►
Description
The Special Committee on Poverty Reduction and Prevention of the Council of the City of Philadelphia held a Public Hearing on Monday, November 18, 2019, at 4:00 PM, in The Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging, 642 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA. 19130, 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
A
So
we
took
this
meeting
outside
of
the
formal
halls
of
City,
Hall
and
city
council
chambers,
so
we
could
set
up
the
room
in
a
way
that
we
could
discuss
the
proposals
that
are
on
the
table
right
now
and
also
get
ideas
about
some
additional
or
new
proposals
and
an
AB
equality
conversation
to
take
back
and
absorb
and
continue
to
do
more
work
on.
So
we're
expecting
all
of
you
to
have
to
be
able
to
add
your
experiences
and
thoughts
as
we
go
through
this
process.
A
My
name
is
eva
Gladstein,
I'm,
deputy
managing
director
for
Health
and
Human
Services
and
I'm
honored.
To
be
one
of
the
four
co-chairs
of
this
City
Council
special
committee,
councilman,
dom,
has
joined
us
so
appreciate
his
interest,
and
you
know
coming
to
hear
what
you
have
to
say
and
learn
from
that
councilman
Murray,
quinones
Sanchez.
Unfortunately,
tonight
it'll
be
here
but
she's
represented
by
staff
as
well,
so
I
want
express
its
appreciation.
A
She's
provided
real
leadership
to
this
project,
and
certainly
council
president
Darrell
Clarke,
who
is
a
person
who
empowered
all
of
this
and
all
of
us
to
get
this
work
going,
and
it's
really
significant
work.
So
we
appreciate
that
in
case
you
haven't
noticed.
This
is,
although
we're
holding
this
meeting
in
the
auditorium
of
Philadelphia
Corporation
for
aging
is
this
will
be
recorded,
streamed.
There's
a
stenographer,
Angela
I
get
that
right,
we'll
be
recording,
so
we
will
have
all
of
the
information
captured
today
and
available
on
city
councils
website.
A
So
one
of
the
things
I
do
want
to
do
is
say
our
word
of
appreciation
to
the
corporation
for
aging
and
Ben.
Ellis
is
here
representing
that's
right,
good
to
give
us
such
a
beautiful
space
in
which
to
work
this
evening,
as
well
as
some
refreshments
to
keep
us
going
until
you
get
home
tonight.
So
refreshments
are
in
the
rear.
A
What
we
meant
by
a
social
safety
net,
which
is
not
the
easiest
thing
in
the
world
to
do
so.
I
want
to
share
what
our
definition
is,
so
that
that
can
help
guide
our
discussion
going
forward
to
this
evening.
So
here
you
go.
The
special
committee
on
poverty,
reduction
and
prevention
looks
to
improve
the
social
safety
net
to
safeguard
every
Philadelphians.
Access
to
health
care,
nutritious
food,
housing
and
basic
income
supports
the
social
safety
net.
A
Is
a
collection
of
services
and
supports
to
ensure
that
all
Philadelphia
Delphine's
are
healthy,
had
the
basic
building
blocks
for
economic
mobility
and
are
well
positioned
to
thrive
and
so
I
think,
unlike
the
other
subcommittees,
we're
looking
at
recommendations
and
proposals
that
can
improve
the
quality
of
life
for
Philadelphians,
particularly
those
with
very
low
or
no
income.
That
may
or
may
not
help
us
meet
the
overarching
goal
of
the
special
committee,
which
is
quite
ambitious,
which
is
to
help
a
hundred
thousand
individuals
in
Philadelphia
move
out
of
poverty
by
2024.
A
It's
a
very
ambitious
goal,
and
for
those
of
you
who
are
students
of
this,
the
way
the
federal
government
counts.
Poverty
is
based
upon
income,
so
it
doesn't
necessarily
take
into
account
other
kinds
of
supports
that
we
think
are
basic,
such
as
access
to
food,
healthcare,
housing,
etc.
But
this
subcommittee
is
definitely
looking
at
those
additional
supports
as
being
necessary
for
people
to
have
the
building
blocks
and
to
be
able
to
move
out
of
poverty
at
some
point,
hopefully
near
near
time
in
their
future
and
according
to
their
own
goals.
A
A
So,
thank
you
again
and
folks
have
on
this
subcommittee,
have
worked
really
hard
and
are
committed
and
are
committed
to
continuing
to
work
hard
to
kind
of
get
this
right.
So
what
we're
presenting
you
tonight
are
a
series
of
recommendations
that
will
kind
of
workshop
amongst
ourselves,
but
we
want
to
get
your
input
and
feedback
as
well
as
hearing
if
you
have
additional
ideas
for
four
other
proposals
around
strengthening
the
social
safety
net.
So
the
way
we're
going
to
work
the
agenda
is
we're.
Gonna
have
fairly
brief
presentations
on
three
different
groups
of
proposals.
A
The
first
is
called
removing
barriers
and
the
second
you'll
learn
what
that
is
in
a
minute.
The
second
is
about
growing
income,
and
the
third
is
on
benefits
access
when
those
presentations
are
done,
I'm
going
to
try
to
ask
you
to
hold
questions
unless
it's
for
clarification.
What
we're
going
to
do
is
you're
sitting
at
a
table
and
there's
a
card
on
the
tables
telling
you
which
of
those
sets
of
proposals,
we're
going
to
discuss
at
that
table
and
we're
gonna,
give
the
opportunity
for
discussion
with
a
facilitator
and
a
record
keeper
for
that.
A
Discussion
and
you'll
have
the
opportunity
to
go
to
two
tables
and
to
address
two
of
the
topics
this
evening
sake
and
have
a
full
discussion.
There's
a
table
in
the
rear
where,
if
you
want
to
present
some
new
ideas,
we'll
also
have
staff
there
so
that
that
you
can
present
those
ideas
for
us
to
bring
back
to
our
subcommittee
and
also
I.
Think
at
every
table.
There
are
sticky
notes
and
folks
can
feel
free
to
write
their
ideas,
sticky
notes
and
we'll
be
putting
them
up
on
some
newsprint
sheets
also
on
the
rear
wall.
A
So
we
can
take
that
back
and
process
that
again
set
cleared.
Everybody
will
be
keeping
time.
