lineberger,
who
said
they
would
pass
it
along
to
their
client
for
consideration
at
first
Lineberger
said
they
would
have
an
answer
to
us
within
a
month.
M
Ultimately,
they
never
got
back
to
us
with
an
answer
and
stopped
responding
to
my
emails.
With
this
in
mind,
I
want
to
tell
you
about
one
more
garden:
the
five
loaves
to
fish
garden,
a
community-based
project
to
promote
wellness
and
eliminate
information,
disparities
about
health
and
nutrition
and
heston
vil,
an
extremely
low
income
and
food
insecure
section
of
West
Philadelphia.
The
garden
has
a
partnership
with
a
local
school
and
provides
educational
programming
to
elementary
students.
M
There
are
29
raised
beds
for
growing
produce
and
flowers
in
made
2018
NGT
prior
to
of
the
gardens
parcels
from
the
city.
Subsequently,
the
land
bank
acquired
three
additional
tax
delinquent
parcels
with
the
intention
to
transfer
them
to
us
for
protection.
The
last
lot,
which
is
right
in
the
middle
of
the
garden,
has
more
than
sixteen
thousand
dollars
due
in
u.s.
bank
liens,
with
all
the
fees,
interests
and
penalties
and
an
additional
eight
thousand
owed
to
the
city
I
dread.
The
day
we
learned
that
it
too
has
been
purchased.
M
We
need
the
US
bank
lien
properties
to
stop
being
sold
at
sheriff's
sale
until
the
situation
is
resolved.
We
also
need
a
pathway
for
liens
on
high
priority
parcels
for
charitable
purposes
like
affordable
housing
and
community
gardens
to
be
resolved
quickly,
so
that
we
can
secure
them
before
it's
too
late.
A
few
potential
solutions
include
securing
a
charitable
donation
of
US
bank
liens
to
nonprofits
for
specific
properties
that
are
critical
to
affordable
housing
and
community
garden
projects.
M
Under
this
scenario,
the
lien
holder
could
assign
its
lien
right
to
NGT
or
a
similar
nonprofit
and
treat
that
assignment
a
charitable
donation.
The
nonprofit
could
then
protect
the
parcel
from
being
sold
off
at
sheriff's
sale
and,
ultimately,
the
nonprofit
could
cancel
the
lien
at
the
time
the
nonprofit
obtains
title
to
the
parcel
short
of
securing
a
donation.
The
city
needs
to
get
an
agreement
with
Lineberger,
to
accept
principle
only
payments
and
to
waive
years
of
penalties,
fees
and
interest
charges.
M
We
need
a
revision
to
the
city's
acquisition
policy
to
allow
the
land
bank
to
pay
off
u.s.
bank
liens
so
that
they
can
proceed
with
their
acquisition
process
and
they
need
the
funds
to
do
so,
and
the
city
needs
to
develop
a
clear
process
by
which
US
bank
liens
can
be
paid
off
after
or
just
prior
to
finalizing
land
bank
acquisition
of
our
property,
whereby
we
avoid
the
risk
of
paying
off
a
us
being
length,
bank
lien
and
then
losing
the
property
to
a
developer
anyway.
D
G
Name
is
ebony
Griffin
I
am
a
staff
attorney
at
the
Public
Interest
Law
Center,
focusing
on
environmental
justice
and
the
loss
in
his
garden
justice
legal
initiative.
Thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
testify
today
about
an
issue
which
very
deeply
affects
my
practice
and
the
preservation
of
green
space
in
communities
of
color
and
low-income
neighborhoods
in
Philadelphia.
The
Law
Center
commends
you
for
convening
this
hearing
to
find
meaningful
solutions
to
the
problem
at
hand
in
our
environmental
work.
G
The
Law
Center
uses
a
variety
of
methods
to
ensure
that
Philadelphia's
most
vulnerable
residents
have
access
to
a
healthy
natural
and
built
environment,
but
also
that
they
have
a
seat
at
the
table
and
a
voice
in
what
happens
in
their
neighborhoods.
