2026-09-30 - Committee on Global Opportunities & Creative-Innovative Economy

00:00Hey. Hey. Hey. [music]

00:09[music]

00:17[music]

00:24[music]

00:30>> [music]

00:37[music]

01:10>> Will you please call the role to take

01:12attendance? Members that are in

01:14attendance will please indicate that you

01:15are present when your name is called.

01:19>> Council member Driscoll.

01:21>> Council member Herity.

01:24>> Council member Skilla.

01:27>> Council member Thomas.

01:30Vice Chair Ahmed

01:32>> present

01:33>> and chair or

01:35>> present. Thank you. I note for the

01:37record that a quorum of this committee

01:38is present and this hearing is called to

01:40order.

01:42>> This is the public hearing of the

01:44committee on global opportunities and

01:45the creative innovative economy

01:47regarding resolution number 2550879.

01:51Mr. Underwood, would you please read the

01:52title of the resolution? Resolution

01:55number 2550879

01:58authorizing the committee on global

02:00opportunities and the creative and

02:02innovative economy to create a cost of

02:04living task force and to hold hearings

02:06on the cost of living in Philadelphia in

02:09order to study conditions and advance

02:11recommendations that ensure Philadelphia

02:13is a city where all residents can afford

02:16to live and thrive.

02:17>> Before we begin, I'd like to say a few

02:18brief remarks about today's hearing.

02:21[sighs]

02:22I want to first begin by thanking

02:24everyone who is in the chamber today.

02:27Thank you very very much for joining us.

02:30I am very excited um to be having this

02:35particular conversation and uh at such a

02:39time as this

02:43before we get going. Get my technology

02:46acting right here. Cancel. I don't want

02:48you. Thank you very much.

02:50>> [sighs]

02:52>> All right.

03:00Okay. Well, it's not going to work. I

03:02wanted to share a few things. Oh, here

03:04we go. [sighs and gasps]

03:08Today begins the formal conversation

03:13on a report that helps mark out how we

03:16can create an affordable Philly and how

03:18we can create that right now. And I

03:22should add this is the first committee

03:24hearing that I've chaired on city

03:25council as I'm happy to be convening

03:28council's committee on the innovative

03:30economy for the first time since it was

03:32under the helm of council member David

03:34O. For that reason, I want to start with

03:37a few quick institutional notes and

03:39connect this committee to the report

03:41that it has gathered to discuss.

03:44So, thank you, Vice Chair Akmed, and the

03:47rest of the committee for putting on yet

03:48another hat as we serve the city that we

03:50love. When this committee was first

03:53created in the early 2010s, some may

03:56recall that it was oriented around

03:58making Philadelphia a quote globally

04:00competitive city, broadly defined. That

04:04work has pursued in a different several

04:07different ways in a few different ways.

04:09Most recently by convening the

04:10Philadelphia Music Industry Task Force.

04:12I know member Thomas remembers that work

04:15because he's carried it forward since

04:16they issued their report. And I want to

04:18thank you for that. Member Thomas uh had

04:20an opportunity to read through that

04:21report. A lot of good suggestions in

04:23there that I think will help uh

04:25Philadelphia lay claim to a title that I

04:27believe it rightly deserves, which is to

04:30be a music town. Through its relatively

04:34short history, it's also been a platform

04:35to discuss our hospitality industry, our

04:39schools, our tax system, our local

04:42economy at large. While it's hosted some

04:45interesting conversations, it's hard to

04:46say the committee has been a consistent

04:48part of the policymaking process in

04:50Philadelphia if we're being honest.

04:52Today, because of the global economy and

04:55the dire situation we're in nationally

04:58and consequently locally, it's my

05:01intention to shift that dynamic.

05:04Colleagues, I need your partnership to

05:07make that happen. The prior version of

05:09this committee revolved around corporate

05:11investment, fitting into global value

05:13chains, and making Philadelphia an

05:15international destination. I'll be

05:17honest and say none of the many

05:19organizations and institutional actors,

05:21private, public, even here on city

05:23council, particularly noticed the

05:25committee's absence when it came to that

05:27work. In my reflection on the meaning of

05:30the committee, I have spent more time

05:32focusing on a part of the committee's

05:34mandate that actually seems more in its

05:36merit, that is to consider all matters

05:40related to making Philadelphia a

05:42worldclass city as stated upon its

05:44creation. Because a Philadelphia with

05:47global opportunities and a creative

05:50economy is a Philadelphia that works for

05:53working people. People. A worldclass

05:56city is one whose prosperity is well

05:58spent serving all of its people with

06:01their different needs in mind. And in

06:04some seasons, worldclass cities show

06:06themselves by being bold in providing a

06:09protective hedge for its people. The

06:12broad impact of the ICE out legislation

06:14this body passed in is one clear example

06:17of that last dynamic at play. The

06:19support that swelled behind it. Support

06:21which swelled through hundreds of

06:24community defense trainings over the

06:25last year is an example of a worldclass

06:28city in action. As a council member in a

06:32major American city, I note how other

06:35cities navigate these times. I look to

06:38the city of Chicago and the honorable uh

06:41mayor Brandon Johnson and the leadership

06:44that that black man is leading over

06:45there in the city of Chicago. And though

06:47New York has long been a unique global

06:50nexus, you cannot deny the profound

06:52impact that its mayor, Mayor Zoran

06:54Mandani, has had in forming that

06:56protective hedge, if you will, when

06:59mixing it up with the president, as some

07:01reporters have noted his ability to do,

07:03or mixing moonshot municipal goals, with

07:06sewer socialism, as we're seeing the

07:09daily work of filling potholes and

07:11fixing parks that we colleagues, more

07:13specifically you district members, know

07:16all too much about right now. I think we

07:19also know that we need to form that

07:22protective hedge for Philadelphiaians.

07:25The signs are all around us. A foolish,

07:28costly war that the Trump administration

07:31started is stressing the seams of the

07:34world economy in a very tangible real

07:36way. In Philly, every other tenant you

07:39see pays at least a third of their

07:42income on housing. One in four

07:45homeowners, the other side of that coin,

07:47do the same, meeting the actual

07:50definition of unaffordable.

07:53The massive gamble that this country is

07:55taking on AI companies or or or on AI

07:58rather comes with the explicit promise

08:00by its creators to kill jobs to

08:04displaced workers. That essentially is

08:07the end of the bet they have to hold up

08:09to keep their promise to investors.

08:12Ironically,

08:13the engine behind why they want to green

08:16light building out the infrastructure is

08:18four jobs. See how that is a

08:20contradiction? And instead of trying to

08:22ease this storm, as they explained and

08:25they wrote in paper upon paper and told

08:27us that they would, those in charge in

08:30DC are wrecking carnage and havoc on our

08:34social safety net. the reforms coming

08:37from Medicaid and SNAP. You know,

08:39Medicaid, the the program that helps

08:42those who are disadvantaged get access

08:43to health care or SNAP, the federal

08:46program that allows and helps people buy

08:48their groceries that they're slashing

08:51with and under the guise of faith and

08:53and and and righteousness and justice.

08:56the the reforms coming out of that

08:58supposedly for instance act against

09:00those programs mission to care for and

09:03feed those who need help. At some point

09:06we must rediscover the moral charge to

09:09do that and to see the work that we do

09:11up here as

09:13a mission to care for and feed those who

09:16need help. This task force was given a

09:20specific focus on Philadelphia because

09:22we're in a moment where we must grow

09:24more nimble as municipalities. I've been

09:27saying this since Trump was reelected.

09:29We cannot keep waiting or at least we

09:31have to shift our attitude to recognize

09:33that it does us no benefit to wait until

09:35the government, the American government

09:37or the the government of the com of

09:39Commonwealth of Pennsylvania actually

09:41gets us what we need. We can no longer

09:43wait anymore for that. Not because

09:44everything can be accomplished locally.

09:46That's not what I'm saying. But because

09:48the sledgehammer that the feds are

09:50taking to the welfare state requires

09:52innovation to survive, much less thrive.

09:56So colleagues, please hear me when I say

09:59I want to partner with other offices.

10:02I've already started talking with uh our

10:04vice chair about opportunities around

10:06utilities. There are others, I'm sure,

10:07that have already been working on that

10:08front. I want to partner with our mayor,

10:10as we are want to say, on the proposals

10:12in the cost of living task force report.

10:14And I have some indications that there

10:16will be some good partnership

10:17opportunities there. It's why your teams

10:19were all consulted about this report in

10:21advance to see where the committee's

10:23priorities were on these issues. Why we

10:26invited you to an advanced briefing over

10:27the summer. We are very intentional

10:29about making sure that everyone gets a

10:31chance to look at this and and and get

10:33to a chance to bite at this apple

10:34because we need to we need to we need to

10:36advance these issues. I know for a fact

10:38that there are points of agreement in

10:40this report and I know we would do our

10:42city proud to act on them and to do that

10:46together. I believe that our

10:48constituents, our citizens want us to do

10:50exactly that because our city is

10:51watching how we navigate this

10:53affordability crisis and they want to

10:55see some action. Even when we didn't

10:57call it an affordability crisis and we

10:58just called it the price of living being

11:00too damn high, the people have wanted us

11:02to see us take some action on this

11:03front. This report doesn't exist in a

11:06vacuum. It aims to meet the city where

11:08it's at at a juncture where our local

11:11AFL CIO's workers over billionaires

11:13platform has called for a thriving

11:15public school system for a city where

11:17one job is enough and for people first

11:20development. Where the sunrise movement

11:22has asked us to look at our budget

11:24differently in the name of

11:25affordability. Where efforts to tax

11:28billionaires and fund PA advance in

11:30Harrisburg as efforts to save

11:32neighborhood restorations continue in

11:34West Philly. A city where Power

11:36Interfaith actually beat us to the punch

11:38and put out their affordability report

11:40just a few months ago. A city with a

11:43citywide tenant union that's ready to

11:45end rental ripoffs where the project to

11:49build beloved community is ongoing in

11:51word and deed and ideally it will be in

11:54law. And that's just campaigns backed by

11:57regular folks that I happen to know. Not

11:59even the industry backed visions for our

12:01city. the visions that people

12:03Philadelphiaians or not retain lobbyists

12:06to advance. You understand those are the

12:07funded lobbyed visions right? So in this

12:11fray, I hope this report can provide

12:13some clarity. Each of its chapters on

12:17housing, utilities, transit, food

12:20access, the care economy, that's

12:22reproductive healthcare, child care,

12:24senior care, share an analysis on a

12:27critical piece of our economy, and

12:29provide legislative and budgetary

12:31actions that we can take to address

12:33points of concern. And while I love me a

12:36moonshot, remember the first hearings I

12:38authorized for this committee are

12:39focused on guaranteed income. I love a

12:41moonshot, it felt important to ensure

12:44the proposals herein are only limited by

12:47political will, not by political

12:51possibility. So some of what I expect

12:54will cover, I want to assure you it's

12:56not without consideration of what's come

12:58before. Philly's music industry task

13:01force for instance recommended promoting

13:03local musicians in transportation hubs.

13:06Um uh it's uh it's an idea reflected in

13:09this report's transit chapter in this

13:12report. But now our focus is on the

13:16challenge ahead of us. So as I close let

13:19me thank the people who made this report

13:21possible. They couldn't all make it

13:22today. Some of them did. But for those

13:24who did, as I read your names into the

13:27record, with gratitude, might I add,

13:30could the members of our cost of living

13:31force please stand if you are in the

13:34building. Sister Mary Scullian,

13:36co-founder and former executive director

13:38of project home. Is she here?

13:42Focused on housing for us.

13:45President Arthur Steinberg of the

13:46Philadelphia Federation of Teachers kept

13:48the concerns of labor and young learners

13:49in mind as we drafted uh this particular

13:52program. if he's not in the room. He was

13:54just downstairs with us outside at the

13:56presser. Professor Leslie Richards,

13:58former Pennsylvania Secretary of

13:59Transportation and former CEO and

14:02general manager of SEPTA, assisted in

14:03the creation of our chapter on transit.

14:06You can be assured that there is

14:07competency deep within this report. Dr.

14:10Eva Gladstein, a city hall legend who

14:12served as inaugural director of the

14:14office of community empowerment and

14:16opportunity

14:17center poverty and prevention and

14:19housing. We're thankful to you. Dr. Tyra

14:22Bryant Stevens, professor of Perilman

14:25School of Medicine and founder of the

14:27community asthma prevention program at

14:29CHOP, shared her expertise in health

14:31care. Maryanne Frey, president and CEO

14:35of the maternity care coalition, brought

14:37her organization's [laughter] focus on

14:39child care and what healthy families

14:41need to the table. Dr. Nea or who if

14:44he's not in here now he was downstairs

14:45with us at the hearing I mean at the at

14:47the presser president and CEO of the

14:49Philadelphia Corporation for aging

14:50shared insight on our elders needs in

14:53this season super helpful insight Vicram

14:56Patel until recently the managing

14:58attorney there he is in the back

15:00of the community legal services energy

15:02unit leaned in and shared ideas for the

15:05utilities chapter that Dr. Ahmed and I

15:07will be talking a lot about and George

15:09Matik, executive director of the share

15:11food program, shared a framework for the

15:13chapter on food access. If he's not in

15:15here now, you've probably seen him

15:16around. He's everywhere. He was

15:17certainly down there with us at the

15:18presser. Thank you all as well as my

15:22team, the office of council member

15:23Nicholas Oor in all of its efforts for

15:25your service to the city of

15:26Philadelphia. Can we clap our hands for

15:28all of those that we just named and that

15:30contributed in that effort? Five

15:33Philadelphiaians. I also want to lift up

15:35Algra Dingle,

15:38Sonia Sanders,

15:41Melissa Mottz. Did Melissa make it

15:43today? Lane Caner,

15:46Sonia Eldridge. All right. They also

15:49shared their lived experience as

15:51constituents for our support and I thank

15:53them immensely. Now, I'm excited to dig

15:57into the details, but first I want to

16:00acknowledge the presence of the several

16:02other comm committee members that joined

16:04us. Uh, let's receive at this time and

16:06thank um council member Mark Spilla of

16:08the first council man district who is

16:10with us and also want to acknowledge

16:11council member Jim Herity at large

16:13council member who has joined us as

16:15well. Both members of the committee,

16:19I also want to acknowledge that they I'm

16:21thankful to them. This is my first uh uh

16:23hearing that I'm chairing uh the first

16:25time I'm chairing this committee. Uh and

16:27I I I asked everyone if they could show

16:29up about five minutes till so we could

16:31start on time. And here I carried myself

16:33in about 10 minutes late. So I want to

16:34apologize to them and thank them for

16:36their kindness uh looking out for me to

16:38make sure that we had quorum here to be

16:40able to have this very very important

16:41hearing. That having been said, I want

16:43to make sure that I allow some of our

16:45colleagues to to offer any remarks. And

16:47I want to first pass it over to the vice

16:49chair of the committee. Let's receive at

16:50this time Dr. Dr. Nina Akmed.