So
you
kind
of
know
when
the
discussion
is
starting
and
when
to
move
from
one
discussion
table
to
a
second
discussion
table.
Okay,
so
with
that
I'm
gonna
ask
Rachael,
Eisenberg
and
Sharon
Dietrich
to
reveal
to
you
what
we
mean
by
removing
barriers.
C
H
A
Using
the
federal
poverty
level
definition
which
one
could
debate
whether
or
not
that
is
fair,
because
it's
been
the
same
definition
for
decades
and
doesn't
cover
a
lot
of
situations,
including
what
the
costs
are
at
any
particular
area
or
other
benefits
that
might
be
available.
But
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia,
our
poverty
level
was
most
recently
determined
by
the
federal
government
to
be
twenty
four
point:
five
percent,
something
under
four
hundred
thousand
individuals
living
under
that
federal
poverty
level
and
for
a
family
of
four
it's
about
twenty
five
thousand
dollars,
plus
or
minus
I.
A
I
So
good
evening,
everyone
thank
you
to
subcommittee
members
for
having
me
to
speak
with
you
here
today.
My
name
is
Rachel
Eisenberg
and
I'm,
the
director
of
policy
and
planning
for
the
managing
directors,
office
of
criminal
justice
and
I'm
here
to
just
set
a
little
bit
of
context
around
the
relationship
between
the
criminal
justice
system
and
poverty
in
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
I
Support
is
growing
nationwide
around
criminal
justice
reform
and
reducing
mass
incarceration.
In
fact,
this
city
has
been
engaged
in
a
large-scale
collaborative
criminal
justice
reform
effort
since
2015
to
reduce
the
size
of
local
jail
population
by
50
percent
in
five
years
and
to
date,
we've
accomplished
or
we've
reduced
the
jail
population
by
40
percent
and
have
been
able
to
close
one
of
the
oldest
and
largest
jail
facilities
in
the
city.
I
So
that
was
an
incredible
undertaking
by
both
local
criminal
justice
agencies
and
community
members
to
jointly
reform
the
system
and
create
pathways
out
of
the
criminal
justice
system
from
the
earliest
instance,
and
so
we're
very
proud
of
that.
But
there's
still
a
lot
more
work
to
do,
and
so,
despite
the
progress
that
we've
made,
the
criminal
justice
system
continues
to
impact
far
too
many
people
and
in
ways
that
are
life-altering
and
long-lasting
nationally
one
in
three
individuals
in
this.
I
In
this
country
of
criminal
records,
and
here
in
Philadelphia,
there
are
35,000
people
on
local
probation
and
parole
and
25,000
people
that
are
admitted
to
our
jails
approximately
in
a
given
year.
The
collateral
consequences
of
criminal
records
and
incarceration
are
deeply
felt
by
individuals
and
communities
who
are
directly
impacted,
particularly
communities
of
color,
and
those
who
experience
poverty,
criminal
records,
put
up
barriers
to
employment,
education,
housing
and
other,
and
establishing
other
family
and
community
supports
incarceration
and
just
and
the
disconnection
that
results
from
that.
I
It's
only
exacerbates
those
barriers
and
and
a
vast
majority
of
people
in
the
criminal
justice
system
also
experience
poverty.
We
know
that
between
80
and
90%
of
the
people
charged
with
a
crime
in
Philadelphia,
either
a
court-appointed
counsel
or
public
defender,
meaning
that
they
don't
have
the
ability
to
afford
an
attorney
and
the
economic
impacts
of
the
system
itself
are
astounding
from
the
earliest
stages
of
the
criminal
justice
process.
I
So
we
are
working
hard
in
Philadelphia
to
ensure
that
justice
does
not
depend
on
people's
financial
situation,
but
there's
a
lot
more
to
do.
We
look
forward
to
working
collaboratively
and
other
stakeholders
to
ensure
that
the
justice
system
is
fair
and
equitable
for
everyone,
regardless
of
your
race,
ethnicity,
gender,
sexual
orientation
or
your
ability
to
pay.
D
D
We're
off
to
a
promising
start
so
I'm
with
the
employment
unit
at
community
legal
services,
where
we
serve
about
1,500
new
clients
a
year
and
of
that
1,500
new
clients.
A
thousand
of
them
come
in
about
help
with
their
criminal
records,
which
is
two
out
of
three
I
I,
think
a
really
remarkable
number
and
primarily
what
they're
looking
for
when
they
come
in
is
they
say:
I
want
to
get
my
record
expunged
and
it's
pretty
clear
why
they
want
that.
D
They
recognize
that
employers
of
background
screening,
housing
providers,
even
educational
institutions,
and
getting
away
from
your
record,
can
be
one
of
the
key
things
you
can
do
to
quickly
make
a
big
difference
in
your
life.
So
we
worked
on
a
law
called
clean
slate
that
has
gone
into
effect
over
the
last
year
and
it
basically
does
two
things.
The
primary
thing
that
I'll
be
talking
about
is
that
it
makes
it
possible
for
a
person
to
get
their
record.
D
Certain
records
cleared
even
without
having
to
find
a
lawyer
or
going
to
court,
but
instead
technology
in
possible
situations
seals
up
their
record
if
they're
eligible,
and
it
applies
to
non
convictions.
So
you
know
you
had
a
case:
it
was
dropped
or
you're
found
not
guilty.
It
applies
to
what
are
called
summary
convictions
below
a
misdemeanor
if
10
years
have
gone
by
and
you
have
paid
off
your
fines
and
costs.
D
And
finally,
it
applies
to
misdemeanor
convictions
if
10
years
have
gone
by
without
you
being
convicted
of
another
felony
or
misdemeanor,
and
your
fines
and
costs
are
paid
now
so
far.
This
has
been
an
extraordinarily
successful
law
as
far
as
it's
gone,
because
31
million
cases
are
on
their
way
to
being
sealed
automatically
without
a
person
needing
a
lawyer.
D
D
Okay,
thank
you,
but
as
good
as
it
is
with
31
million
cases.
Our
goal
at
CLS
is
to
make
this
as
broad
as
it
can
possibly
be,
because
that
is
the
beauty
of
this,
the
more
people
that
we
can
do
through
automation.
The
more
people
can
be
helped
by
this
and
there's
certain
things
that
are
a
problem
with
it
being
as
broadly
applicable
as
it
could
be.