The
Garden
justice
legal
initiative
accomplishes
this
by
providing
pro
bono
legal
representation
to
urban
farmers
and
community
gardens
in
Philadelphia
in
efforts
to
protect
and
preserve
the
city's
green
space,
which
is
being
lost
due
to
development
pressure.
G
This
development
pressure
in
part
stems
from
the
1997
securitization
of
tax
liens,
the
1997
tax,
lien
securitization,
and
remaining
US
bank
Lee
liens,
contribute
to
gentrification
displacement
urban
blight
and
a
reduction
in
green
face.
This
testimony
explains
how
and
also
provides
potential
solutions
to
the
problem.
J
G
This
results
in
hotter
overall
temperatures
and
more
severe
weather
events
such
as
flooding
in
urban
areas.
Minor
increases
in
surface
temperature
can
be
deadly
in
1997
the
city
bundled
together
30,000
tax
liens
and
sold
them
to
u.s.
bank
a
private
corporation.
In
order
to
raise
revenue
to
addresses
school
funding
crisis,
the
city
lost
money
in
this
effort
when
investors
were
unable
to
collect
on
many
of
the
securitized
liens
that
a
Philadelphia
Department
of
Revenue
in
November
night.
G
In
a
sorry,
November
2013
report
described
the
results
of
the
1997
as
the
worst
case
scenario
for
tax
lien
securitization.
We
have
heard
from
neighborhood
redevelop
or
across
the
city
that
properties
whose
liens
were
sold
remained
in
limbo
for
years
unavailable
for
redevelopment,
because
tax
balances
continue
to
be
uncollectible.
Public
agencies
could
not
acquire
the
property
without
first
paying
the
lien
holder,
the
value
of
the
lien
plus
their
fees,
which
diamonds
efforts
to
get
vacant
tax,
delinquent
properties
back
into
productive
use.
G
In
fact,
then,
she's
chief
of
staff
to
mayor
endo
acknowledged
the
city's
miscalculation
regarding
the
uncollectible
amounts
and
a
quote
that
appeared
in
the
2001
Philadelphia
Enquirer
editorial
quote
the
the
rating
agencies
missed
it,
the
underwriters
missed,
it
then
sure
missed
it,
and
the
city
listed
in
quote
the
consequences
of
the
fallout
from
the
1997
securitization
are
still
evident
today,
while
the
exact
number
is
unclear.
Data
from
the
city
estimates
that
between
thirty
six
hundred
and
fifty
five
hundred
properties
in
Philadelphia
are
encumbered
by
US
bank
liens.
G
The
liens
on
these
properties
are
between
18
to
20
million,
with
a
total
debt
to
the
city
of
41
million
and
to
clarify
the
actual
principle.
Balance
on
the
liens
is
the
eight
between
18
and
20
million,
and
the
total
41
million
includes
all
the
penalties
and
interests
that
have
accrued
since
then.
So
approximately
half
of
the
potential
clients
who
reach
out
to
the
Law
Center
for
help
in
preserving
a
garden
manage
lots
burdened
by
a
US
bank
lien
the
problems
associated
with
the
US
bank,
lien
on
a
garden
parcel
manifested
a
number
of
ways.
G
The
Law
Center
regularly
receives
requests
from
for
help
from
gardeners
threatened
with
losing
parcels
to
sheriff
sale.
In
the
absence
of
US
bank
lien,
removing
a
parcel
from
the
sheriff
sale
necessitates,
sheriff,
sale,
lists
and
assessor
types
of
phone
calls
to
the
appropriate
council
person's
office
and
a
subsequent
conversation
with
the
Philadelphia
land
bank
about
acquisition
of
the
parcel
and
eventual
disposition
to
the
gardener.
However,
more
often
than
not,
we
learned
that
the
parcels
were
part
of
the
large-scale
securitization
of
1997.
G
In
these
instances,
even
with
council
support,
there
is
little
that
can
be
done
to
save
the
garden
as
growers
are
often
unable
to
pay
the
lien
and
the
exorbitant
fees
that
accompany
it.
This
usually
leads
to
a
developer.