16:53>> Thank you so much. Um,

16:56thank you, Chair Oorc, and thank you to

16:59all the members of the task force. You

17:01mentioned them. Um, and several of them

17:04was that were there with us this morning

17:06at the press conference for this hard

17:08work for a whole year um to produce this

17:12uh report that we can read in one

17:14sitting, which is rare. So I want to

17:17really uh um tell you that this is

17:20making our life a little bit easier when

17:23we have something nicely collated with

17:26uh references and you know actual data

17:29in there. So I'm very much looking for I

17:31look glanced over it. Um but I'm very

17:34much looking forward to digging into it.

17:36Um I just wanted to um say why this

17:39report is so important. I chair the

17:42committee on public health and human

17:44services uh and affordability pol policy

17:48is health policy. Let's be really really

17:51clear that uh how uh financially uh we

17:56do in life impacts our health, our

17:59mental health, our physical health. We

18:01have so many uh social determinants of

18:03health and financial stability is

18:06definitely one of them. And as I said,

18:09um I I meant to say this morning that

18:11we're actually going to be doing a

18:13hearing on Medicaid. Uh because as you

18:15know that is uh we that is on the

18:17chopping that has been on the cho has

18:20been chopped. We're going to soon feel

18:22the impact of that and we need to know

18:25how to stand in that gap and we have to

18:27do what we can do locally. We have to

18:28work with our state partners because uh

18:31the evil one in the White House is not

18:34does not care for us. We we know this.

18:36So we have to care for ourselves and

18:38stand up. Um I also want to say the how

18:41this work impacts other things that we

18:43do. Uh I my office have been doing work

18:46on survivors of human trafficking and

18:50many of these are people who are waiting

18:52for their temporary visas for visas and

18:55we passed a bill to clarify that process

18:58and these people will be the first to

19:01lose their coverage right and we are

19:04going to have a city of people who are

19:07hurting on many levels. So we have to be

19:10expeditious in using this report and

19:13building on it to come up with actual

19:16solutions. It's it's great to you know

19:19talk and pontificate which we

19:22politicians like to do but more

19:24importantly we need to be

19:26solutionoriented and come up with

19:28specific things lowhanging fruit that we

19:30can do one to gain your faith because

19:33you know we talk a lot uh and what what

19:36is the work we do and I think it's

19:38important we work in partnership to

19:40actually produce things that have

19:43impact. I just want to end by saying you

19:46know we are a city a sixth largest city

19:49in this country in the most richest

19:52country in the world. We should not need

19:55this.

19:57It's criminal that we need this. While

20:01we're on this front having trouble

20:04eating and getting medical care, we also

20:08have things in the city that soothe our

20:10soul that uh you know music was

20:13mentioned. We also have a museum row

20:15where we have uh museums there and uh

20:20and we are about to shutter one we have

20:22shuttered one of them without any input

20:25from our public without any input from

20:28council who are the stewards of this

20:30city. We're working and that is directly

20:33connected to these issues of saying

20:36we're shuttering you arts. We're

20:38shuttering um you know the Museum,

20:41Academy of Natural Sciences. Our schools

20:44are suffering. We're shuttering schools.

20:47We need to do a reset because that does

20:50not look like a city that will be

20:53thriving in in in this next millennium.

20:56We all have to work and that starts with

20:59people being able to afford this city,

21:02right? So, thank you all for being here.

21:04I have to apologize. I have to step out

21:07and I'll be back again. Uh, but I just

21:09want to apologize publicly that that's

21:11why you'll see me. You know, people

21:13watch us and they say, "She wasn't

21:15there. She didn't do that." There's a

21:17reason why because there's a I'm going

21:19to a human trafficking uh uh prevention

21:22and awareness uh event that's going on

21:25uh outside of here. And I'll be back as

21:27soon as I'm done with that. So, I'll

21:28stay for a little bit more and then go.

21:30Thank you. [snorts] Thank you so much,

21:31everyone.

21:33We thank the vice chair for her

21:35leadership and her clarity on this

21:37matter. Um, [clears throat] having

21:39already checked in with my colleagues, I

21:41don't believe anybody else wants to

21:42provide any remarks, but uh, grateful

21:45for their presence and their

21:46attentiveness to these matters. Um, as

21:48many of us serve, all of us serve you

21:50all and serve at your pleasure. Um, Mr.

21:53Mr. Underwood, will you please call the

21:55first panel that we have to testify this

21:57afternoon on resolution 2550879.

22:03Vic Patel, Eva Gladstein, and Marian

22:06Frey.

22:09We invite all four of you or all three

22:11of you rather to approach

22:13the desk.

22:16As you are seated comfortably, please

22:18state your name for the record and then

22:21you may proceed with your testimony.

22:31Good morning, members. I'm Vic Mattel.

22:32Uh that's Vik Pel. Uh and I'm the former

22:37uh managing attorney of the energy unit

22:39at computer legal services.

22:44Oh, you want me to go? There we go.

22:47Um, well, good morning. Thank you all

22:49for uh allowing me to to testify here um

22:52at the Committee on Global Opportunities

22:54and Creative Economy. Uh, I was really

22:58honored last year, last October, to be

23:01um asked to be part of this task force.

23:03Uh, and so I'm going to start out

23:05talking a little bit about uh the the

23:07process that we went through to come up

23:08with this report. So, starting last

23:11October, um we had members uh of the

23:15community, experts in five different

23:18areas who were selected to to be on the

23:20task force. Uh housing, transit,

23:23utilities, food access, and the care

23:25economy. And it was incredibly important

23:28for us to have such a wide range of of

23:30expertise uh on the task force because

23:33you the issues that Philadelphiaians

23:34face are are myriad uh and we can't talk

23:38about any of these issues uh in a vacuum

23:40alone because they interact with each

23:42other. they compound upon each other and

23:44so the solutions that we need uh need to

23:48uh be informed by experts from many

23:51different backgrounds and expertise

23:54and that has culminated in this report

23:57in this uh from the task force uh which

24:00includes recommendations that we can all

24:02start working on now. Now, it was

24:06important for for for all of us to also

24:08have this be informed not just by

24:10experts working in the field, but by

24:12voices from the community who are

24:14actually affected by this on a daily

24:16basis. So, Council Member Aor's office

24:18had a series of community meetings in

24:19order to uh to meet with these members

24:21of the community and also met with all

24:24of the uh offices of all the members of

24:26the committee. Uh and then in March, as

24:29we'd been working on this uh on this

24:31report for for quite a while, had a

24:33number of meetings within um within the

24:35task force itself, we started to come up

24:37with our uh initial recommendations and

24:41presented that to the members of the

24:43committee uh and and uh council members

24:47um for what we were uh thinking about

24:51and developing.

24:54So taken all together, this has been

24:55about a year's process where we've had

24:58meeting after meeting uh to discuss

25:00these issues, meet with the community,

25:02meet with council members in order to

25:04come up with something that once again

25:05we can all take action on now and sort

25:09of underscore like the scale of this and

25:11and why this is so pressing. I I'll use

25:13an example from the area of expertise

25:15that I was brought in which is on

25:16utilities. In 2025, last year, Pico

25:21terminated electric service for

25:24125,000 households. I'm gonna say that

25:27again,

25:28125,000 households. and only 100,000 of

25:32them were able to restore service, which

25:34that means there are tens of thousands

25:37of Philadelphia families who are are

25:39going without electricity for for, you

25:42know, um for their food, uh for cooling

25:46in the summer, for heat in the winter,

25:49uh or for elderly members of our

25:51community who don't have the power or

25:53the electricity to to run their medical

25:55equipment. uh these are pressing issues

25:58that need to be uh need to be addressed

26:02now through uh the the recommendations

26:05that we have in the report.

26:08Now, as a member of the task force, uh,

26:11you know, we fully endorse the report

26:15today and we urge all the committee

26:17members to move with us with these

26:19recommendations, move forward and

26:22welcome any of the questions that you

26:24might have about the recommendations

26:26themselves. And

26:28we know that, you know, there are some

26:30bold bold recommendations in this

26:33report. Um, but we think it's it's

26:35important because right now is the time

26:37for bold recommendations. We don't have

26:39the luxury of moving slowly. Uh, our our

26:42neighbors, our family members are

26:44struggling every day. We have to act

26:46now.

26:48This report is just just the beginning,

26:50right? This is not the end. Uh we

26:53continue to uh we plan to continue

26:55working with council member work's

26:57office and any uh other council members

27:00who would be interested on bringing the

27:02ideas the recommendations of this uh of

27:05this this report to fruition. Uh and so

27:08we urge you all to to partner with us as

27:11a task force and with council member

27:13Aor's office in order to implement the

27:16re recommendations of this uh this

27:19report. Thank you.

27:28Thank you. Please state your name and

27:29begin with your testimony.

27:32Good morning. My name is Eva Gladstein

27:34and thank you coun chairman Oor and

27:37other members of the committee for the

27:38opportunity to testify today. Uh I'm a

27:42retired city employee. My last position

27:44was at first deputy managing director in

27:472023. During 25 years of working for the

27:50city, I've held a number of positions,

27:52including most relevant to this hearing,

27:55I was the first executive director of

27:57the Office of Community Empowerment and

27:58Opportunity from 2013 to 2016, and I was

28:03co-chair of city council's special

28:05committee on poverty reduction and

28:07prevention in 2020. Prior to joining the

28:10city, my career focused on low-income

28:12tenant organizing and housing policy. I

28:16was honored to be a member of the

28:17affordable Philly now cost of living

28:19task force convened by Councilman Oor

28:22and I'd like to share some thoughts

28:24about the recently released report.

28:26While not all of the recommendations are

28:28new, it was created based upon the input

28:30of experts from across the city,

28:33including individuals and community

28:34groups who are directly impacted by the

28:36affordability crisis. It's a concise

28:39vision of practicable and actionable

28:42policies that the city can act on today

28:45and we're here to help move that

28:46forward. As a city, as has been

28:49mentioned, we face numerous challenges

28:51with the federal government that's

28:53slashing resources, making it more

28:55difficult to access the remaining

28:57entitlement programs and benefits.

28:59Philadelphiaians are losing health care

29:01and nutrition benefits. Education and

29:03workforce development opportunities.

29:06Affordable housing and homelessness

29:08programs are under constant threat.

29:11Within this context, we must work

29:13together to protect and support our

29:14residents based on our analysis of the

29:17best practices that are available. We

29:19should be proud because as a city, we're

29:21leading the way with a number of

29:23innovative programs that help poor and

29:25working Philadelphiaians meet their

29:27basic needs. be it housing, utilities,

29:29or transit. Some of these include the

29:32zero fair program that provides free

29:34transit access to low-income residents.

29:37The tiered assistance program that

29:39provides an incomebased fixed monthly

29:42water bill for low-income residents. The

29:44right to counsel program that provides

29:46free leg legal assistance to low-income

29:49renters. And the eviction diversion

29:51program that provides mediation, dispute

29:53resolution, and financial assistance to

29:56help prevent evictions. Unfortunately,

29:59many of the programs I highlighted are

30:01either not permanently funded, they're

30:03only funded on a year-to-year basis, or

30:05they're pilots that are limited in their

30:07scope. So, we have many opportunities to

30:10improve upon these and to create others

30:12to fulfill remaining gaps to address

30:14cost of living concerns.

30:17As the federal government implements

30:19ever more cumbersome bureaucratic

30:21hurdles to accessing health care and

30:22nutrition, making application processes

30:25more frequent and difficult, we can

30:28simplify and ease the process to access

30:30city funding programs and grow those

30:33that are working well. I'm going to

30:35identify several tools that city council

30:37can use to implement these changes. The

30:40first is data integration to enable

30:42automatic program enrollment. Targeting

30:45funding to best needs that meet the

30:48needs of poor and working people.

30:50Creating new funding mechanisms and

30:52legislative fees to align program

30:54eligibility and level the playing field

30:57for nonprofit and affordable housing

30:59developers. The city's office of

31:02integrated data for evidence and action

31:04which is within the managing director's

31:06office can link client level data from

31:09various city programs to help inform

31:12program development. This is how the

31:14zero program uses existing city data to

31:18automatically enroll people. There's no

31:20application process for that program

31:22necessary. But the zero fair program is

31:25the only one of the programs they named

31:27that automatically selects and enrolls

31:29eligible individuals.

31:31This resource could be used to enable

31:34automatic enrollment in other city

31:35programs. We should ensure that the

31:38programs we offer are as accessible as

31:40possible and not limit their usage and

31:43expense by imposing bureaucratic hurdles

31:45that discourage their use. Sadly, the

31:48Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

31:50Commission has recently opposed such

31:52automated systems, but Philadelphia

31:55could lead the way on this. And

31:57unfortunately, despite the efficiency

31:59and efficacy of the Zero Fair program,

32:02it is currently funded only on a

32:04year-to-year basis, and may I say a

32:06struggle every year. A second tool,

32:09council's budget authority could ensure

32:11the enactment of a transit access fund

32:13like the housing trust fund that we've

32:15had for many years, which would

32:17guarantee continued funding and ease the

32:19worry for those who depend upon these

32:21programs.

32:24Other funding needs identified in the

32:26report focus on the need to permanently

32:27protect affordable housing that is

32:29scheduled to lose its subsidy in the

32:31coming years, such as neighborhood

32:33restorations. Providing capital for the

32:35Philadelphia Housing Authority to

32:37purchase such units, creating a quick

32:40strike fund to enable nonprofits to

32:42purchase such properties and compete

32:44with corporate buyers, and helping

32:46tenants form cooperatives to purchase

32:48these units. These are all ways to

32:51preserve our affordable housing supply.

32:54A fund, one of my favorite issues, a

32:56fund to cover air conditioning costs

32:58would also help support the

33:00affordability

33:01um of housing, the ability of

33:03Philadelphiaians to remain in their

33:04homes.

33:06Programs that are working need increased

33:08funding. Some of this can be achieved by

33:10targeting and prioritizing existing

33:12research resources such as the bond

33:15funds from the home program initiative

33:18to support housing opportunities for the

33:20lowest income residents, those earning

33:2220 to 40% of area median income.