D
The
first
is
the
process
only
works
when
there's
data
in
the
system,
and
unfortunately
many
cases
in
Philadelphia,
especially
the
old
cases
from
before
2006,
do
not
have
that
grade
in
it.
In
the
data,
it
doesn't
say,
was
it
a
misdemeanor?
Was
it
a
felony?
Was
it
a
second-degree,
misdemeanor
or
a
third-degree
misdemeanor,
and
that's
a
problem,
because
if
it
doesn't
say
that
you
can't
get
your
case
automatically
sealed?
D
Excuse
me
so
particularly
a
lot
of
drug
felonies
are
holding
people
back,
but
other
types
as
well-
and
we
are
kind
of
behind
the
rest
of
the
country
at
least
about
three-fifths
of
the
country
now
is
allowing
for
felonies
be
sealed.
Indeed,
Michigan
is
about
to
pass
one
of
these
clean
slate
laws
for
automatic
ceiling,
allowing
felonies
to
be
automatically
sealed,
but
we
don't
even
have
the
right
to
file
a
petition
to
get
such
a
case
seal,
so
a
recommendations
on
clean
slate
to
make
it
more
effective
or
the
following.
D
First
of
all,
we
would
like
to
see
the
courts
help
out
the
technology
by
putting
some
data
in
where
doesn't
already
exist,
so
those
misdemeanor
cases
can
be
automatically
sealed.
So
that
is
a
labor-intensive
thing.
Unfortunately,
and
some
support
financial
support
from
the
state
would
help,
but
we
would
like
to
see
the
Philadelphia
courts
which
are
interested
commit
that
they
will
try
to
get
as
many
grades
as
possible
in
so
minor
convictions
like
DUI
or
low-level
theft
or
prostitution.
Whatnot
that
go
back
10
years
are
automatically
sealed
and
those
people
can
move
forward.
D
The
second
thing
is,
we
want
to
see
the
barrier
of
clean
of
fines
and
costs
eliminated,
and
obviously
one
way
it
could
be
eliminated
is
if
we
could
eliminate
fines
and
costs,
and
you'll
hear
more
about
that,
and,
of
course
we
would
be
supportive
of
that.
But,
short
of
that,
we
would
like
to
support
a
bill
that
Jordan
Harris,
who
was
the
prime
sponsor
from
Philadelphia,
along
with
Senate
Senator
Anthony
Williams
for
clean
slate
Jordan
Harris
representative
Harris
has
a
House
bill
1540.
D
That
would
say
it's
only
a
few
Oh
restitution
that
you
would
be
prohibited
to
get
your
misdemeanor
or
summary.
Offense,
sealed
and
most
cases
honestly
do
not
involve
restitution,
so
that
would
greatly
increase
the
number
of
cases
sealed.
And
finally,
we
want
to
see
the
General
Assemblies
start
to
get
with
it
and
get
those
felony
convictions
eligible
to
be
sealed
as
well.
So
those
are
our
recommendations
on
clean
slate.
D
A
That's
what
we
mean
by
removing
barriers
and
and
again
that
was
kind
of
a
hint
of
some
of
the
other
recommendations
that
are
coming
so
thank
you,
Rachel
and
Sharon
and
again,
when
we
get
ready
for
small
group
discussions,
if
you're
interested
in
learning
more
and
providing
input
on
this
recommendation,
just
make
sure
you
go
to
one
of
the
tables
where
the
placard
says:
removing
barriers,
and
next
we
have
two
wills
who
are
presenting
together.
Will
gonzales
is
going
person
and
will
hall
from
CEO.
B
B
There's
numerous
studies
showing
the
value
of
both
the
federal
EITC
and
also
adding
on
to
that
state
and
local
a
ITC's.
You
know
these
EITC
s,
help
working
families
make
ends
meet,
it
keeps
families
working
and
they
reduce
poverty,
especially
among
children.
The
EITC
has
kept
more
children
living
above
the
poverty
line
than
any
other
tax
credit
program.
B
For
example,
in
Montgomery
County
Maryland,
a
local
vit
C
decreased
the
probability
of
low
birth
weight
babies
by
between
one
point,
nine
percent
to
two
point:
four
percent
points
among
likely
eligible
mothers
having
a
state
talking
about
Pennsylvania,
State,
EW
I,
see,
is
not
crazy.
Twenty-Nine
states,
plus
the
District
of
Columbia
and
Puerto
Rico,
have
their
own
version
of
the
federal
Earned
Income
Tax
Credit.
Let
me
first
start
because
I
know
that
they're
recording
this
and
the
acronym
AITC
is
already
being
used
in
Pennsylvania
for
something
else.
B
Another
tax
credit
program
believe
it
or
not,
but
this
particular
AITC
is
used
to
give
tax
breaks
to
businesses
who
make
qualified
donations
to
scholarship
educational
improvement
and
kindergarten
scholarships.
So
when
I
talk
about
the
EITC
in
Pennsylvania,
I'm,
really
meaning
their
Earned
Income
Tax
Credit
know
the
reason
why
it's
important
to
have
a
state
Earned
Income,
Tax
Credit,
is
that
in
Pennsylvania
we
have
a
significantly
regressive
tax
system.
G
B
That
is
not
helpful
to
those
who
pay
little
tax,
including
the
lowest
income
working
families
and
many
of
those
who
are
just
entering
the
workforce.
A
state
ITC
is
not
that
costly
to
provide
its
own
credit
Pennsylvania
would
only
need
to
add
one
line
item
to
its
tax
form.
The
calculations
are
straightforward.
Most
state
Earned,
Income,
Tax
Credit
programs
are
said
as
a
percentage
of
the
federal
income
tax
credit
program.
B
Pennsylvania
is
ready
to
have
a
state
di
T
C
in
2009,
the
General
Assembly's
joint
state
government,
Commission
researched
the
subject,
put
out
a
study
and
said
that
it
could
provide
an
additional
10%
of
the
federal
and
in
earned
income
tax
credit
at
a
cost
to
the
Commonwealth
of
a
hundred
and
forty
four
million
dollars
states
with
sate
earned
income.
Tax
credits
have
very
low
administrative
costs.
Typically
less
than
1%
Philadelphia
is
also
ready.