Purchasing
the
property
and
replacing
the
garden
with
luxury
housing
units
out
of
the
reach
of
the
existing
community.
This
dynamic
ultimately
contributes
to
a
sharp
increase
in
property
taxes
and
displacement
of
long
term
lower-income
residents.
G
One
said
one
said
sorry,
one
such
garden
was
lost
to
it
to
a
developer
because
of
a
us
man
claim
the
garden
had
been
tended
by
an
elderly
resident
who
used
the
produce
from
the
garden
to
feed
himself.
He
had
previously
reached
out
to
the
city
inquiring
about
a
title
transfer.
However,
the
presence
of
the
US
bank
lien
made
this
impossible.
Eventually,
a
developer
purchased
the
garden
ed
sheriff
cell
and
plans
to
replace
it
with
the
luxury
condominium.
G
Us
bank
liens
even
make
it
difficult
for
low-income
gardeners
to
use
the
law
as
a
means
to
preserve
their
gardens
because
of
the
increase
in
Gardens
being
lost
to
sheriff,
sell
the
loss
in
a
developer
training
program
to
teach
other
attorneys
throughout
the
city,
how
to
represent
gardens
since
April
2018.
We
have
held
six
of
these
training
programs
with
one
more
scheduled
for
this
year,
December
5th
to
be
exact,
and
we
have
recruited
over
100
attorneys
interested
in
assisting
with
our
mission.
G
However,
often
large
law
firms
represented
represented
on
our
list
of
volunteers,
have
conflicts
of
interest
and
cannot
represent
clients
on
parcels
with
US
bank
liens.
Another
garden
was
nearly
lost
at
sheriff's
Ella
after
US
bank
attempted
to
collect
on
its
Ling.
The
parcel
was
home
to
a
community
memorial
garden
formed
after
a
gas
explosion,
destroyed
four
houses
and
killed
at
least
two
people
in
1973.
The
sheriff
sale
process
was
postponed.
However,
the
land
bank
was
unable
to
acquire
the
parcel
parcel
for
disposition
to
the
gardener's
due
to
the
US
bank
lien.
G
Moreover,
the
US
bank
lien
made
it
impossible
for
the
garden
to
sue
secured
legal
counsel,
ultimately
unable
to
reach
an
agreement
with
US
bank.
The
gardeners
resorted
to
a
crowdfunding
campaign
in
order
to
clear
the
lien
and
obtain
an
attorney.
The
presence
of
US
bank
lien
significantly
impairs
the
ability
of
the
land
bank
to
put
vacant
land
back
into
productive
reuse.
As
such
long
abandoned
parcels
remain
overgrown
littered
with
trash
drug
paraphernalia
and
other
debris.
G
Abandoned
tax
delinquent
properties
create
a
vicious
cycle
of
blight
in
urban
areas
throughout
the
Commonwealth,
with
approximately
43,000
vacant
lots,
the
problem
is
particularly
acute
in
Philadelphia,
the
majority
of
vacant
land
in
Philadelphia
is
clustered
in
council
districts,
3
5,
&
7.
These
districts
also
have
the
highest
poverty
rates
in
the
city
on
average,
over
300,000
philadelphians
live
on
blocks
with
one
or
more
abandoned
houses
or
parcels.
G
This
large
inventory
of
vacant
land
not
only
decreases
the
value
of
neighboring
neighboring
properties,
but
burdens
residents
and
local
government
as
vacant
properties,
create
significant
health
and
safety
issues,
so
solutions
to
mitigate
the
inevitable
and
continued
gentrification
displacement
and
loss
of
green
space
facilitated
by
the
presence
of
US
bank
liens.
The
city
must
develop
a
short-term
and
long-term
strategy
as
the
first
step
of
the
short
term
policy
or
strategy.
The
city
must
place
a
moratorium
on
thinning
garden
parcels
to
sheriff
sell
until
it
can
ensure
that
it
has
acquire
those
parcels.
G
If
the
US
Bank
liens
are
present,
this
will
prevent
the
gardens
from
being
lost
to
developers
while
the
city
develops
a
longer-term
solution.