33:26Other than zero program, our other

33:28programs often entail a burdensome

33:30application and approval process. One of

33:33the difficulties of creating a similar

33:35and elegant data process for enrolling

33:37in other city benefit programs,

33:39especially those related to payment of

33:41utilities, is that they have different

33:43income eligibility requirements and even

33:46different definitions of what income

33:48what constitutes income. City council

33:51could address some of these obstacles

33:53through legislative fixes to align

33:55program eligibility.

33:57As the Department of Licenses and

33:59Inspections pilots a proactive rental

34:01inspection program, city council can

34:04enact legislation to support this work

34:06and to reign in anonymous corporate

34:09purchases of our precious rental housing

34:11stock. I ask you to commit to taking a

34:14thoughtful look at the recommendations

34:16in the report, determine how to take

34:18immediate steps to implement the action

34:20items, and I look forward to seeing your

34:23progress as you work with us to

34:24implement the recommendations, the task

34:26force. Thank you.

34:31>> Thank you very much. Please state your

34:34name and begin your testimony.

34:35>> Sure. Good morning. My name is Maryanne

34:37Frey and I serve as the president and

34:39CEO for an organization called Maternity

34:41Care Coalition.

34:43So, good morning again, Council Member

34:47Oor and members of the committee on the

34:50innovative and creative economy. As I

34:53stated, my name is Maryanne and um I'm

34:56proud to serve on the cost of living

34:59task force and I'm here to make one

35:02point

35:03as well and as passionately as I and

35:07plainly as I can. Affordability

35:10policy is health policy.

35:15So for more than 45 years, MCC has

35:17walked ali alongside pregnant people,

35:20new parents, and young children. Each

35:22year, our home visitors, doulas, and

35:25early learning teachers serve about

35:275,000 families across southeast

35:30Pennsylvania and Delaware. We are with

35:33families in the most expensive and most

35:36vulnerable season of their lives. And

35:39what we see tells us this crisis is

35:43getting worse.

35:45Last year, when federal SNAP benefits

35:47lapsed, one mother told us, quote, "If I

35:51have to choose between feeding my baby

35:53and changing her diaper, I'm going to

35:56pick feeding.

35:58But why am I being forced to make that

36:01choice?"

36:03No parent should have to make that

36:05choice, but most or more of them are.

36:10Last year, MCC alone opened four

36:14community care kiosks and we distributed

36:1855,142

36:21diapers, wipes, formula, and other

36:25essentials. That was nearly double from

36:28the year before.

36:30When a when the need for baby supplies

36:33doubles in a single year, that's not a

36:36supply problem.

36:38That's an affordability problem.

36:41The pressures are stacking up. Rent is

36:45climbing faster than paychecks. And when

36:48rent takes up more or most of a family's

36:52income, other essentials get caught get

36:55cut. Groceries, a prescription, bus fair

36:58to a prenatal appointment. Parents need

37:01child care to work. But many can't work

37:06enough to afford it. In Philadelphia,

37:10child care can consume up to 22%

37:15of a family's income.

37:17And infant care in Pennsylvania costs

37:20nearly as much as a year in a public um

37:25university.

37:27Families who earn a little too much for

37:30a subsidy still can't afford it. And 42%

37:34of Philadelphiaians rely on Medicaid

37:38coverage that new federal requirements

37:41now put at risk.

37:44These tradeoffs have lasting

37:46consequences for a mother's health and a

37:49baby's development. Stress, missed

37:52opportun, excuse me, missed

37:54appointments, unstable housing, and poor

37:56nutrition shape birth outcomes. but long

38:00before anyone walks into a clinic. And

38:03that is why we say affordability policy

38:08is health policy. Now, I grew up the

38:12youngest of six watching my parents

38:15serve at a Philadelphia rescue mission

38:17just down the road.

38:20And you know, I know what community care

38:22can do and I know its limits.

38:26We can get diapers and formula to a

38:28family this week, today. What we c and

38:32we can help a mother enroll in Medicaid,

38:34find a child care seat,

38:37or navigate systems that were not built

38:39with her in mind. What we cannot do is

38:43lower the rent. We cannot set the price

38:47for child care. We can't raise wages and

38:51we can't stop coverage from being cut.

38:54When nonprofits are asked to manage the

38:57consequences, we treat symptoms year

39:01after year while the cause keeps

39:03growing.

39:05I believe families should not have to

39:07rely so heavily on nonprofits to provide

39:11for their basic needs. Lowering those

39:14costs is where the city can make a

39:17lasting difference.

39:20This report gives the city real tools to

39:23do that in the care economy. I urge you

39:28to start with just these three

39:30recommendations.

39:31First, authorize a Philadelphia baby

39:35benefit, a birth allowance for beginning

39:38year. New York State now provides a

39:41one-time $1,800 payment to families

39:44receiving cash assistance when a baby is

39:47born. And it does not count against SNAP

39:50or energy assistance. Parents know what

39:54their families need most, whether it's

39:57rent, diapers, or car repair. And this

40:00gives them the dignity to choose. It

40:03doesn't replace structural change. It's

40:06a bridge when families need it most.

40:10Second, make high quality child care

40:14more affordable and accessible for

40:17families. Families need child care that

40:20is not only affordable and high quality,

40:23but also available when and where they

40:26need it, including care that works for

40:29families with schedules outside the

40:32workday. We should expand the supply of

40:35child care options, reduce barriers for

40:38providers, and prioritize the kind of

40:41care that is hardest for families to

40:44find, including infant care and care

40:48with flexible hours. Third, protect

40:52families access to care, fund and expand

40:55our city health centers. FQC's are a

40:59lifeline for Philadelphia families who

41:02are uninsured or struggling to afford

41:04care. At a time when federal changes are

41:07putting Medicaid coverage at risk, we

41:10need trusted places people can turn

41:14before they fall through the cracks.

41:16Access to health care is economic

41:19security, especially for a pregnant

41:22woman who needs prenatal care or a

41:25parent who needs care before a health

41:28problem becomes a crisis.

41:30A mother can't take her baby to a child

41:33care program across town if she can't

41:35afford the bus fair or if she has

41:37nowhere to live. That's why these care

41:41solutions and the reports housing and

41:44transit recommendations must move

41:47forward together.

41:50Council member Ouror, thank you for

41:54leading this task force and for

41:57centering the experiences of of

41:59Philadelphia families. MCC stands ready

42:03to help turn these recommendations into

42:06action together.

42:12We can build a city where families don't

42:15just survive the cost of raising fam a

42:18child, they have what they need to

42:21thrive. I want to thank the other task

42:24members and I really appreciate this

42:26opportunity to serve. Thank you.

42:36It certainly is a public hearing, but

42:37applause is appropriate for all that we

42:39just heard for all of our panelists. And

42:41I thank you all sincerely for what you

42:43have shared. Um, I have a couple of

42:45questions and I do know that we have a

42:48very engaged committee uh that also has

42:50some questions as well. I'll get us

42:52started and then I will pass to my

42:53colleague, Council Member Jim Herity.

42:55And if there are some questions from

42:57Council Member Driscoll, we'll pass to

42:58him as well. For Dr. Dr. Evadstein, I

43:02appreciate you highlighting how

43:03burdensome the application process is

43:05for accessing many city programs. Um,

43:07and that you lifted up ZeroAIR as a

43:09program that automatically enrolls

43:10folks. In fact, as I was reading through

43:12the the finalized report, um, just the

43:15network and the web of confusion of uh

43:18that that we see that also contributes

43:20to uh uh the challenges as relates to

43:22accessing what is need needful and

43:24impacts the cost of living was something

43:25that stuck out to me. Can you speak more

43:27to what legislative fixes this body

43:30could provide to lower the barriers and

43:32application processes? It was very um

43:34like I said illuminating to kind of see

43:36just how common it was across issue uh

43:39that this was a thing. Um but yes, can

43:42you can you speak to that? What

43:42legislative fixes we could possibly put

43:44forward on that front?

43:45>> Sure. I mean, it's been a little while

43:47since I did this analysis, but the city

43:49has for homeowners,

43:52um, many tax relief provisions, um,

43:56which, you know, every year are promoted

43:58when we get our tax bills, but are under

44:01subscribed. And particularly we have

44:04utility assistance programs and I

44:06mentioned TAP which is the water

44:08department one. But when we w looked at

44:11um for example if somebody was eligible

44:14for TAP and enrolled in TAP could they

44:16enroll in the electric or the gas works

44:19um payment programs automatically? And

44:22the answer is no. And again a lot of

44:25these programs were created by city

44:27council through legislation. And so the

44:29legislation is identifying either 150%

44:32of federal poverty level or 200% of p

44:35federal poverty level as the um

44:38threshold, but they're not aligned. And

44:40then some of the legislation says what

44:42constitutes income and those are not

44:45aligned. And some of it city council um

44:48left the administration to make some of

44:51those finer points through regulation

44:53and could be changed actually through

44:55administrative actions through

44:56regulatory rule changes. So again, I

44:58haven't done that analysis in a few

45:00years, so I couldn't point to the

45:02specific programs, but if you looked at

45:04the um legislative um history and the

45:08authority that council provided for

45:11those income-based programs, you will

45:13see that um they have varied over time.

45:17And if they simply could be aligned,

45:19that would make you know make enrollment

45:22in one program um if not automatic much

45:25easier for enrollment in a secondary or

45:28tertiary program.

45:29>> Heard and thank you for that. And this

45:31is for um any of the three of you can

45:34answer this one. Some of you touched on

45:36this already in your testimony, but

45:38could could you talk more about the

45:39effects that federal funding cuts have

45:41on families in your area of expertise

45:43just in a general way? Any of you can

45:45just speak to that for a second?

45:47So, I would say that um at Maternity

45:49Care Coalition, the federal cuts that

45:53impact um people's access to child care,

45:57particularly we have an early Head Start

45:59program, and we've had to close our

46:02infant classroom because a we've had um

46:06you know, a shortage of teachers, the

46:09pay for the teachers. Now, those those

46:12outcomes are not necessarily we can't

46:14tie them exactly to federal cuts, but

46:17there's so much instability in the

46:19system that um what we really need is

46:24some stasis. We need to and growth. We

46:26need to make sure that there are ample

46:29um funds being paid for teachers to um

46:32take care of these children,

46:34particularly infants. And I would say um

46:38it's not really connected to cuts, but

46:41fa paid family leave is something that

46:44is so critical. And I'm probably

46:46deviating a little bit from the question

46:47that you asked, but I just want to

46:49emphasize that there is um a need for

46:54parents to be able to have choices once

46:57they've had a child. Those choices

47:00relate to having child care near them.

47:02And these don't all connect directly to

47:05cuts, but there has been choices that

47:07the administrations have made that have

47:09had a downstream negative effect on um

47:12the people that we serve. So something

47:14that we have to keep an eye out for.

47:16Others want to speak to that as well.

47:22>> Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I think one of the

47:23areas that we've definitely seen coming

47:25from the previous administration to our

47:27uh current uh presidential

47:29administration is um in how uh in in the

47:34funding that was that was uh you know

47:37coming on board to help with um

47:40weatherization, repairs,

47:42electrification. Um, one of the things

47:44that we see, especially in, you know,

47:46formerly redlined, um, formerly redlined

47:49areas of the city, is that they are, uh,

47:52right, they're they're they're least

47:53equipped to to deal with, um, to deal

47:56with hot weather, with cold weather. Um,

47:58but also, um, the the just the

48:01temperature itself from areas of the

48:04city uh, vary greatly. like if you're um

48:07you know in in a formerly redlinined

48:09area of Philly uh it can be 20 degrees

48:12hotter in the summer than it will be if

48:14you're say in like Chestnut Hill. And

48:16these are also areas of the city where

48:19we have you know the some of the oldest

48:22housing stock the housing stock that is

48:24um that is is most expensive to heat,

48:27most expensive to cool. And there was

48:30funding that was going to come uh come

48:32on board to help these, you know,

48:34vulnerable communities uh repair their

48:38homes, weatherize their homes so that

48:39way they can afford to live in their

48:41homes. Because we see time and time

48:44again, even sometimes when we give

48:46people access to say an air conditioner,

48:49um just paying for the air conditioner

48:50itself isn't sufficient because then you

48:53got to have the money to run the air

48:55conditioner. Um and so yeah, the the

48:58federal cuts that that we that we saw um

49:01in in weatherization, electrification,

49:03and repair programs have uh

49:05significantly

49:07uh diminished the the ability of many of

49:09the people that uh I served at at

49:11community legal services to uh live in a

49:15uh an affordable healthy home.

49:21I just want to highlight two um areas of

49:24housing. one which the city's

49:26experiencing right now which is almost

49:29all of our affordable um housing has

49:32been supported with low-inccome housing

49:33tax credits and the afford there's an

49:35affordability window which expires and

49:38particularly in neighborhoods that have

49:40seen gentrification

49:41after that 15-year window has expired

49:44owners are able to sell those properties

49:47and charge market rent and we're seeing

49:50that with neighborhood restorations

49:51right now but there are thousands many

49:54thousands of units of um in Philadelphia

49:57that are providing affordable housing

49:59right now for the elderly for families

50:01that are will be expiring and unless we

50:04give resources either to the tenants or

50:07to nonprofit affordable housing

50:09developers to be able to purchase those

50:11properties or to existing owners to make

50:14the repairs and some form of subsidy to

50:17enable them to continue to operate as

50:18affordable housing. we stand to lose

50:21pretty much our entire stock of of

50:23affordable housing at some point. The

50:25second point I'd make um is that the

50:27federal administration is trying to

50:29upend what for years has been the best

50:32practice in homelessness support and

50:34services in that uh we try to provide

50:37housing first so people are instable in

50:40their homes and then can access other

50:42services. We know where they are and can

50:45help them with job training programs,

50:47health care, etc., etc. Um and so almost

50:50all of our support of housing for people

50:53um who have been unhoused is through

50:56federal funding. And now um what the

50:59administration it's been temporarily

51:01blocked I think because of litigation is

51:03trying to do is to say that we should

51:05not be providing that housing and

51:07instead providing only very short-term

51:09timelimited housing for folks and only

51:12after they meet certain conditions or

51:14criteria. So again, the um housing

51:17that's provided through what we call the

51:20continuum of care through an annual um

51:22federal NOA process, etc., etc., we

51:25could again lose thousands of other

51:26units of housing that are really serving

51:30people with very low if not no income.

51:33Um if that federal change goes through,

51:36>> this is such a rich discussion. I am

51:38joined by Council Member Jim Herity who

51:40represents the city at large. He has a

51:42few questions as well.