Thanks
to
councilman,
DOM
and
Councilman,
my
react
and
Johnny
Sanchez
to
have
a
Philly
local
di
TC.
B
There's
a
bill
currently
in
City,
Council
and
I
hope
you
can
support
that.
I,
don't
know
if
I
can
do
advocacy
here,
but
anyway
and
there's
a
bill
currently
at
City
Council.
That
is
asking
to
put
into
effect
a
local
Earned,
Income
Tax
Credit
philadelphians
need
both
a
state
and
a
local
AITC.
People
who
live
in
Philadelphia
bear
the
highest
tax
burden
of
any
metro
area
in
the
US
18
percent.
B
If
we're
committed
to
equitable
development,
then
we
have
to
encourage
workers
to
live
in
the
city.
At
the
same
time
that
we
seek
to
encourage
corporations
to
come
to
Philadelphia
their
local,
a
ITC
and
a
state.
A
ITC
are
good
investments,
they
incentivize
low-income
individuals
to
work
and
they
have
a
multiplier
effect
for
every
dollar.
In
EITC
or
tax
refunds
that
someone
gets.
B
F
Good
evening
my
name
is
Wil
hall
I'm
with
the
office
of
community
empowerment
and
opportunity.
I'm,
our
director
of
financial
inclusion
and
I
want
to
talk
a
little
bit
about
what
the
effects
of
some
of
the
proposals
around
grown
income
would
be
for
the
clients
that
our
services
work
with.
So
one
of
the
things
that
I
do
in
my
role
is
administer
our
financial
empowerment
centers,
which
offer
free,
one-on-one
counseling
to
primarily
low
and
moderate-income
Philadelphians.
F
A
lot
of
the
folks
who
come
in
come
in
at
a
place
of
crisis,
basically
utility
shutoff
or
an
eviction
notice,
or
something
like
that,
and
one
of
the
first
things
once
we've
dealt
with
the
immediate
threat,
is
work
with
a
client
to
put
together
a
crisis
budget.
This
is
a
budget
that
meets
their
most
basic
needs
and
it's
balanced
month-to-month.
F
Unfortunately,
a
lot
of
the
clients
who
come
in
don't
have
sufficient
income
to
even
put
together
a
crisis
budget.
The
model
is
supposed
to
grow
folks
from
there
to
financial
security,
to
ask
that
accumulation,
but
without
sufficient
income.
We
can't
do
that
initial
crisis
budgets.
So
one
of
the
recommendations
from
the
committee
is
an
increase
in
TANF
for
a
family
of
three.
The
proposed
increase
would
phase
in
from
four
hundred
and
three
dollars
a
month
up
to
over
eight
hundred
eighty
dollars
a
month
with
that
extra
four
hundred
and
eighty
dollars
a
month.
F
Our
counselors
can
work
with
low-income
individuals
to
put
together
a
crisis
budget
which
has
a
no
immediate
stress,
relieving
effects
and
also
greater
security
for
the
family,
but
also
the
long-term
effects
and
I
believe
the
recommendation
points
to
research
around
the
effect
it
has
on
children
as
they're
going
to
school
to
not
be
dealing
with
the
most.
You
know
awful
parts
of
living
in
poverty.
F
We'll
talked
a
lot
about
the
the
EITC
proposals
gave
another
snapshot
for
that
family
of
four
making
$32,000
who
comes
into
our
financial
empowerment
centers
through
these
EITC
proposals
would
see
a
tax
refund
of
a
little
over
a
thousand
dollars
a
year.
I
just
wanted
to
give
you
an
idea
like
what
our
counselors
can
help
folks
do
with
that
extra
money.
F
This
family
of
four
through
the
EITC
proposals,
would
have
$600
needed
every
year
to
match
that
or
I
had
more
than
match
that
money
that
the
state's
providing
to
help
that
family
grow
wealth.
So
that
college
isn't
just
an
idea,
but
is
a
actual
goal
for
the
two
children
living
in
this
family
I
used
to
be
a
bankruptcy
attorney.
F
When
you
go
through
bankruptcy,
the
IRS
calculates
how
much
you
need
for
basic
living
expenses
and
they
give
a
family
for
credit
of
about
five
hundred
and
sixteen
dollars
a
year
for
personal
care
and
services
and,
as
any
of
us
know
who
have
worked
with
folks
who
are
low
income.
Personal
care
services
is
one
of
the
first
things
to
go
when
you
can't
meet
your
basic
needs,
which
has
adverse
impacts
not
only
on
personal
well-being
but
also
job
prospects,
and
how
much
kids
attain
in
school
when
they're,
not
dressed
appropriately.
F
This
thousand
dollars
would
be
at
that
five
hundred
and
sixteen
dollar
need
that
same
IRS
means-testing
gives
a
family
of
four
two
hundred
and
sixty
dollar
allowance
for
out-of-pocket
medical
costs
every
month,
medical
costs
that
are
often
foregone
and
lead
to
much
higher
cost
future
medical
problems.
The
thousand
dollars
credit
would
cover
at
least
four
of
those
months
for
this
family
of
four.
F
These
are
just
some
of
the
things
that
our
counselors
weren't
into
and
helping
folks
put
together
budgets
as
they
come
in
and
why
any
of
them
would
be
very
supportive
of
the
EITC
and
the
tan
of
recommendations.
Thank
you
to
the
committee
for
the
opportunity
to
talk
about
this
and
I'll
turn
it
back
over
to
Eva.
H
Early
on,
as
we
developed
our
strategic
approach
to
addressing
poverty
in
Philadelphia,
we
made
a
determination
that
a
new
programs
and
policies
were
needed
to
ensure
that
every
eligible
Philadelphia
was
able
to
easily
apply
for
and
receive
all
the
public
benefits
to
which
they
were
entitled
by
public
benefit.
We
mean
familiar
programs
such
as
a
supplemental
nutritional
assistance
program
known
as
snap
or
food
stamps
cash
assistance,
programs
such
as
TANF
Temporary,
Assistance
for
Needy,
Families,
LIHEAP,
low-income
Home,
Energy,
Assistance,
Program
Medicaid
and
many
others.
H
Why
do
some
eligible
households
neglect
access
available
for
public
benefit
programs
and
resources?
Well,
we
understand,
first
and
foremost
that
there
is
a
lack
of
awareness.