Secondly,
we
encourage
the
city
to
pass
legislation:
author
authorizing
the
land
bank
to
acquire
parcels
with
US
bank
liens
reom
powering
them
to
work
towards
putting
vacant
blighted
properties
back
into
productive
reuse.
G
Finally,
for
gardens
to
be
a
for
Gardens
able
to
pay
a
portion
of
the
US
bank
liens,
the
city
must
negotiate
an
easily
navigable
accessible
system
that
eliminates
penalties
and
allows
individuals
to
enter
into
payment
arrangements
for
the
principal
balance
for
the
long
term
salad
strategy,
the
city
must
allocate
funds
to
pay
off
the
US
bank
liens
in
their
entirety.
The
estimated
total
cost
to
the
city
to
pay
off
the
US
bank
lien
balances
41
million
dollars.
However,
the
city
could
likely
negotiate
a
reduction
in
penalties
with
the
lien
holder.
G
Finally,
the
city
must
commit
to
developing
an
equitable
property
tax
collection
collection
system
that
does
not
include
securitizing
land
containing
community
green
space
or
real
property
that
threatens
Philadelphia's
most
vulnerable
residents.
The
law
center
looks
forward
to
continuing
the
conversation
around
eliminating
US
bank
liens
on
the
city's
vacant
land.
We
are
happy
to
engage
and
work
through
solutions,
and
thank
you
for
listening.
Thank.
A
K
K
G
K
We
don't
know
that
we
can
look
that
up
through
I,
guess
Opa,
which
is
the
own.
It's
not
accurate,
of
course,
was
simply
source.
We
have
just
to
figure
that
what
I'm
thinking
of
is,
does
it
make
sense
for
the
city
to
try
to
wipe
out
these
liens
pay
the
negotiation
of
whatever
it
is?
Maybe
it's
not
18
or
20,
maybe
it's
25,
but
not
41,
and
then
provide
the
community
gardens
and
then
figure
out
how
to
through
the
land
bank,
sell
the
balance
of
the
inventory
to
pay
for
the
whole
purchase.
I.
G
Think
that
makes
sense,
especially
considering
the
impact
that
this
loss
is
having
on
low-income
communities
and
communities
of
color
and
also
I,
didn't
really
mention.
But
this
the
this
inability
to
really
acquire
parcels
that
have
us
penguins
on
it
has
a
huge
impact
on
affordable
housing
as
well,
because
it
prohibits
the
land
bank
from
being
able
to
acquire
those
parcels
and
then
sort
of
broker
the
affordable
housing
deals.
K
I've
been
hearing
about
these
for
a
while,
so
I
think
the
city
is
gonna,
have
to
take
the
step
to
negotiate
this
and
take
them
over
and
then
figure
out
how
we
can
provide
Gardens.
Then
how
do
we
get
the
market
value
back
from
the
rest
of
the
properties?
Okay,
thank
you.
Thank
you
very
much.
I
do
have
another
question
on
the
Habitat
for
Humanity.
K
D
Did
and
so
and
before
I
want
to
say
that
we
are
the
banker,
the
caseworker,
the
developer,
the
construction,
and
so
we
are
everything.
So
our
current
all-in
cost
is
340
who
sticks
and
bricks
is
much
lower
than
man,
and
that
includes
you
know.
We
have
to
also
redevelop
the
street
and
stormwater
management.
So
there's
a
lot
in
there,
but
I
would
argue.
All
of
those
different
companies
in
in
the
market
ecosystem
would
be
more
expensive.
You're.
K
K
That's
tool
used
in
1981
rates
were
20%.
You
have
to
understand.
19
in
the
home
you
buy
today
for
200,000
has
the
same
payment
as
the
home
back
I'm.
Sorry,
the
homie
by
today
for
900,000
has
the
same
payment
that
1981
was
200,000
because
of
interest
rates,
so
the
power
of
interest
rates,
maybe
you
could
maneuver
to
get
that
rate
down
and
then
free
up
your
money.