51:46start off by thanking you all uh for

51:50taking the time to to be on the task

51:52force, right? Uh

51:55I could tell by the booklet that you

51:58guys put a lot of work into this and a

52:00lot of energy. Uh and that time you

52:03spend away is time you don't get to

52:04spend with your family. So, we really do

52:07appreciate your service. And Miss

52:11Gladstein, I know you you've been

52:12serving for a mighty long time in the

52:15city of Philadelphia helping us navigate

52:17some difficult situations. So, uh,

52:22value your opinions. So, I just wanted

52:25to make that clear. Uh, and also say

52:28that my neighbors

52:31need this stuff, right? This is, uh,

52:35very important. And for me, keeping

52:38people in their homes is important

52:41because I live there. I see it. I see

52:43the struggles daily that they face,

52:45right? Uh sometimes when you live in a

52:48neighborhood like mine, it seems like

52:51just every day there's something else

52:53piled on top of you, right? Something,

52:56you know, I like to use the analogy of

52:59uh

53:01you're drowning and people are handing

53:03you bricks and say, "Listen, it's going

53:05to get better. Just tread water a little

53:06bit longer, but hold these bricks." you

53:09know.

53:10So, uh, with that being said, and Vic,

53:13you know, you're my buddy. I I love

53:15seeing you up there. I'm going to start.

53:17I got two questions. One for Miss

53:19Gladstone and one for Vic. I'm going to

53:21ask them both just uh for the uh time,

53:25right? Uh, so Vic, the report backs the

53:29charter amendment amendment to keep the

53:32water department public, which I'm all

53:35for. uh what are the benefits of keeping

53:38the water department public and are

53:40there any credible privatization plans

53:44anyway, right? Like what are we talking

53:46about? Uh I want to keep our jobs. So,

53:49and then Eva, if you could please uh you

53:53mentioned making programs like zero uh

53:56and the tiered assistance program, the

53:58right to council program, which is I'm

54:01big on, you know, we've we've been

54:03trying to make sure that there's an even

54:05playing field for our residents. Uh so,

54:09the eviction making them f uh permanent

54:12funded citywide programs. Can you

54:14explain

54:16what would it look like financially and

54:20practically? Right. And uh what barriers

54:24do you anticipate?

54:26And that's that's it.

54:31>> Didn't matter to me. You ladies could

54:33have went.

54:33>> Um sure. Yeah. So, so the water

54:35department I mean one of the things that

54:36we've seen uh you know across the

54:39country and also just across the

54:40Commonwealth of of Pennsylvania is

54:42municip municipalities um essentially

54:45selling their their their uh you know uh

54:48water to private companies like like you

54:49know like Aqua. Um and when that happens

54:53those rates they skyrocket. Um it's uh

54:56it's you know they it's sold as you know

54:58a way to raise revenue for for the

55:00municip municipality and you know it uh

55:03bring in the uh the innovation of the

55:06private sector but um but it's it's

55:08their they're hollow promises right uh

55:10everywhere we see it happen the uh you

55:12know the water rates go up um and um uh

55:18we are lucky that we have uh such a uh a

55:23um I guess a uh a cooperative um water

55:28department that we have been able to

55:30work with. Like one of the things that

55:31we see is that um the the water

55:34department I think has been more

55:36responsive uh to you know to us when we

55:39talk about accessibility to um to to

55:43low-inccome programs, right? We have

55:45like the the TAP program like mentioned

55:47here. TAP program I think is an amazing

55:49example of how we can uh use city data

55:53to bring people into

55:56um into uh assistance programs, right?

55:59The you know couple of years ago the

56:02city started using its own uh data sets,

56:04scraping across its own data sets and

56:06then started automatically enrolling

56:08people in the tap program so that way

56:10they could have access to affordable

56:11water and it doubled the size of the

56:13program. Um, so there there were, you

56:16know, tens of thousands of people in

56:17Philadelphia who qualified for the

56:19program but weren't enrolled. Um, and

56:21when we go to private companies, private

56:25utilities, and try to do the same thing,

56:26we're rebuffed. Um, and so, uh, it's

56:30incredibly important that we have a, uh,

56:33a, you know, publicly owned and

56:35municipal utilities because one, uh, it

56:38keeps rates down and two, they're

56:40responsive to, um, the, you know, to the

56:44the residents of, uh, of the municip of

56:47the municipality.

56:50>> Thank you. Thank you for that. And

56:52again, I I agree. I believe that, you

56:55know,

56:57our water department and having our own

56:59employees is valuable. We have control

57:02over that. I never like giving up

57:05control for one, but for another to a

57:08private organization, right? Uh I know

57:12who to call in the water department when

57:14there's a problem. I I've been through

57:16this when Pico was selling at the

57:20electric was going to different

57:22companies and stuff like that. They were

57:23calling your houses trying to switch

57:25you. I refused to switch even though

57:28Pico was telling me that I should

57:30switch, right? Because I knew who I was

57:33going to call at Pico. God, God rest his

57:36soul, Eddie McBride, you know, he got

57:38stuff done when he was there. Uh we need

57:40somebody like him now. But, you know,

57:44again, our utilities and having control

57:46and water is one of our biggest

57:48commodities here in the city. I don't

57:49know if people understand that. We have

57:51two rivers, right? Uh, I don't know if

57:54you've been following anything that's

57:56going around all along around the world,

57:59but water is a big commodity nowadays

58:01and it's getting scarcer every day. Uh,

58:05so again, I thank you for that and I

58:08thank you for your service. And Eva, do

58:10you need me to re or you good?

58:12>> I'm good. Um, I think that the

58:15importance of having permanent funding

58:17like a transit access fund and and again

58:21we as a city have had experience with

58:22the city's housing trust fund now for

58:24several decades I believe um and are

58:26familiar with how that operates is

58:28really critical. First of all um having

58:31to

58:33think about whether or not it'll be

58:35available each year um is certainly an

58:38issue for people who are currently able

58:39to benefit. But we are only serving a

58:42small percentage of the people who are

58:43eligible and having the security um of

58:47the funding would enable the program to

58:49continue to grow um have more people

58:52benefit from it and frankly be a real

58:54boost to SEPTA as well. I believe by

58:56increasing ridership um with that the

58:59resources they have for running a clean

59:01and safe system. So I think it's kind of

59:03a win-win all the way around and we

59:06really look forward to that. I think um

59:09when Councilman Dom was present, he

59:11would often talk about the fact that um

59:14there's so many programs that are

59:15underutilized

59:17um and that, you know, we could take a

59:20benefit, we could get benefit from, you

59:22know, from the federal and state level,

59:24but we never really focused on at the

59:25local level that our programs that we

59:28create and that are really only serving

59:30a small percentage of the people who are

59:31eligible. And frankly, we spend a lot of

59:34money advertising these programs now,

59:36which I'm glad we do. But in fact, if we

59:39had secured resources, we could continue

59:41to um build the program reputation and

59:44usage and give the people who are using

59:47those resources some peace of mind.

59:50>> Thank you for that,

59:54>> C. All right. Seeing that there are no

59:56further questions from members of the

59:59panel for this panel, excuse me.

1:00:02Mr. Underwood, will you please call the

1:00:04second panel we have to testify this

1:00:06afternoon on resolution 2550879.

1:00:09I want to thank you, Dr. um uh Gladstein

1:00:13Patel as well as Maryanne Frey. Thank

1:00:14you for your work. I sorry I keep

1:00:16putting the handle on your name. You you

1:00:18deserve it for the kind of input and

1:00:19intellect that you bring to this work.

1:00:21Very grateful for all of your testimony.

1:00:22Go ahead and call the role. Mr. Wood,

1:00:24>> Julie [clears throat] Rehea, Carlos,

1:00:29Carlos Booth,

1:00:34and Linda James Rivera.

1:00:47[clears throat] Take your time to get

1:00:49situated how

1:00:51you need to. whatever is most

1:00:53comfortable for you.

1:00:58[sighs]

1:00:59I'm thankful for the synographer who is

1:01:01with us today. These are very taxing.

1:01:03All these hearings and meetings by law,

1:01:05we must have a synographer to to make

1:01:06sure they record what's being stated.

1:01:08And these hearings and meetings, as you

1:01:11all know, can get a bit lengthy. So,

1:01:13just on the front end, I'm already

1:01:14grateful for our with us today. We thank

1:01:17you. As you are speaking, so that way

1:01:20she can hear and capture. I know she

1:01:21does that very well. Please speak

1:01:23articulately and slowly and into the mic

1:01:25so that way she can pick all of that up.

1:01:27That having been said, please state your

1:01:29name for the record and then proceed

1:01:32with your testimony. And I am okay with

1:01:35whoever would like to begin.

1:01:43>> Hello everybody. My name is Julie Ray. I

1:01:46am a community organizer with Transit

1:01:48for Philadelphia.

1:01:57A sign a a significant factor in my

1:02:00decision to move to Philadelphia in 2009

1:02:04was SEPTA. On a given day, 800,000

1:02:09people in Philadelphia uh take SEPTA to

1:02:13work, school, medical care, and visit

1:02:16family. Now I'm not able to drive

1:02:19because because of of a spinal cord

1:02:22injury that resulted in paralysis and a

1:02:25chronic pain problem. Um also Uber and

1:02:29Lift drive uh drives are generally

1:02:32inaccessible to me. So as a result where

1:02:36I live in the city is always dependent

1:02:38upon access to public transit. Right now

1:02:42I live on Front Street about a half

1:02:45block from the York Dolphin Station and

1:02:49right now uh SEPTA takes me to my job as

1:02:54a community organizer at Transit Ford

1:02:56Philadelphia. Previously for 15 years

1:02:59SEPTA took me to my job as a teacher at

1:03:02Delaware County Community College.

1:03:05So SEPTA is great. However, this year,

1:03:09SEPTA writers faced a 20% increase in

1:03:12fair costs at a time when wages remain

1:03:16stagnant and consumers are contending

1:03:19with burdensome cost increases related

1:03:22to rent, groceries, and so many other

1:03:25things.

1:03:27The median annual income in Kensington,

1:03:30where I live, is $29,000,

1:03:33making the cost of a $6 roundtrip on

1:03:36SEPTA, $12 for riders with disabilities

1:03:40who use paratransit,

1:03:42a source of a significant pain for my

1:03:46neighbors.

1:03:48The transit access fund as was

1:03:50referenced but earlier by the previous

1:03:53panel would address the harms by caused

1:03:56by inflation by permanently funding the

1:03:59zeroofair program. The zeroofair program

1:04:03provides free SEPTA passes to lowincome

1:04:06residents of Philadelphia.

1:04:09Currently over 30,000 people participate

1:04:12in the program.

1:04:14The program is funded through July 2027.

1:04:19If additional funding is not found prior

1:04:22to that time, the Zerofare program will

1:04:25cease and more than 30,000 people will

1:04:28find themselves without a way to get to

1:04:31crucial destinations.

1:04:33At this time, the program is not issuing

1:04:37new cards to qualified people because of

1:04:40the lack of permanent source of funding.

1:04:44Writers have told me how the Zerofare

1:04:46program allows them to get to work, find

1:04:50work, go to doctors, and visit family

1:04:53members. As council member Ouror's cost

1:04:57to living task force report notes, the

1:04:59zero program stabilizes households and

1:05:03reduces long-term costs.

1:05:06Moreover, the transit access fund will

1:05:09support the key advantage program by

1:05:11providing funding for matching grants

1:05:13for key cards for employees of

1:05:16participating businesses, including my

1:05:19organization.

1:05:22The transit access fund will also allow

1:05:25the city to address issues arising from

1:05:27the state's chronic lack of investment

1:05:30in SEPTA's infrastructure.

1:05:33Because of my disability, I need to

1:05:35access the train via elevator. Amongst

1:05:39the disabled community in Philadelphia,

1:05:41it is known that the elevator outage

1:05:44page is not reliable. Elevators that are

1:05:47down are sometimes not reported on the

1:05:50page.

1:05:52This lack of information has resulted in

1:05:54the addition of hours to my commute and

1:05:57interferes with my ability to get to

1:05:59work and otherwise participate in my

1:06:02community.

1:06:03For example, on July 28th of this year,

1:06:07Transit Ford Philadelphia held an an

1:06:10event wherein we rode trains, buses, and

1:06:12trolleys over a 24-hour period with

1:06:15elected officials.

1:06:17I was unable to accompany the group past

1:06:20a certain point because of a broken

1:06:22elevator that had not been reported on

1:06:25SEPTA's list of elevator outages.

1:06:29Currently, Councilman Oorark's office is

1:06:32working to coordinate with the

1:06:33University of Pennsylvania to design a

1:06:36project that will provide real time

1:06:38information to SEPTA writers about

1:06:41elevator outages.

1:06:43The Transit Access Fund can be used to

1:06:46fund such innovations that will help

1:06:48Philadelphiaians contend with SEPTA's

1:06:52aging infrastructure.

1:06:54Finally, the state legislature did not

1:06:57provide SEPTA with critical funding in

1:07:00this year's budget. If we fail to obtain

1:07:04state legislature funding in the next

1:07:06budget cycle, we will be facing the same

1:07:10apocalyptic

1:07:11cuts that we were looking at last

1:07:14August.

1:07:15>> [snorts]

1:07:15>> Meanwhile, SEPTA is still bold building

1:07:18a bold vision and showing us just how

1:07:22good the system could be if only it

1:07:25received adequate investment.

1:07:28It's also important to note that

1:07:30Philadelphia contributes significant

1:07:32fund while Philadelphia contributes

1:07:35significant funding to SEPTA. It still

1:07:38contributes considerably less per capita

1:07:41than pure cities like New York, Boston,

1:07:45Chicago, and Atlanta. We still have room

1:07:49to step up our game. If the city passes

1:07:53the transit access fund, this

1:07:56demonstration of commitment to

1:07:58accessible mass transit will empower

1:08:01negotiators in Harrisburg this spring

1:08:04when we ask the state to fully fund

1:08:06SEPTA.

1:08:08At such a time, it is absolutely

1:08:12essential that leaders of the city stand

1:08:14in full support of SEPTA and SEPTA

1:08:17riders and demand a firstass transit

1:08:21system so that all Philadelphiaians can

1:08:24thrive.

1:08:25Supporting SEPTA at this critical moment

1:08:28by passing the transit access fund will

1:08:31demonstrate the city's commitment to

1:08:34making transit more affordable for the

1:08:37most vulnerable SEPTA riders. Support

1:08:40our burgeoning local tra mass transit

1:08:44movement and help us next year to

1:08:46persuade lawmakers in Harrisburg to do

1:08:50the right thing and fully fund SEPTA.