There
are
thousands
of
people
in
the
city
who
are
eligible
for
certain
public
benefits,
who
don't
even
know
that
they're
eligible
seniors
or
people
with
limited
English
proficiency
and
students
are
examples
of
populations
who
are
often
unaware
of
existing
benefits
that
they
qualify
for.
H
Secondly,
complexity
of
the
application
process:
they're
also
thousands
of
people
in
Philadelphia
who
know
about
public
benefits
but
face
difficulty,
navigating
complex
applications
and
recertification
processes.
They
wind
up
getting
discouraged
because
of
their
application,
gets
read
repeatedly
rejected
or
have
their
case
closed
simply
because
a
form
they
attempted
submit
didn't
go
through
and
they
have
to
start
the
whole
process
over
again
from
the
beginning
of
amun,
a
phenomenon
known
the
benefits,
turn
oftentimes.
The
question
is
asked:
why
is
improving
access
to
public
benefits
so
important
to
addressing
poverty?
H
Well,
when
families
living
in
poverty
don't
have
access
to
public
benefits
that
they
are
eligible
for,
they
miss
out
on
much
needed
assistance
that
can
make
the
difference
between
having
heat
food
on
their
tables,
access
to
some
needed
medical
treatment
or
even
keeping
a
roof
over
their
head.
Why
is
the
office
begin
to
investigate
the
benefit
program?
Five
years
ago,
well
been
affiliated
trusts,
provide
streamlined
application
assistance
for
19
different,
publicly
funded
benefits.
H
They
do
that
through
a
network
of
coordinated
bid,
affiliate
centers
that
enable
residents
to
meet
in
person
with
enrollment
specialists
house
within
trusted,
neighborhood
organizations
and
provide
direct
one-on-one
assistance
with
the
applications
residents
who
prefer
to
start
the
process
by
phone,
can
access
the
hotline
and
go
through
a
step-by-step
intake
process
that
will
identify
all
the
programs
that
they
qualify
for
and
get
each
application
started.
Since
the
launch
of
Bill
affinity,
our
agency
has
provided
assistance
to
more
than
50,000
applicants,
resulting
in
over
25,000,
confirmed,
enrollments
and
generating
benefits
valued
at
approximately
52
million
dollars.
H
With
all
that
success,
though,
there's
still
much
more
that's
needed
to
improve
benefits,
access
for
philadelphians,
living
below
or
near
the
poverty
line.
We
need
more
coordinated
access
across
agencies
that
serve
vulnerable
populations
to
ensure
that
nobody
falls
through
the
cracks.
We
also
need
to
identify
systemic
improvements
that
will
make
it
easier
for
applicants
to
confirm
and
document
their
eligibility
for
existing
programs
and
to
help
reduce
paperwork
required
to
further
streamline
the
process,
the
recommendations
of
the
safe,
so
the
stasi,
the
safety.
Let
me
try
it
again.
H
The
social
safety
net
subcommittee
that
focuses
on
benefit
access
are
designed
to
build
on
the
progress
that
we
made
through
benefit
and
similar
programs
by
taking
the
next
necessary
steps
to
eliminate
barriers
and
better
integrate
benefit
of
Ruhlman
activities
throughout
our
social
services
network.
Thank
you
for
taking
the
time
to.
E
Thank
You
Mitch
Pauline
Abernathy,
with
benefits
data
trust
and,
as
you
just
heard,
thanks
to
the
support
of
CEO,
the
state
private
funders
such
as
pew
the
United
Way
and
many
others.
It's
now
possible
for
people
to
go
to
organizations
around
the
set
city,
25
different
places
and
get
assistance
being
screened
and
applying
for
benefits
all
in
one
place
rather
than
having
to
fill
out
multiple
applications,
or
they
can
simply
call
the
hotline
that
benefits
data.
E
Trust
runs
it's
a
free
hotline
that,
where
you
can
do
the
entire
screening
and
application
over
the
phone,
whichever
people
prefer.
Our
partners
in
this
effort
are
Catholic
social
services
campaign
for
working
families,
Esperanza
impacts,
social
services,
corporation
Pasi,
Philadelphia,
fight
project,
home
CMAC,
use
of
United
communities,
southeast
Philadelphia
and
others
are
places
where
you
can
go
in
person
and
get
screened
and
assistance
applying
since
benefit
first
started
in
2008
over
a
hundred
and
ten
thousand
philadelphians
have
been
enrolled
in
benefits
worth
over
three
hundred
and
thirty
million
dollars.
E
The
first
is
to
expand
the
number
of
locations
where
people
can
get
screened
and
assistance
applying
for
benefits
in
a
streamlined
way.
Where
again,
currently,
you
can
get
screened
for
up
to
19
benefits
at
a
time
and
your
answers
get
go
into
the
application,
so
you
don't
have
to
keep
providing
the
same
information
19
times.
It's
just
one
set
of
questions
and
it
fills
them
out
automatically.
It
submits
the
applications.
The
people
in
the
battle
families
centers
or
on
the
hotline
can
help
you
if
provide
documents.
E
If
documents
are
needed
to
dock
to
support
your
application,
which
sometimes
is
the
case,
so
we
have
a
tool
called
community
prism
that
we
provide
to
organizations
and
it's
currently
in
these
25
locations,
including
health,
centers,
community
schools
and
nonprofits,
where
people,
volunteers
or
social
workers
can
actually
help
screen
people.
We
have
a
separate
tool
called
benefits,
launch
where
people
can
do
a
quick
screen
themselves
in
less
than
ten
months.
E
Ten
minutes,
one
can
just
tell
whether
you're
likely
eligible
for
up
to
19
benefits,
and
then
it
directs
you
to
where
you
can
get
assistance
applying.
If
you
want
assistance
so
either
to
the
online
application
sites
or
to
an
in-person
look
or
to
the
hotline,
and
then
we
can
follow
up
with
text
messages
to
help
help
you
along
the
way,
if
people
get
tripped
up
in
the
process
and
also
just
a
reminder
to
follow
through
on
the
next
step.
E
So
what
our
first
recommendation
is
to
provide
those
tools
to
more
locations,
in
addition,
is
to
help
support
the
financial
empowerment
centers
that
you
just
heard
we'll
talk
about
so
that
they're
available
free
one-on-one
financial
counseling
is
available
in
more
locations
around
the
city.
Our
second
recommendation
has
to
do
with
providing
proactive,
targeted
outreach.
Many
people
don't
apply
for
benefits
because
they
either
don't
know
they
exist,
or
they
don't
know
they're
eligible,
and
so
what
we
have
benefits
data
trust
has
been
have
been
doing
for
years.
E
E
We
contact
every
participant
in
the
SNAP
program
to
remind
them
when
it's
time
to
renew
their
SNAP
application
and
that
we
provide
text
assistance
with
each
step
along
the
way,
and
so
something
similar
could
be
done
here,
either
by
us
or
by
others,
to
help
people
in
a
low-cost
way
make
sure
that
they
keep
the
benefits
once
they're
on
them
and
the
third
and
final
recommendation
is
for
the
city
funded
benefits,
of
which
there
are
many
to
help.
People
with
home
repairs,
property
taxes,
utility
bills
and
other
things
right
now.
E
Those
are
all
separate
applications,
often
a
paper
application,
and
to
instead
move
to
a
single
application
for
City
benefits
and
really
move
as
much
as
we
can
towards
automatic
enrollment.
But
if
you're
in
one
benefit
that
you
can
get
enrolled
in
other
benefits
by
simply
providing
consent,
and
so
that's
a
place
where
more
work
needs
to
be
done.
But
we're
very
interested
in
the
city
is
very
interested
in
having
a
streamlined
single
application
and
portal,
and
so
I
need
to
identify
what
can
be
done.
Currently.
E
G
G
Doing
a
lot
of
great
work
and
I
want
to
fully
acknowledge
that
we
do
not
have
the
answer
for
everything,
but
we
thought
it
was
appropriate
that
members
of
council,
councilman,
DOM
and
other
individuals,
whatever
working
on
this
kind
of
be
the
conduit
to
move
the
needle
forward
in
terms
of
pulling
everybody
together,
we
do
have
the
ability
to
have
a
public
hearing.
We
do
have
access
to
media,
some
of
the
other
things
that
bring
things
to
the
forefront.
G
So
I
want
to
thank
all
of
you
so
much
for
what
you've
done
and
what
I
anticipate
you'll
be
doing.
Second
of
all,
I
want
to
thank
the
individuals,
our
co-chairs
Eva
council,
one
week,
Illness
Sanchez
Mel
wells
and
Charmaine
Matlock
Turner
for
the
great
work
in
our
subcommittee
chairs.
I
know.
Councilman
tom
is
on
one
of
the
subcommittee's
for
all
the
great
work
bottom
line
is
this
is
about
our
moonshot
and
we
called
it
that
because
it
was
a
documentary
on
a
long
time
ago.
G
People
say
well
we're
gonna
figure
out
how
to
go
to
the
moon
back
in
the
old
days.
Some
of
you
all
are
here:
weren't,
even
born
as
I
look
around
the
room
right,
but
the
simple
reality
is
everybody
thought
it
was
something
that
would
never
be
achieved,
but
everybody
pulled
together
said
we're
gonna,
do
this
and
believe
it
or
not.
We
made
it
to
the
moon
right,
so
we're
saying
that
we
can
take
this
below
20%
in
terms
of
the
poverty
rate
and
if
we
all
pull
together,
guess
what
we're
gonna
get
it
done
right.
G
So
I
just
want
to
say.
Thank
you.
Thank
you
for
your
support.
We're
going
to
do
everything
we
have
to
do
identify
in
this
particular
component
benefits.
We
can
get
250
million.
Put
that
insert
that
into
our
economy
on
a
local
level.
It
will
make
not
only
more
significant
measurable
impact
on
individuals
lives,
but
it
will
actually
make
an
impact
on
the
city
of
Philadelphia.
So
just
want
to
say
thank
you
all
continue
to
awesome
work.
Oh,
we
look
forward
to
working
with
you
long-term
basis.
Thank
you
all
right.
J
Good
evening,
everyone
I
also
want
to
echo
council
president
Clark
by
the
way
it's
looking.
This
is
council
presence,
Clark
mission
and
I'm
standing
with
him
100%
on
this.
To
get
this
poverty
down
to
20%
and
we
have
to
do
it.
We
have
four
years
I
think
he
gave
us
right
four
years
four
years.
So
let
me
just
say
a
few
things:
I
saw
Mitch
and
I
saw
Pauline,
and
will
thank
you
for
your
comments
too,
and
you'd
be
doing
a
great
job
that
benefits
data.
J
Trust
I
have
the
chart
because
I
carry
it
in
my
pocket.
Actually,
this
chart,
okay,
that
tells
us
there's
four
hundred
and
fifty
million
dollars.
Let
me
repeat
that
four
hundred
and
fifty
million
dollars
of
federal
money
that
doesn't
come
back
to
our
residence.
That's
our
number
one
goal.
We
should
probably
be
inserting
this
and
every
water
in
the
sewer
bill.
Every
real
estate
tax
bill
every
PGW,
every
electric
bill.
Every
way
we
can
to
get
the
word
out
this.
J
It
has
to
do
with
the
fact
that
of
the
top
50
cities
in
the
country,
sadly,
and
embarassingly
Philadelphia
taxes,
it's
lower
income
people,
the
highest
number
will
is
referring
to
is
for
a
$25,000
income.
We
tax
people
at
18.1%
in
almost
every
other
city,
it's
seven
to
fourteen,
so
the
bill
that
we
put
forth
basically
will
reimburse
wage
taxes
for
lower
income.
People
it'll
affect
sixty
thousand
households.
J
Potentially
ninety
to
a
hundred
thousand
people
average
refund
could
be
five
hundred
to
eight
hundred
dollars
today
in
2024
because
of
the
ability
for
the
panca
to
burn
off
and
could
go
up
to
$1,300.
So
it's
a
start,
it's
not
a
finish,
but
it's
a
start
and
we
need
to
improve
on
doing
more
like
that.
So
thank
you
for
your
everyone
being
here
and
thank
you
for
your
support
in
this.
This
is
the
most
important
goal
in
our
minds
and
council
to
get
this
accomplished.
Thank
you.
A
Okay,
so
I
know
the
room
is
a
little
warm
and
folks
have
been
sitting
for
an
hour.
So
now
is
your
opportunity
right.