1:08:53Thank you for your time.

1:09:09Well, this is interesting to be here

1:09:11this morning. Thank you for allowing me

1:09:13to be here. My name is Carlos Caboo,

1:09:16Senior.

1:09:17Few days ago, I turned 69. I'm very

1:09:22happy with that, but I'm still chasing

1:09:24the Philadelphia American dream of

1:09:26affordable housing.

1:09:28Shame on city for allowing such things

1:09:30to happen. The increasing cost of

1:09:32taxation on properties and neighborhood

1:09:36restorations trying to sell off

1:09:37properties where 3,000 people exist and

1:09:40could end up homeless.

1:09:42As I mentioned, I'm Carlos Booth. I'm a

1:09:44six-year resident of Neighborhood

1:09:47Restoration and a member of the third

1:09:49district and a member of 1PA West

1:09:52Southwest Rising Chapter.

1:09:55[cheering]

1:10:00I am here to strongly support the

1:10:02recommendations

1:10:04in the cost of living report. As a

1:10:06senior living on a fixed income in a

1:10:09building whose subsidy is about to

1:10:11expire, I know firsthand that the cost

1:10:15of living and especially housing in

1:10:17Philadelphia is much too high.

1:10:21Neighborhood restoration, also known to

1:10:24us and the world as prime property

1:10:26management, manages 925

1:10:30housing units with 3,000 tenants. Forget

1:10:34about the 925 units. Let's focus on

1:10:373,000 people. Okay, that's the more

1:10:41important number right now. 3,000

1:10:43people, not buildings. Buildings

1:10:45collapse. People need place to live. The

1:10:48housing units are in West Philly and

1:10:50Southwest Philly primarily. These are

1:10:53some of the last the last affordable

1:10:56housing properties in our neighborhood

1:10:59for lowincome tenants. These properties

1:11:02were built with LITC

1:11:04uh uh funding, the lowincome housing tax

1:11:09credit funding, which these contracts

1:11:12are now expiring. Many of the residents

1:11:16residing in these in many of the 225

1:11:20places right now are at risk of becoming

1:11:24homeless.

1:11:26And that is an immediate danger because

1:11:28those buildings are up to could be sold

1:11:30at any time. Now,

1:11:32in July 2025, the owner Jim Leven

1:11:36announced that his intention to sell all

1:11:39the properties, not one, not two, not

1:11:42225, but all properties in his

1:11:46portfolio, which is 925 units. If these

1:11:50properties were sold to a for a profit

1:11:54developer, 3,000 people could lose their

1:11:57homes

1:11:59and many people would go homeless

1:12:02because the building would still be

1:12:04there. But how many people will be if

1:12:05they're like myself on a fixed income

1:12:08working in affordable h or living in

1:12:11affordable housing now? What would

1:12:12happen if it goes to market share? Do

1:12:15you think the new owner is going to say

1:12:17that's okay you're here we'll let you

1:12:19stay for the same amount? That's not

1:12:21going to happen and we know it.

1:12:24I am a senior living on a fixed income.

1:12:27The cost of living increases

1:12:30and felt daily at the market rate

1:12:33rentals would be devastating for myself

1:12:35and others if this situation of selling

1:12:38to a profit developer would happen.

1:12:42Housing costs are rising rapidly in

1:12:45Southwest and Philadelphia and

1:12:46Philadelphia as a whole. Retired senior

1:12:50citizens, low-income residents, and

1:12:53handicapped citizens are struggling

1:12:55financially daily to live and let at at

1:13:01the existing cost of living which is

1:13:03increasing every day. Now, if you went

1:13:06to the grocery store yesterday,

1:13:07guarantee you without exaggeration, what

1:13:10you purchased yesterday went up today.

1:13:13This is what the seniors are. See, we

1:13:15are senior citizens. We paid our dues.

1:13:18Why should we have to pay now an

1:13:20exorbitant amount to live somewhere and

1:13:22we already paid the dues to help them

1:13:24get the litech uh contracts? We need to

1:13:27have affordable housing cap here in the

1:13:30city of Philadelphia. Let us be the

1:13:32model for the rest of the world. keep

1:13:34affordable housing here in Philadelphia,

1:13:36not developers. And most of the

1:13:38developers coming down from New York.

1:13:41Why do we need fake residents? I've made

1:13:43that statement before. We don't need

1:13:45fake residents. They come here, they

1:13:48flash their little cash, build

1:13:50something, restore something, and then

1:13:52they go back to their little highrises

1:13:54or their homes in suburban New York. Who

1:13:57cares about them? Because they didn't

1:13:58care about us. Leave us alone.

1:14:08Many of the neighbors, including myself,

1:14:10have no financial outlook but to live

1:14:14where we are right now. We need help.

1:14:17We're not asking for anybody to give us

1:14:19a hand or a hand out. Just leave

1:14:21[screaming] us alone. Give us some place

1:14:23to live. We've paid the dues to live

1:14:25here. We are the residents of

1:14:28Philadelphia.

1:14:30In the short term, we are calling on the

1:14:33city of Philadelphia to step up to the

1:14:35plate and ensure that neighborhood

1:14:37restoration homes stay permanently

1:14:39affordable and no residents become

1:14:42displaced. Isn't that a nice word?

1:14:44Display. Homeless. Let's call it what it

1:14:46is. America has has so many nicely words

1:14:51that don't fit the reality of what's

1:14:53going on. We have porch pirates. They're

1:14:55thieves. Displacement is homeless. Let's

1:14:59tell what it really is. We can't afford

1:15:02people to be homeless. Not here in this

1:15:04city of Philadelphia.

1:15:08Stop turning a blind eye and see what's

1:15:12going on in this great city. One city,

1:15:15one problem.

1:15:17Let's unite and unite the hands that can

1:15:20help us.

1:15:24What's needed is 925 units to remain

1:15:28affordable as a start.

1:15:31Interested tenants should have the right

1:15:34to purchase their homes at below market

1:15:36rate. They've paid enough to rent these.

1:15:39Some of them 20, 25, 27, 30 years have

1:15:43lived in these homes. If it was a

1:15:45mortgage, they would own it by now. So

1:15:47they should be cut a break in ownership

1:15:50now and not being a a a bargain for an

1:15:55outofstate developer or instate. Who

1:15:57cares? No developer should have those

1:15:59homes.

1:16:01The owner of neighborhood restorations

1:16:03and others have made their untold

1:16:05profits on the backs of these residents.

1:16:09Decades of rents paid without an

1:16:11opportunity to share in the dream of

1:16:13ownership. Why?

1:16:17We know the city has received a

1:16:19recommendation from the task force of

1:16:21housing experts

1:16:23and that by investing 36 million over

1:16:28next six years they could facilitate a

1:16:31set of deals to keep all properties

1:16:35affordable. That's the important part.

1:16:38Keep the properties affordable.

1:16:43This undertaking for affordability

1:16:46housing is not just for the residents of

1:16:49one PA or for the city of Philadelphia

1:16:52or for one PA to tout in victory, but a

1:16:55step in the right direction for all of

1:16:58Philadelphia. United we stand united, we

1:17:01will fall. If we chase profits and not

1:17:04people, housing, we will fall. There's

1:17:07no mistake about that. We fall, we fall

1:17:10hard. help us.

1:17:15>> The city must act now.

1:17:18>> In the spirit of making sure that we are

1:17:20timely in the course of the hearing, if

1:17:21you could summarize your testimony.

1:17:23Thank you very much.

1:17:24>> Thank you.

1:17:26>> In closing,

1:17:30I know. Wasn't that funny? [laughter]

1:17:33No, I I'm I'm bridging. I had more, but

1:17:37I respect what you're saying. In

1:17:39closing,

1:17:41there are more units, not just N uh

1:17:44neighborhood restoration, that's going

1:17:46to be closing as time goes on. More

1:17:49units from other parts of the city are

1:17:52going to have contracts expire. Now, if

1:17:54we don't act now, property value only

1:17:57goes up. So, what's affordable for the

1:18:00city today is going to be even more

1:18:02absorbent in tomorrow. Help us to keep

1:18:06Philadelphia affordable.

1:18:08Act now.

1:18:11Now, here's something and I thought of

1:18:13this and I really do believe this and

1:18:15this is my final statement.

1:18:18Act now. The Statue of Rocky has a

1:18:22permanent home in this city. Why can't

1:18:24it people? Thank you.

1:18:27Thank you, sir.

1:18:32Thank you, sir. Miss Linda T. James

1:18:35Rivera. Please state your name for their

1:18:37record and begin with your testimony.

1:18:39>> That's a hard act to follow. Uh so uh my

1:18:44name is Linda James Rivera and um I

1:18:47thank you chair Oor and city council

1:18:50members for allowing me to speak to you

1:18:52today. Um, I am the founder and

1:18:56executive director of Northwest Mutual

1:18:58Aid Collective, a grassroot non food

1:19:02nonprofit serving Northwest

1:19:04Philadelphia.

1:19:06Um

1:19:09ma making Philadelphia affordable and

1:19:12ensuring every resident has access to

1:19:15healthy and nutritious food is the most

1:19:18important thing cuz when people are

1:19:20hungry, people get desperate. When

1:19:24people see their kids are not eating,

1:19:28people get desperate and desperate

1:19:30people do desperate things. Every week

1:19:33we see what the affordability crisis

1:19:35looks like for ordinary

1:19:37Philadelphiaians. We serve seniors,

1:19:39people with disabilities, cancer

1:19:41patients, veterans, returning citizens,

1:19:44and working families. We deliver

1:19:46groceries to approximately 100 houses

1:19:49each week and provide fresh produce to

1:19:5213 community refrigerators and 11

1:19:54community partners. The people we serve

1:19:57are our neighbors and too many are

1:19:59choosing between groceries, rent,

1:20:02utility, transportation, and medication.

1:20:05When we talk about affordability, food

1:20:08must be part of the conversation. And

1:20:10the changes coming to stat make this

1:20:14more urgent than ever. Starting

1:20:16tomorrow, October 1st, Pennsylvania will

1:20:19be responsible for 75% of SNAP

1:20:23administration costs. The Commonwealth

1:20:25estimates this will eventually cost

1:20:28approximately $120 million. And there

1:20:32are more cuts coming in 2027.

1:20:36Um that will make this really a crisis

1:20:41and one that should be addressed now,

1:20:43not later. When SNAP benefits are

1:20:46reduced, delayed, or lost, hunger does

1:20:49not disappear. That need comes directly

1:20:52to organizations like mine. Let me just

1:20:54say I should not have a job. Food is a

1:20:58right, not a privilege.

1:21:01>> I should not have a job.

1:21:05That is why Philadelphia must invest in

1:21:08grassroot nonprofits now, not after we

1:21:11reach another emergency. Organizations

1:21:14like Northwest Mutual Aid Collective

1:21:16already have the relationships,

1:21:18volunteers, experience, and trust of the

1:21:21communities we serve. But we need

1:21:24sustainable funding and infrastructure

1:21:26to meet the growing demand.

1:21:29Investing in orgs like ours looks like

1:21:33investing in refrigeration and freezer

1:21:36cap capacity. Invest in vehicles and

1:21:39warehouse equipment. support home

1:21:41delivery programs for seniors, people

1:21:43with disabilities, and homebound

1:21:45residents, and make sure smaller

1:21:47neighborhood organizations have

1:21:49meaningful access to city funding. It

1:21:52should not just go to the top three in

1:21:55the city for food. Neighborhoods have

1:21:59community organizations that have boots

1:22:02on the ground.

1:22:04I know every person in my program. I

1:22:08know all 100 families. They're not a

1:22:10number. They're not someone that I may

1:22:14know a little bit about. I know when

1:22:16their utility bills go up. I know when

1:22:19they can't buy their medication. I know

1:22:22when their children go hungry at school.

1:22:25They are not a number. And this should

1:22:27not happen happen in a city like

1:22:29Philadelphia.

1:22:32Philadelphia neighborhood community

1:22:34action centers can also play an

1:22:37important role in this response. As

1:22:39these centers expand throughout

1:22:41Philadelphia, they can help residents

1:22:44navigate SNAP benefits, social services,

1:22:47and other resources. There are many

1:22:50Philadelphiaians that have lost their

1:22:52SNAP benefits due to errors made in

1:22:57computers because there was no one that

1:22:59is talking a senior through the changes.

1:23:03Seniors don't always understand, you

1:23:06know, access to computers and understand

1:23:09the paperwork. Where are the people that

1:23:11are helping them navigate that? Isn't

1:23:14that our job? isn't that when these

1:23:17changes come, shouldn't the city have in

1:23:19place people that can help them? So, I

1:23:23think um neighborhood action committees

1:23:27should connect with grassroot

1:23:29organizations because when people that

1:23:32are in my program call me and say, "Hey,

1:23:34Linda, I can't fill out this form or I

1:23:37don't know what this means." I should

1:23:39have a place where I can send them. I

1:23:42should have a place and a number like

1:23:45you said earlier. I should know who to

1:23:47call and say if you call this number

1:23:50someone will help you. That's not

1:23:52happening. And people are falling

1:23:54through the cracks. These are the same

1:23:57people that put people in office that

1:24:00have a vote. They expect you to stand on

1:24:03your word and to make the city

1:24:06affordable for them to live in. I am so

1:24:09blessed that Councilman Oor and his team

1:24:14have worked so hard to make this happen

1:24:18today so that voices can be heard,

1:24:21voices that need to be heard. And I

1:24:24really urge you to talk to constituents

1:24:28and understand the plight that they are

1:24:30having. Um, the task force has called

1:24:33for Philadelphia to move away from a

1:24:35fragmented emergency food response

1:24:38towards a more coordinated, accountable,

1:24:41communitydriven food system. Its

1:24:44recommendations

1:24:45include stronger coordination,

1:24:48investment in food infrastructure,

1:24:50support for SNAP and wick enrollment,

1:24:52community-led food access strategies,

1:24:55and ensuring that people with lived

1:24:58experience have a voice in this work.

1:25:00That's the people that need to be on

1:25:02these task force, people that have lived

1:25:06it because they understand what it feels

1:25:08like.

1:25:10>> Um, now we must turn these

1:25:13recommendations into actions. A report

1:25:15alone will not feed a family.

1:25:17Implementation will, investment will,

1:25:20coordination will. involving people with

1:25:23lived experience will and partnering

1:25:25with organizations that are already

1:25:27doing the work that know the people that

1:25:31know they're not a number.

1:25:35It is so hard and I get emotional

1:25:38because when an 80year-old calls me and

1:25:41says I have no food and I have no place

1:25:44to send them. That should not happen.

1:25:48Our seniors should not work their whole

1:25:51life and then go hungry. Mothers should

1:25:54not be able to feed their children.

1:25:58People are struggling. I listen to this

1:26:02every single day of my life. Six days a

1:26:05week.

1:26:07I'm a senior with disabilities,

1:26:09but I work six days a week to make sure

1:26:12my community eats. My organization alone

1:26:16moves 33,000 pounds of food a month into

1:26:21the northwest section of Philadelphia.

1:26:26When is this going to change? When are

1:26:29people like me and them and them

1:26:33>> going to have a say in what happens in

1:26:36this city?

1:26:37>> Amen. Stop worrying about where the

1:26:40Rocky statue is going to be or where the

1:26:43Sixers stadium is going to be. Worry

1:26:45about how people are going to eat, how

1:26:48they are going to feed their families.

1:26:50Cuz I'm going tell you, when you feed a

1:26:53family, crime goes down.

1:26:57People go to work. Children learn better

1:27:01in school.

1:27:03Our children should not be hungry

1:27:05sitting at a desk. There should be no

1:27:08six-year-old.

1:27:10And and the fact that we have people

1:27:14that are saying, "My child can't get the

1:27:16free lunch program because they are not

1:27:18enrolled." What? There should be no cost

1:27:21for lunch in schools.

1:27:24I'm sorry. I could go on a tangent.

1:27:27[snorts] My request to city council

1:27:29today is simple. Please make long-term

1:27:31commitment to investment in the

1:27:33neighborhood nonprofits already doing

1:27:35the work. Connect us with neighborhood

1:27:38action committee. Thank you. And the

1:27:41food nutrition security task force

1:27:44recommendations became must become

1:27:47actions and not just words. With major

1:27:50SNAP changes already beginning and

1:27:53additional financial pressures coming in

1:27:552027, we cannot wait until more families

1:27:59are standing at our door asking for

1:28:01help. Let's build the system now. Let's

1:28:04invest in the organ organizations

1:28:06already doing the job. Let's make sure

1:28:09that no Philadelphiaian has to choose

1:28:11between keeping a roof over their head,

1:28:15paying for medicine, keeping the lights

1:28:17on, and putting nutritious food on the

1:28:19table. Again, food is a right, not a

1:28:22privilege. Thank you for your time.

1:28:25>> Thank you so much all three of you for

1:28:27what you've shared. The insight is

1:28:30invaluable. I do have a couple of

1:28:32questions, but um I want to also just go

1:28:34ahead and give the floor now to Council

1:28:36Member Jim Herity. Um, if there are

1:28:37questions that you may have, um, take a

1:28:39first stab at that if you don't mind.

1:28:40Brother,

1:28:44>> you're hitting it on the head. I already

1:28:45started doing that. So, the sad reality

1:28:48is that in neighborhoods like mine,

1:28:52so what I tell everybody is if you think

1:28:54it's hard to learn when you're hungry,

1:28:56try when you're worried about feeding

1:28:58your little brother and sister when you

1:29:00get home. All right? Because in

1:29:01neighborhoods like mine, whether the

1:29:04parents are working two, three jobs

1:29:06trying to make ends meet or they're just

1:29:08messed up.

1:29:10>> You know what I'm saying?

1:29:11>> The kids are the ones that are doing it.

1:29:13And we we saw it in the seventh uh

1:29:17district, me and Ky partnered. Uh so we

1:29:21have I believe it's five schools right

1:29:23now with their own pantries in them

1:29:25where the kids can come and actually on

1:29:28Fridays pick up full meals for their

1:29:31family. We partnered with Caring for

1:29:33Friends which is one of the privately uh

1:29:36run food organizations which are really

1:29:38good. And what we did is we came up with

1:29:41a partnership too. So, not only are the

1:29:44kids

1:29:46receiving the food, but now they partner

1:29:49and they are delivering meals to the

1:29:52seniors in the neighborhood, which they

1:29:54are helping to make, right? So, it gives

1:29:56the whole process. So, I'm with you on

1:29:58that. And I was listening to you down in

1:30:00my office when I was running around

1:30:02trying to sign some stuff to get back

1:30:03here. And I agree with you. Uh, this is

1:30:07my plug that the uniformity clause kills

1:30:10us all the time. I I can't tell you. I I

1:30:12don't know if my colleagues has the

1:30:13frustrations with that clause that I do.

1:30:17Uh I wanted to get rid of real estate

1:30:21taxes for seniors because if you've been

1:30:23in your home, paid a mortgage for 30

1:30:25years, and paid your taxes with those

1:30:28taxes go for you don't really need uh

1:30:31goes mostly to the schools and kids. And

1:30:33I get we got to all throw into the pile,

1:30:36but I believe that when a senior has

1:30:38worked all their lives, we have to do

1:30:40whatever is possible to keep them where

1:30:44they're at, to keep them in their home.

1:30:47And if it's most of them don't have

1:30:50mortgages, and if we're the reason why

1:30:53they can't stay in their home, that's

1:30:55fixable

1:30:57>> because we have control over that. like

1:30:59you said, we need to change some of

1:31:00these rules and uh that uniformity cause

1:31:04pisses me off. Uh I'm sorry, but every

1:31:06time I try to do something for a

1:31:08different group, I get hit with that. If

1:31:10you do it for one, you have to do it for

1:31:12everyone. And I get that there was a

1:31:14time that we needed that. But at this

1:31:16time, we have to, you know, the reason

1:31:18laws are written and the reason the

1:31:20constitution was written the way it was

1:31:22so that we could change things when we

1:31:23see things need to be fixed, right? So

1:31:26many times in government and the

1:31:28bureaucracy

1:31:31instead of pivoting and just scrapping

1:31:33it like sometimes you just got to scrap

1:31:34something but instead we throw extra

1:31:36money at it. You know we're going to

1:31:38double the money we're throwing at it

1:31:39didn't work but we're going to double

1:31:41the money and it'll work this time. No,

1:31:43it don't work.

1:31:44>> So I'm I'm glad to see that

1:31:47you guys are out there advocating for

1:31:50some of the same stuff that we're

1:31:51advocating for. that lets us know that

1:31:53we're on the right track. And I'm I'm so

1:31:56proud of my colleague for doing this

1:31:58because listen, I I hate mentioning that

1:32:01guy in the White House's name, but he

1:32:04gave us the model. It's the economy

1:32:06stupid. We need to fix the economy for

1:32:10our people in our neighborhoods. My my

1:32:12neighbors can't take another thing.

1:32:15They can't. You know what I'm saying?

1:32:18It's

1:32:19I'm okay, right?

1:32:21But when you live there, you got to deal

1:32:24with that situation. So, but my question

1:32:26really is for this Miss Ray with the uh

1:32:30you say the zero fair is funded through

1:32:3327, right? But

1:32:36is the

1:32:38[snorts] not issuing new cards. How many

1:32:40eligible people are actually still

1:32:42waiting for this? And what would the

1:32:47cost be do you know for if we open the

1:32:51enrollment again?

1:32:54>> So

1:32:56the under the transit access fund it the

1:33:00$30,000

1:33:01would pay for would fund the zero

1:33:05program fully and then more cards would

1:33:08then be sent out. Um the reason why e

1:33:14the reason why new cards are not issued

1:33:15at this point is because even though the

1:33:17program is funding as far as

1:33:19organizations know it's going to cease

1:33:21in August 27. So uh of the the um

1:33:28transit access fund the 30,000 would

1:33:31keep the zero program going into the

1:33:34future. So organizations would have that

1:33:36assurance that the program would

1:33:38continue and then they could issue new

1:33:40cards.

1:33:42>> Okay.

1:33:44All right. Yeah. Thank you.

1:33:46>> As a point of information for you, uh,

1:33:49council member, there is almost 200,000

1:33:51eligible Philadelphiaians and currently

1:33:52we've issued 60,000 uh, cards and

1:33:55there's so much more I believe that

1:33:56could be done um, if we took up this

1:33:58recommendation that's in the report and

1:34:00advanced this piece. I want to um uh

1:34:05thank you for your testimony and

1:34:06answering those particular questions and

1:34:08also thank you both. I did have some

1:34:10questions for you. Um Mr. Booth, your

1:34:13testimony, I I will I will do everything

1:34:16in my power as outlined in the report to

1:34:19preserve neighborhood restorations and

1:34:22other expiring affordable housing

1:34:24contracts in the city. Period.

1:34:27>> We appreciate that. There are others

1:34:29that feel also as strongly recognizing

1:34:32the situation that we're in. However, if

1:34:35if the city does not step up to the

1:34:37plate in this case, if

1:34:41would you be willing to share where that

1:34:44leaves you?

1:34:46How do you share homelessness but with

1:34:48other homeless people?

1:34:51What is there to share? If no one steps

1:34:53up to help us and we've more or less

1:34:56paid for these buildings, what is there

1:34:59to share for us other than homelessness?

1:35:03>> I'm just asking for you to share.

1:35:04>> I'm giving you a straight up answer. We

1:35:07can only share between us homelessness

1:35:09and we don't deserve that. We've worked

1:35:11all our life. We supported this city.

1:35:14We've paid taxes. Many of the seniors

1:35:16have paid taxes on existing properties

1:35:19that they own as was mentioned. what is

1:35:22there for us to share other than in the

1:35:24future of homelessness. So, it's

1:35:26important for us to

1:35:26>> even to even to add to that, I've heard

1:35:30SNAP mentioned, I've heard benefits

1:35:33mentioned, if you have no residence, you

1:35:36cannot receive benefits. You have to

1:35:38have a residence. You have to have an

1:35:40address. Without that, we're homeless.

1:35:43That's it. Rocky has a fictitious person

1:35:48has a permanent home.

1:35:51Why?

1:35:53Millions of dollars went to move that

1:35:55statue, a piece of rock.

1:35:58Those millions of dollars could have

1:36:00went to help the homeless. Could have

1:36:01went to towards a program to help people

1:36:03stay affordable. I'm maybe it's just me

1:36:07and the thousands of other people in the

1:36:09city don't see that. So many have

1:36:12addressed and have um articulated that

1:36:15affordability, the cost of living,

1:36:17everything in every category across the

1:36:19board being so high. So many have

1:36:21affirmed that this is the number one

1:36:23issue. As Councilman Herity lifted up, I

1:36:25think we're about 34 years in counting

1:36:26since I think it was James Carville who

1:36:28said it's the economy stupid. And so,

1:36:30you know, not that he and I share the

1:36:32same politics all the time, but

1:36:33certainly that particular um artic or

1:36:37distillation of truth is something that

1:36:38is still evergreen even now. And so it's

1:36:41so important to hear you say that so

1:36:43that we recognize that if we do not

1:36:45address this issue, cost of living,

1:36:48there are final consequences to this.

1:36:51There are very there's not a whole lot

1:36:53of flexibility and wiggle room. We're

1:36:55talking about where the rubber actually

1:36:56meets the road and where folks are

1:36:57actually about to hit rock bottom. And

1:36:59so the importance of this hearing and

1:37:02what we're talking about and what it's

1:37:03coming out of this report beyond

1:37:05accolades that'll be showered for

1:37:07completing a task, being able to advance

1:37:09on these issues. So we do not have to

1:37:11deal with looking at seniors who have

1:37:13paid their dues in the face and have no

1:37:15other answer than you have to live out

1:37:17on the street. That is unacceptable to

1:37:18me. And I thank you for answering that

1:37:19question. Miss Linda T. James Rivera,

1:37:22thank you for your testimony and for the

1:37:23work uh the Northwest Mutual Aid

1:37:26Collective does every day to literally

1:37:28feed people, which is holy work in and

1:37:32of itself.

1:37:33>> If you love me, feed my sheep. I hear

1:37:35the master say. And that is not just

1:37:37figurative. That is literally literally

1:37:39feed people. I live it.

1:37:40>> Most people cannot hear your good ideas

1:37:44and insight and advice over the sound of

1:37:47a grumbling stomach.

1:37:48>> I know that's right.

1:37:48>> Your work that you're doing is holy. You

1:37:51mentioned the city can do a better job

1:37:53to make sure grassroots organizations

1:37:54have a meaningful opportunity to access

1:37:56food assistance funding. Can you just

1:37:58speak more on that? What would that look

1:37:59like?

1:38:00>> So,

1:38:02a lot of times city contracts go to the

1:38:04big organizations. They don't go to

1:38:07organizations

1:38:08that are grassroots. So, back in

1:38:11November when SNAP happened, city

1:38:15got $7 million to give out to uh

1:38:19grassroot organizations and we were all

1:38:22thankful. We I my organization benefited

1:38:25from that.

1:38:27But what happened was they gave us

1:38:30money. After we got the money, they

1:38:33said, "Oh, you have two months to use

1:38:35the money." Now, a lot of organizations

1:38:38don't have refrigeration and all that.

1:38:41So, if you got $50,000,

1:38:44you can't buy $50,000 and store $50,000

1:38:47of meat in two months and in your

1:38:50current capacity. That's all great that

1:38:53we're getting money in emergency cases

1:38:56like that, but what happens

1:38:59all year long when there is money that

1:39:02could be given out that can be used to

1:39:06build your capacity to store food or to

1:39:09buy vehicles to deliver food, you know,

1:39:13and and when this happened in November,

1:39:16they put organizations like me on the

1:39:19map. We grew 30% in one month. 30%.

1:39:23We have a current waiting list of 50

1:39:26families and there's a whole lot that I

1:39:28haven't even called yet. I don't have

1:39:31the money to feed them. I have to go out

1:39:34and fund raise and get grants and hope I

1:39:37get grants. And in order for me to get

1:39:40say $200,000 in grants, I have to write

1:39:44$500,000 in grants because you only get

1:39:47a percentage. Do you know how much time

1:39:49that takes? We're always running lean.

1:39:53Where's the money to help us staff so we

1:39:55can feed more people? Or where's the

1:39:58organizations that we can um send our

1:40:02people to when they need extra help with

1:40:05their mental health or whatever other

1:40:08need that they have.

1:40:10There's so much money in this city that

1:40:13goes to the wrong place. And I'm not

1:40:16taking anything away from any of the big

1:40:19organizations. They do great work.

1:40:22But there's a senior box program in the

1:40:25city of Philadelphia. We're all familiar

1:40:27with that, right? The senior box program

1:40:31is a generic box that goes out to and I

1:40:35believe they say 6,000 people.