We're
gonna
have
about
we're.
Gonna.
Give
you
the
opportunity
to
talk
for
about
20
minutes
around
the
set
of
proposals
that
you
heard,
removing
barriers
which
primarily
focused
around
criminal
justice
issues
right
growing
income,
which
we
heard
about
a
ITC
and
other
and
potentially
increasing
the
size
of
the
town
of
grant
just
as
reminders
and
then
benefits
access,
which
you
just
heard
about
each
table.
A
That's
great,
if
you're
not
move
to
a
table
that
you
want
to
be
at
we'll
give
you
about
20
minutes
and
we'll
have
somebody
at
the
table
who's
going
to
ask
you
some
key
questions
about
the
proposals
and
what
else
you'd
like
to
suggest
or
input
that
you
want
to
give
us
about
those
recommendations
and
then
we'll
call
time
and
give
the
ability
to
get
up
and
move
in
and
have
a
second
conversation
before
we
end
this
evening.
There
also
there's
a
table:
Mitch
raise
your
hand,
I
think
it's
that
is.
Am
I
right.
A
Where
Rob
is
sorry
that
table,
if
you
want
to
recommend
other
suggestions
and
other
proposals
for
this
committee
to
review,
we,
we
encourage
you
to
go
to
that
table.
Rob.
Is
there
because
he
already
has
one
such
proposal
that
he
stared
with
us
around
back
water
bills
for
Philadelphians
all
right
time
to
get
up
and
move
around
a
little
bit
and
choose
a
table.
You
want
to
be
at.
A
Thank
you.
Everybody,
the
the
level
of
conversation
that
energy
in
the
room
has
been
really
high,
I
think
we're
gonna.
Do
a
really
really
quick
report
out
kind
of
rapid,
lightning
speed.
I
know
it's
warm
in
the
room
just
like
one
idea
that
was
discussed
at
each
table
and
Carolyn
since
you're.
Looking
at
me,
I'll
ask
about
your
table
first
and
we'll
just
go
around.
F
C
So
I
just
want
to
quickly
read
to
and
it'll
be
really
short.
They
both
have
to
do
with
process
and
how
we
move
forward
once
this
meeting
ends.
The
first
was
to
create
an
inclusive
process
to
continue
to
allow
members
of
the
public
to
offer
feedback
on
this
rec
on
these
recommendations,
so
that
this
isn't
just
a
one-shot.
You
know
opportunity
to
have
conversations
and
also
to
have
more
planning
and
communication
at
the
grassroots
level
and
in
particular,
to
engage
networks
of
trust.
C
A
D
D
We
discussed
ways
to
eliminate
court
fines
and
costs,
and
why
it's
so
important
that
people
get
threatening
letters
telling
them
hey
lots
of
money
in
30
days
or
you're
going
to
go
back
to
jail,
although
that
was
not
Philadelphia
County,
but
that
certainly
happens
to
Philadelphians
who've
been
in
other
places
and
some
of
the
ideas
that
we
talked
about
were
community
service
and
not
as
an
alternative
to
having
to
pay
money
that
you
don't
have
amnesty,
potentially
for
back
fines
and
costs
and
educating
the
state
legislature
on
these
issues.
Great.
C
I'm
with
the
Pennsylvania
Health
Access
Network,
and
we
combine
tables
for
the
second
one,
so
I'll
I'll
go
over
our
first
and
second
idea,
and
then
one
of
you
can
talk
about
your
first
ideas.
So
we
were
at
the
growing
income
table
and
we
had
a
very
high
agreement.
A
high
level
of
agreement
on
that
people
need
more
income
which
is
kind
of
an
obvious
statement
to
have.
But
it
was
worth
saying
anyway.
So
we
talked
about
how
to
maybe
increase
TANF.
C
We
talked
about
bringing
a
general
assistance,
prototype
program
or
a
universal
basic
income
and
we're
putting
that
back
on
the
table
to
increase
the
amount
of
income
that
folks
have
in
Pennsylvania
in
Philadelphia,
whether
or
not
they
are
at
a
certain
percentage
of
the
poverty
level.
And
then
we
also
talked
about
an
idea:
that's
advocacy
a
little
bit
at
the
federal
level,
but
could
also
be
brought
to
the
state
or
local
level.
The
American
families
Act,
which
is
somewhat
like
an
e
ITC
type
program.
C
K
K
Element
is
to
have
more
money,
but
we
need
to
really
educate
and
think
about
ways
to
really
increase.
What
we're
receiving
for
individuals
who
are
definitely
in
need,
so
part
of
the
conversation,
was
what
if
we
had
different
savings
and
investment
accounts.
If
certain
tax
credits
like
2%
or
5%
of
that,
was
allocated
into
a
savings
and
invested
for
you-
and
you
could
take
it
out
at
say
when
an
individual
family
member
is
a
beneficiary
turns
18,
they
could
take
it
and
spend
it
on
college
or
certain
countries
in
Europe.
K
They
have
savings
and
investment
accounts
for
children
who
are
born
into
poverty
or
whatever.
That
may
look
like
they
allocate
2,000
its
invested
in
over
X
amount
of
years,
and
they
could
pull
it
and
use
it
for
a
secondary
education
or
whatever.
That
may
look
like
so
we're
being
more
proactive
about
how
we're
spending
and
educating
those
individuals
in
our
community
versus
just
giving
them
a
certain
tax
allotment.
So
that
was
part
of
our
conversation.
Great.
A
C
Kathy
Fisher
Coalition,
Against,
Hunger
and
I'm
gonna
echo,
the
other
group
mention
more
grass,
grassroots
and
individuals
with
lived.
Experience
should
be
involved
in
providing
comments
and
the
messaging
so
such
as
discussing
where
benefits
I'ts
could
be
located
near
transit
hubs,
the
challenges
to
even
affording
getting
a
birth
certificate
or
a
14
sep.
C
A
E
C
I'm
Christian
Romans
from
the
Pew
Charitable
Trusts
at
our
table.
We
actually
talked
about
removing
barriers,
and
then
we
talked
about
benefits
access,
so
we'll
do
one
on
each
removing
barriers.
We
in
general
talked
about
the
recommendations
as
being
positive
to
help
people
who
are
really
stuck
to
be
able
to
move
forward.
You
know
decreasing.