1:40:39But suppose you can't eat that. If you

1:40:40have high blood pressure and it's filled

1:40:42with canned goods, you're not eating

1:40:44that. or there's no fresh produce in it

1:40:48or it has pork in it and you're Muslim.

1:40:52Like they don't think about that. Um, so

1:40:56all this money goes into programs like

1:40:58that. And like I said, some food is

1:41:00better than no food. That's for sure.

1:41:03And I'm not knocking any program. But

1:41:06what about people like me who every week

1:41:10I provide a full bag of produce

1:41:16meat and I'm not and I buy good meat. I

1:41:18buy halal meat for my people because

1:41:21everybody can eat it. And what and then

1:41:24we give them bread and dairy every

1:41:27single week. They have the autonomy and

1:41:31the and the dignity that they can cook

1:41:33their own foods. I'm not telling them

1:41:35what to eat, but I also take into

1:41:38consideration their health restrictions,

1:41:41their diabetes, their high blood

1:41:43pressure, their cancer,

1:41:45they're on dialysis and they can't have

1:41:47dark greens or bananas. That's not

1:41:50coming out of a senior box. That's

1:41:52coming from a boots on the ground

1:41:54because I know who they are and I know

1:41:57what they can eat. money should be

1:42:00funneled into organizations like that

1:42:03where they're actually helping the

1:42:06people. We have a saying in our um

1:42:09organization, well, one, food is a right

1:42:12and not a privilege. Two, we give a hand

1:42:14up, not a hand out. Because I don't

1:42:16believe in charity.

1:42:18We were all made to be a community and

1:42:20to help each other. That's what used to

1:42:22happen. It doesn't happen anymore.

1:42:25But I can't go and request money from

1:42:27the city. I have to go through all of

1:42:30this paperwork and hopefully they listen

1:42:32to me and hopefully someone reads it. It

1:42:36should be a easier process for us to get

1:42:38more funding and more infrastructure.

1:42:43>> Thank all three of you for what you have

1:42:45shared. We appreciate your testimonies.

1:42:48>> Thank you for listening and we

1:42:49appreciate you as well. Have a blessed

1:42:51day everyone.

1:42:52>> Likewise. Likewise. Likewise,

1:42:56[clears throat] there being no other

1:42:57questions from us to this particular

1:42:59panel, um I would like for Mr.

1:43:02Underwood, if you would to call the

1:43:04third panel that we had to testify this

1:43:06afternoon on resolution 2550879.

1:43:11>> Beth McConnell,

1:43:14Twejo,

1:43:16Salon Tanden,

1:43:19and Zera Cordderero.

1:43:29I see four bodies moving. That's a good

1:43:30thing. All righty. As folks are getting

1:43:33situated, please take the time that you

1:43:34need to get yourself comfortable and

1:43:36prepared.

1:43:38And as you do so, you can do rock,

1:43:41paper, scissors, or flip a coin, however

1:43:42you want to do it, for whoever would

1:43:43like to go first. And then when you do

1:43:46decide who will be the first to go up,

1:43:48just recite your name for the

1:43:50stenographer close to the mic,

1:43:52articulate and clear. And then you can

1:43:55begin your testimony at that time.

1:44:05Uh good afternoon.

1:44:06>> Good afternoon,

1:44:07>> Chair Oor members of this committee. Uh

1:44:10my name is Ty Ho and uh I appreciate the

1:44:13opportunity to testify today. Uh I'm an

1:44:16attorney at Community Legal Services of

1:44:18Philadelphia where I represent lowincome

1:44:21clients.

1:44:22>> I'm going to Before we get deep into

1:44:23your testimony, I'm gonna ask you to

1:44:24move a little bit closer. Yep. To make

1:44:26sure that everything's being captured in

1:44:27the mic. Is that good?

1:44:28>> Okay.

1:44:28>> Good. Okay. Much better. Yes. Thank you.

1:44:31>> Thank you.

1:44:32>> So, I'm an attorney from Community Legal

1:44:34Services of Philadelphia, and I

1:44:36represent low-income clients who were

1:44:38wrongfully denied public benefits. Uh

1:44:40benefits including Tannif, Lie Hap, and

1:44:44pertinent today, SNAP, and Medicaid.

1:44:47Over the past year, CLS has assisted

1:44:50over 14,500 Philadelphiaians who are at

1:44:53risk of losing their homes, health care,

1:44:56income, and even their families. Our

1:45:00clients are retirees, uh, disabled

1:45:03people who are surviving with no income

1:45:05while they wait to be approved for SSI.

1:45:07And our clients are essential workers,

1:45:10um, including home health aids and bus

1:45:11drivers.

1:45:13They are among tens of thousands of

1:45:15Philadelphiaians expected to lose their

1:45:18Medicaid and have may have already lost

1:45:20their stamp benefits because of these

1:45:22devastating federal cuts. HR1

1:45:26has imposed um new restrictions on

1:45:29immigrant eligibility and harsh work

1:45:32requirements.

1:45:34But Philadelphia can take action uh to

1:45:36fight hunger and keep our people

1:45:38connected to affordable healthcare.

1:45:41SNAP eligibility for immigrants have

1:45:44already been restricted. Some immigrant

1:45:47some humanitarian immigrants including

1:45:50refugees and asileles and others lost

1:45:53critical nutrition assistance last year.

1:45:56For context, refugees and asileles were

1:45:58eligible for SNAP benefits since 1980.

1:46:01This is decades of law that was changed

1:46:03in the snap of a finger.

1:46:05Beginning tomorrow, similar

1:46:07restrictions, literally tomorrow,

1:46:09similar restrictions begin for federally

1:46:11funded Medicaid. The new rules allow

1:46:13only green card holders, Kofa migrants,

1:46:16Cuban Haitian entrance, and lawfully

1:46:18present kids and pregnant adults. But

1:46:21lawfully present kids and pregnant

1:46:22adults was a lastm minute concession.

1:46:24They were trying to take away federal

1:46:25Medicaid for lawfully present kids and

1:46:28adults as well. Uh while some people

1:46:31will remain eligible through state

1:46:33funded categories, many will lose access

1:46:36altogether and HR1 also takes away ACA

1:46:40subsidies for refugees and asyl starting

1:46:43January 2027, making marketplace

1:46:46insurance unaffordable.

1:46:48It's imperative that our immigrant

1:46:51communities and the organizations that

1:46:53support them in the system understand

1:46:55these changes and where people can go

1:46:57for help. Hospital workers, especially

1:47:00benefit counselors in our emergency

1:47:01rooms, uh must know how to help people

1:47:04apply for available health coverage and

1:47:06our health centers must be ready to

1:47:08absorb these new patients.

1:47:11HR1 also requires that certain adults

1:47:15meet 80hour a month work requirement or

1:47:19lose their Medicaid and SNAP. And it was

1:47:22already mentioned today, but the most

1:47:23common reason people lose their their

1:47:26access to the public benefits has always

1:47:27been the paperwork, right? New renewal

1:47:30packets that go missing in the mail. Uh

1:47:33timely submitted documents that just

1:47:35went unscanned, right? Just went

1:47:37unscanned.

1:47:39Um

1:47:41sorry, I lost my place. Yeah. Uh work

1:47:44requirements only increase the amount of

1:47:46paperwork that recipients must submit

1:47:48and create more red tape for everyone.

1:47:52The best way you can keep your

1:47:54constituents

1:47:56uh you can help your constituents keep

1:47:57their benefits is to help eligible

1:47:59people claim an exemption, an exemption

1:48:02from the work requirements. An exemption

1:48:04will allow them to keep their SNAP and

1:48:07Medicaid until their next renewal. A

1:48:10complete list of exemptions and guidance

1:48:12on helping people obtain them uh can be

1:48:15found on our website at

1:48:16www.clsfill.org/napchanges

1:48:18org/napchanges

1:48:20and www.sals.org/mma

1:48:22changes. I'm going to say that again.

1:48:24The best way to help your constituents

1:48:26keep their public benefits is to see if

1:48:28they are exempt from the work

1:48:29requirements.

1:48:31These policies are already harming our

1:48:34communities. Since SNAP cuts took effect

1:48:37last July, 234,000

1:48:41Pennians have lost their SNAP benefits,

1:48:44including 69,000 kids and 63,000

1:48:49Philadelphiaians.

1:48:52These cuts force families to spend more

1:48:54of the limited income on groceries,

1:48:56potentially missing a deadline for rent

1:48:58or utilities. Earlier this month, CLS

1:49:02hosted a utility day at the Kensson and

1:49:03Wellness Support Center. When I arrived,

1:49:06there were 55 families in the waiting

1:49:08room waiting for me to help them with

1:49:10their pending shut off notices. And a

1:49:12total of 102 people tried to get

1:49:14assistance from us that day.

1:49:16Once Medicaid work requirements go into

1:49:19effect, the addition of paying Medicaid

1:49:22costs out of pocket will be crushing to

1:49:24Philadelphia families. and PA's DHS

1:49:27estimates that 310,000 Pennians lose

1:49:31their Medicaid because of this.

1:49:35But CLS is proud to support local

1:49:38solutions that can keep our neighbors

1:49:40afloat.

1:49:42The proposed Medicaid supplemental

1:49:44program and locally funded SNAP

1:49:46supplemental program are bold projects

1:49:48that could help you stabilize families

1:49:50and reduce long-term costs. And to be

1:49:52honest, we needed them last year.

1:49:55As many more families struggle to keep

1:49:57up with rising costs and utility costs,

1:49:59I mean, we know this city leadership has

1:50:01done bold projects before, successful

1:50:03projects like the right to counsel and

1:50:05eviction diversion. You know, we we love

1:50:08the idea of expanding funding for rental

1:50:10assistance, expanding funding to

1:50:13improve, you know, basic repair systems

1:50:15and built to last programs because

1:50:17there's a long wait line to get to those

1:50:19services. built to last is a three-year

1:50:21wait period. Six months waiting period

1:50:24for BSRP. That's if someone has a hole

1:50:26in their roof and they reach out to the

1:50:28city to get it repaired. They have to

1:50:29wait six months for that to be repaired.

1:50:32I implore the city leadership to

1:50:35recognize this upcoming crisis and meet

1:50:37it head on.

1:50:39Hang on.

1:50:44This part is always emotional.

1:50:46So, social security nets work. I myself

1:50:50am a refugee. I immigrated to

1:50:53Philadelphia with only $15.

1:50:55>> I was on SNAP. I was on Medicaid and I

1:50:59am now an attorney.

1:51:01So, it's a responsibility for all of us

1:51:04to make sure and to responsibility

1:51:06especially for senior leadership to make

1:51:09sure the American dream is still

1:51:11possible in Philadelphia.

1:51:14Thank you.

1:51:16Thank you.

1:51:19Thank you.

1:51:23Thank you. I'm going to resist the

1:51:25temptation to comment on that, but know

1:51:28that you have touched my heart and

1:51:30reminded me of the call and why we serve

1:51:33and what we should be doing with the

1:51:34time that we have to make a difference

1:51:36in people's lives. Thank you for your

1:51:37testimony. Please state your name and

1:51:38begin with yours.

1:51:39>> Hello. Good morning. My name is Zaredo

1:51:41Cordiero. Um I'll start again. Good

1:51:44morning, Council Member Awok, and the

1:51:45members of the committee. My name is

1:51:47Daredo Corddero. I'm the executive

1:51:49director of the Sustainable Business

1:51:50Network, also better known as SPN. Since

1:51:542001, SPN has built a just, green, and

1:51:57thriving local economy alongside

1:51:58locallyowned businesses that make

1:52:00Philadelphia the vibrant city it is

1:52:01today. Thank you to the task force for a

1:52:04report that speaks to what our local

1:52:05businesses are facing every day. I want

1:52:08to start with a simple point.

1:52:10Affordability is local business issues.

1:52:13Owning a business does not mean these

1:52:15issues don't affect you. They do. They

1:52:17affect the owner, the team, the

1:52:18customers walking through the door. Our

1:52:20members live in the same neighborhoods

1:52:22as these customers, pay the same rising

1:52:24rents, and ride the same buses. We don't

1:52:27always see business owners as people who

1:52:28are marginalized and struggling. Many of

1:52:31them are. Here is one way to see it.

1:52:34This year, SPN launched the business

1:52:36track of Lubbert IDA match savings

1:52:38program with United Way. An owner saves

1:52:40$1,500. It matches with 30 $3,000 and

1:52:44the businesses walk away with $4,500 for

1:52:47equipment and growth. The fact that this

1:52:49program fills up quickly tells you that

1:52:51business owners need these resources and

1:52:53funds. This report names five pressures:

1:52:56housing, utilities, transit, care, and

1:52:58food. Each one show up in all of our

1:53:01local businesses. When rent jumps and

1:53:03Philadelphia has no limit on

1:53:05year-to-year increases, while many peer

1:53:07cities do, an owner has to cut hours,

1:53:09cut staff, or take away from their

1:53:11family's budget. When utility bills

1:53:13rise, the shop absorbs a cost. When

1:53:16transit is unreliable, workers leave and

1:53:19turnover follows. When child care and

1:53:21health care are out of reach, owners and

1:53:24their teams both feel that. This is not

1:53:27only an economic issue, it is a public

1:53:29health issue. When you're constantly

1:53:31stressing over financial barriers, your

1:53:34mental health and your well-being will

1:53:36decline. I say this as a social worker

1:53:39and I see it every day in our network.

1:53:41It affects economic mobility and the

1:53:43next generation's workforce. And when

1:53:45local businesses struggle, our whole

1:53:48economy feels it. That is why this

1:53:50report is so important and why the

1:53:52action behind it also is. I asked a few

1:53:55of our members what this looks like for

1:53:57them. Nema, co-founder of Cake Life Bake

1:54:00Shop. Rising costs show up in almost

1:54:02every part of running baker my bakery.

1:54:04Our utilities and services keep

1:54:06increasing. Ingredients and packaging

1:54:08costs more. And our team needs wages

1:54:10that allow them to keep up with the

1:54:12rising cost of living too. When all of

1:54:14those expenses climb at the same time,

1:54:16we're constantly making choices about

1:54:18when we can when and where we can

1:54:20observe costs, where we have to raise

1:54:22prizes, what we have to scale back.

1:54:25Sarah Reed, owner of the Source Archive,

1:54:27Reed consultant. I want to be able to

1:54:29hire people, invest in my business, and

1:54:31support myself. But when the cost of

1:54:33living keeps increasing, there's less

1:54:35room to do any of those things. Martina

1:54:37Alan Faro from Alfaro Consult Con

1:54:39consulting. We see firsthand how rising

1:54:42costs are putting additional pressure on

1:54:44small businesses,

1:54:46competing for opportunities through

1:54:47complex procurement and RFP processes.