C
Fines
was
a
huge
need,
but
at
the
same
time
we
also
recognized
that
expungement
or
sealing
records
happens
after
10
years
without
a
conviction
and
to
get
people
to
10
years
is
a
really
big
deal,
so
the
need
for
work
while
still
incarcerated
and
transitioning
out
of
incarceration
to
really
to
make
these
meaningful.
We
gotta
do
something
for
those
10
years,
I
mean
I'm,
Francis,
Hess
I'm,
supporting
this
effort
through
the
managing
directors
office.
A
lot
of
the
things
that
were
mentioned
before
were
also
talked
about
here.
C
One
thing
that
was
interesting
was
really
the
emphasis
on
making
sure
that
the
information
is
where
people
already
congregate,
so,
whether
it
be
food
banks
or
where
people
get
clothing
or
other
services
that
they
know,
and
for
people
who
are
seniors
or
disabilities
even
doing
a
door-to-door
or
partnering
with
people
that
are
already
doing
these
services.
Great.
F
The
folks
at
our
table
are
not
here
anymore,
we're
really
supportive
of
the
clean
slate
and
the
finds
of
these
recommendations,
and
only
pointed
out
that
both
of
those
things
focus
on
post
incarceration
time
for
folks
and
some
more
things
that
are
free
and
preventive
or
expanded
diversion.
There
were
a
lot
of
things.
I
got
thrown
around
great.
A
Thank
you
so
has
every
table,
given
us
at
least
one
yeah
Kathleen
sing
up
anybody
else.
Okay,
so
I
just
really
want
to
thank
everybody,
because
this
was
really
great
work
and
there
was
a
lot
of
input.
It
sounds
like
there
were
some
themes
in
terms
of
our
process
for
still
forgetting
input,
making
sure
about
accessibility.
A
It
be
at
the
community
and
family
level
to
think
kind
of
more
upstream
right,
so
giving
people
information
about
their
rights
and
access
to
supports
and
services,
not
after
the
event,
but
during
and
before,
to
the
extent
that
we
can
and
a
lot
of
great
advocacy
ideas
for
the
at
least
the
state-level
things
that
we
can
control.
So
we
really
appreciate
that
I
just
want
to
speak
for
a
minute
about
next
steps
which
just
to
make
sure
everybody
is
aware.
A
So
we
have
been
on
camera
this
evening
and
on
tape
and
being
recorded,
which
means
a
number
of
other
people
are
going
to
be
able
to
see
this
and
hear
about
it
on
channel
64
and
I'm,
not
sure
with.
If
you
have
FiOS
what
it
is
right,
63,
something
like
that
so
I'm
not
quite
sure
but
will
probably
be
played
a
number
of
times-
I
know
that
they
often
do
that.
If
you
have
access
to
the
Internet,
it's
going
to
be
it's
on
City
Council's
website,
including,
like
the
actual
notes
and
that's
phila.gov/ready,.
A
'aa,
where
there
is
a
form
you
can
fill
in
with
as
much
information
as
you
want
to
share
if
you
have
additional
or
new
ideas,
so
that
there
is
an
ongoing
way
for
people
to
provide
input,
if
this
stimulated
your
thinking
or
you
want
to
talk
to
your
neighbor
or
family
member,
please
use
those
avenues.
In
addition,
there
will
be
a
final
hearing
of
the
big
committee,
which
is
a
composition
of
all
of
these
subcommittees
in
December.
A
Do
we
have
a
date
for
that
final
hearings
at
December,
10th,
not
sure
we're
still
thinking
through
when
that
final
hearing
will
be
so
it'll,
be
one
more
hearing
or
gathering
which
will
be
in
City
Hall
for
that
purpose.
In
terms
of
the
notes
that
we
have
this
evening,
we
have
notes
that
people
took
diligently
at
each
table
that
will
be
collecting
summarizing
and
we
will
be
making
those
available
as
well,
and
then
there
are
a
number
of
post-its
I
was
happy
to
see
about
new
ideas.
A
A
So
the
final
report
so
there'll
be
a
final
hearing
and
then
a
report
and
we're
anticipating
that
there
will
be
short,
medium
and
long
term
recommendations.
Some
will
be
around
city
council
legislation.
Some
may
be
about
funding
something
that's
great,
but
should
be
expanded
and
some
will
be
around
to
advocacy,
particularly
at
the
state
or
federal
level.
A
So
we
have
recommendations
that
fit
in
all
those
categories
and-
and
the
final
report
should
do
that-
the
final
report
I
know
this
is
a
little
frustrating,
because
people
also
had
great
ideas
about
education,
jobs
and
housing.
So
there
are
other
subcommittees
that
are
addressing
that
and
their
hearings
are
coming
down.
The
pike
one
is
on
November
25th
I'm,
forgetting
which
one
and
one
is
on
December
5th,
I
believe
Eric's
gonna
get
up
here
and
tell
us.
What's
what
so?
We
want
to
also
encourage
people
to
attend
those
so.
C
The
upcoming
hearings
for
the
housing
subcommittee-
the
hearing-
is
next
Monday
from
4
o'clock
to
7
o'clock,
that
is
at
Temple
School
of
Medicine,
which
that
3500
North
Broad
Street.
All
this
information
is
done
on
a
flyer
at
the
back,
which
we'll
make
sure
we
hand
out
as
we
leave
I,
was
being
held
up
right
now
in
the
middle
of
the
room,
that
is
the
housing
subcommittee
hearing
and
then
there's
a
hearing
on
jobs
and
education
strategies
to
reduce
and
prevent
poverty.
That
hearing
is
on
Thursday
December,
the
5th
from
4
to
6
p.m.
A
So
now,
I
just
want
everybody
to
give
themselves
a
round
of
applause
for
working
hard
and
to
the
subcommittee
members
and
the
staff
who
help
prepare
the
agenda,
facilitate
the
conversations
and
take
the
notes.
We
really
appreciate
all
of
that.
What
makes
for
a
smooth
running
meeting
so
I
didn't
do
that.
A
lot
of
other
people
did
that
so
I
want
them
to
get
credit
for
it,
and,
and
with
that,
thank
you,
but
make
sure
you
pick
up
materials
at
the
resource
table
before
you
walk
out.
If
you
haven't.
Thank
you
all.