1:54:50Tamara, POC, Revive Radio, and Media.

1:54:53When the cost of housing,

1:54:54transportation, food, utilities, and

1:54:56other basic needs increase, families

1:54:59have less room in their budgets. All are

1:55:02looking to make sure that Philadelphia

1:55:03is a thriving economy and community for

1:55:06everybody. They want their businesses to

1:55:07prosper. SPN supports the direction of

1:55:10this report. Here's where it lands on

1:55:12locally owned business. Transit. The

1:55:15transit access fund is the clearest

1:55:17example. Philadelphia already has a

1:55:19communer benefit ordinance which

1:55:21requires employers with 50 or more

1:55:23employees to offer their workers a

1:55:24pre-tax transit benefit, [snorts] but

1:55:26there's no real enforcement. So many

1:55:29covered employees are simply not doing

1:55:30the work, and the city should fix that.

1:55:32Also, this should be a benefit that's

1:55:34accessible to all of our small business

1:55:36employers as well. Utilities, ESPN

1:55:39strongly opposes building data centers

1:55:41in Philadelphia. Data center demand is

1:55:44already driving up power costs. the

1:55:47latest PGM auction adding more than $6

1:55:50million across our region and PICO

1:55:53asking for a double-digit rate increase

1:55:56and that lands on residents on schools

1:55:58and every business in this quarter in

1:56:00every quarter of Philadelphia. Our

1:56:02members already use AI to run their

1:56:04businesses and I promise you none of

1:56:06that requires a data center in the city.

1:56:09We also support keeping our water public

1:56:11in Pennsylvania. water bills. Privately

1:56:13owned systems run 84% higher than public

1:56:16water. We believe that a public water

1:56:19department keeps our members green storm

1:56:21water work and those jobs in

1:56:23Philadelphia and the utility protection

1:56:26for tenants should reach the owners

1:56:27renting a storefront too. Care and food.

1:56:31Many of our members cannot afford

1:56:33quality health care for themselves, let

1:56:36alone to offer it to their team.

1:56:39Organizations like Buenes Salude Ciente

1:56:42are tremendous resources and a Philly

1:56:45Medicaid supplement would help owners,

1:56:47their families and their staff too. On

1:56:49food, you are all aware that close to

1:56:5140% of the food in this country goes

1:56:54uneaten while our neighbors are going

1:56:56without. And much of it is going to end

1:56:58in the landsfill and continues to end in

1:57:00our landfills. Which is why I'm glad to

1:57:02see the food waste accountability and

1:57:04the urban agriculture plan here in this

1:57:06report. This is why organizations like

1:57:09SPN matter. Our vision is a sustainable

1:57:12economy in every sense of the word.

1:57:15Businesses built to last with resources

1:57:17that are accessible and equitable. Where

1:57:19rent and utilities are affordable, where

1:57:22we're not raising everyone's cost for

1:57:24data centers we don't need, and where

1:57:26residents and business owners are both

1:57:28heard when decisions get made.

1:57:31Sustainable means self-reliant and

1:57:34prosperous. Sustainability is not only

1:57:36about the planet. It is about whether

1:57:38the people who make the city run can

1:57:41afford to stay in it. Thank you so much.

1:57:47>> Thank you very much.

1:57:49So much there. Please state your name

1:57:52and begin with your testimony.

1:57:54>> My name is Salony Tanden. Um good

1:57:57morning chair Oor. Uh Vice Chair Emmed,

1:58:00Council Member Hariti and other members

1:58:03of the committee. Like I mentioned, my

1:58:05name is Salonyi Tendon and I lead the

1:58:07research and analytics division at the

1:58:09Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.

1:58:11We are an independent nonpartisan

1:58:13regional think tank established in 1909.

1:58:16Thank you for having us. I would like to

1:58:19start this conversation or testimony by

1:58:21focusing again on a point that my fellow

1:58:23panelists just made. Pressure on

1:58:26household budgets can also become

1:58:28pressure on neighborhood businesses.

1:58:30This is important because these

1:58:31businesses offer employment and help the

1:58:33economy move at a local level. I'd like

1:58:36to explain this through a hypothetical

1:58:38example. An a single mother works at a

1:58:41restaurant.

1:58:42As her utility bill increases, uh she's

1:58:45left with less room to spend locally.

1:58:48Her employer also faces the same rising

1:58:50costs, but worries that raising the menu

1:58:53prices to offset the same costs will

1:58:56drive customers away, just like an now.

1:58:59Now, Anne could seek additional work,

1:59:01but only if she can find affordable

1:59:03child care. Separate budgets, right? But

1:59:06they're all connected choices. Those

1:59:08connections run through what people

1:59:09spend, what businesses earn, and whether

1:59:12people can work. Our research at the

1:59:14Economy League documents part of this

1:59:16picture. First, on household prices,

1:59:19over the last two years, ending in

1:59:21August 2026, consumer prices rose 7.7%

1:59:27in the Philadelphia metro area compared

1:59:29with 6.4% nationally. Please uh remember

1:59:34that we're talking about two different

1:59:35effects here. One, the increase in

1:59:38prices in Philadelphia are much higher

1:59:40than what you would see at an average

1:59:41level nationally. The other thing is

1:59:43that for households whose incomes have

1:59:45not kept pace, we're essentially saying

1:59:48they have less purchasing power and

1:59:49harder choices to make about where to

1:59:52cut back. Second, with respect to small

1:59:55businesses, between March and August of

1:59:57this year, the Economy League surveyed

1:59:5934 small businesses, including 26 in

2:00:02Chinatown. Most of these businesses had

2:00:05fewer than 10 employees. This was a

2:00:07small non-random survey. So, please note

2:00:10that the findings of the survey are not

2:00:12a city-wide estimate. As the chart on

2:00:15your handout shows, 26 of the 34

2:00:18businesses reported higher operating

2:00:20costs, but without any growth in

2:00:23customer demand. At the same time, 31

2:00:26reported broadly stable staffing.

2:00:29Twothirds of these businesses raised

2:00:31prices, but most of them described those

2:00:34increases as very slight.

2:00:37A lot of these businesses were very

2:00:39reluctant to change prices even more in

2:00:41the fear of losing their customers. Now,

2:00:44it's important for us to note that

2:00:45stable staffing here does not mean

2:00:47stable finances. As one Chinatown

2:00:50restaurant owner told us, quote, "We

2:00:52don't have enough customers." So, our

2:00:55staffing is stable, but that's mostly

2:00:57because our staff members are also our

2:00:59family members. Stable staffing can also

2:01:02reflect family labor. So declines in

2:01:05customer demand don't actually always

2:01:06show up in in unemployment numbers very

2:01:09quickly. Please also note that five

2:01:12businesses reported pausing expansion or

2:01:14investment. Now these signs are very

2:01:17critical for us to monitor especially

2:01:19before they become strain on the economy

2:01:20in terms of job losses or closures.

2:01:25Thirdly, the care economy adds another

2:01:28dimension mostly because it affects both

2:01:31household expenses as well as the

2:01:32capacity to earn. A parent can be

2:01:35employed and still be unable to work the

2:01:37hours they need. The task force report

2:01:40estimates that Philadelphia families

2:01:42spend 10 to 22% of their income on child

2:01:44care. Additionally, Ready Nation

2:01:47statewide survey of working parents with

2:01:49children under the age of five showed

2:01:51that 43% of them reported reducing their

2:01:54hours because of child care problems.

2:01:57For families, we see that the issue is

2:01:59mostly around a the cost of care, b its

2:02:02reliability, and whether it really fits

2:02:04around their working schedule. On the

2:02:07other hand, for providers, the cost the

2:02:09issue is having enough revenue as well

2:02:11as staff to deliver the care. It's

2:02:13important for us to address both these

2:02:15sides. Otherwise, we will be left with a

2:02:18situation where families have assistance

2:02:20but nowhere really to use it. Please

2:02:23again note that our small business

2:02:25survey does not establish how much of

2:02:27this weak customer demand that we're

2:02:29seeing in our survey comes essentially

2:02:32from just reduced household budgets

2:02:34compared to say other macroeconomic

2:02:36conditions that neighborhoods are

2:02:37facing. It does however show why

2:02:40business conditions deserve a place in

2:02:42this affordability discussion.

2:02:44Previous panelists today have shared how

2:02:47eligibility criteria across your

2:02:49benefits are not uniform, how the

2:02:52processes are currently broken, and

2:02:54there's a lot for us to really do to

2:02:56make sure that products and services

2:02:58reach the people who need it the most.

2:03:00In response to that, we would like to

2:03:02offer four criteria that the council

2:03:04could use while assessing policy options

2:03:07as solutions to improve affordability.

2:03:09These criteria are based on our research

2:03:12across topics and regions. First, who

2:03:15does the product or policy you're

2:03:17evaluating really reach? Being eligible

2:03:19for help, as we've heard from so many

2:03:21people over here, does not necessarily

2:03:23mean that that product or help is

2:03:25reaching the people who need to reach

2:03:26it. access is not the same as it as

2:03:29eligibility.

2:03:31Second, what pressure does this product

2:03:34or policy really ease? Are we talking

2:03:36about reducing unavoidable expenses or

2:03:39are we trying to make sure people's

2:03:40income expand and they're able to work

2:03:42and earn as they want to? Third, what

2:03:46would delivery require of these

2:03:48benefits? As again, we've seen delivery

2:03:50mechanisms are not optimized right now.

2:03:53We it's also important for us to really

2:03:55assess the opportunity cost of the

2:03:56resources that we're using for those

2:03:58policy options. And finally, similar to

2:04:01what council member Emmed had mentioned

2:04:04in her opening remarks today morning,

2:04:06it's important for us to be able to

2:04:07measure what changed. Have we really

2:04:10moved something? It's critical for us to

2:04:12look at actual savings, access to care,

2:04:15work hours, and not simply how many

2:04:17people enrolled. There are three sets of

2:04:20recommendation in the task force report

2:04:22that really stand out across this lens.

2:04:24Not to say that the other

2:04:25recommendations do not, but related to

2:04:27an choices over here in the example I

2:04:29shared before. First, simplifying

2:04:32utility assistant enrollment could

2:04:34really make a difference. It would help

2:04:36eligible households automatically

2:04:37receive the relief from an essential

2:04:39bill. This is one of the more practical

2:04:42steps available, a lowhanging fruit like

2:04:44we like to put it. and automatic

2:04:46delivery is something that a lot of

2:04:48different contexts and countries have

2:04:49used especially in the UK. Second,

2:04:52supporting child care providers through

2:04:54zoning and workforce measures assess the

2:04:57availability of care that we're con

2:05:00currently grappling with. This would

2:05:02really help people or parents earn a

2:05:03living. And third, the proposed transit

2:05:06access fund. It could reduce commuting

2:05:08costs, including through support for

2:05:10small employers to offer transit

2:05:12benefits. This could also help resolve

2:05:14staffing issues for businesses including

2:05:17childcare centers.

2:05:19The economy league is happy to offer any

2:05:21support that the council or the

2:05:23committee would need. We also aim to

2:05:25duplicate our survey across different

2:05:27corridors. Um happy to welcome any

2:05:30questions. Thank you.

2:05:32>> Thank you very very much.

2:05:37>> Please state your name and begin with

2:05:38your testimony.

2:05:41Good morning, Chairperson AOR, Vice

2:05:43Chair Amed, and other members of

2:05:45council. My name is Beth McConnell. I'm

2:05:47the deputy executive director of policy

2:05:49and programs for the city of

2:05:51Philadelphia's Office of Community

2:05:53Empowerment and Opportunity. We go by

2:05:55CEO for short. Thank you for the

2:05:57opportunity to testify today. I've

2:05:59submitted longer written testimony for

2:06:01the record and will summarize my remarks

2:06:04today. Um, I do want to applaud the

2:06:06members of the cost of living task force

2:06:08for the tremendous work that they've

2:06:10done examining affordability issues that

2:06:12are deeply felt by Philadelphiaians

2:06:14every day and really grateful for all

2:06:16the advocates in the room here today and

2:06:18the city is really better for all of

2:06:20your work. Um, I'm happy to share with

2:06:22you today CEO's work to help Philly

2:06:25households achieve stability, economic

2:06:27mobility, and prosperity. This of course

2:06:30is not exhaustive of the work happening

2:06:32across the entire Parker administration

2:06:34but is where CEO is playing a leading or

2:06:37supporting role. Um first I'd like to

2:06:39update you on our benefili program and

2:06:41our efforts to make sure that

2:06:42Philadelphiaians are enrolled and stay

2:06:44enrolled in the benefits that they're

2:06:46eligible for. Uh this program has

2:06:49submitted over 5,500 applications for

2:06:51public benefits for Philadelphiaians so

2:06:53far this year. We've received more than

2:06:569,500 telephone calls from residents

2:06:58looking for help. And this includes

2:07:00SNAP, Medicaid, utility, property tax

2:07:04assistance, and more. Thanks to new

2:07:06funding, we have expanded the benefit

2:07:08program to hire more benefits

2:07:10counselors, more telephone navigators

2:07:12placed at many community-based locations

2:07:15that I've noted in my written testimony.

2:07:17The work is more vital, more important

2:07:19given the new work requirements that

2:07:21will lead to reductions in benefits. As

2:07:23you know, SNAP cuts have been the first

2:07:25to hit home. Mr. Ho covered some of this

2:07:27in his testimony, but I think it's worth

2:07:29underscoring and repeating. Um, in

2:07:31August of 2025, we had more than 472,000

2:07:36Philly kids and adults on SNAP,

2:07:38receiving 94.8 million in food for food

2:07:41every single month. That's over a

2:07:43billion dollars a year. One year later,

2:07:46with the SNAP work requirements fully in

2:07:48effect, we have 59,000 fewer people on

2:07:51SNAP in Philly and SNAP payments were

2:07:5411.4 million less for the month of

2:07:56August than they were the same month the

2:07:58year prior. That's 11 million less food

2:08:01on the table and spending at local food

2:08:03retailers every single month. Um, CEO

2:08:07has sent more than 100,000 text messages

2:08:10directly to SNAP recipients who we had

2:08:12reason to believe may have lost or could

2:08:15soon lose their benefits so that we

2:08:16could offer one-on-one help. We'll also

2:08:19be directly texting people who we

2:08:20believe have uh who have lost their SNAP

2:08:23to offer help in reapplying when they

2:08:25become eligible again in the new year.

2:08:28The Parker administration is deep in

2:08:30preparations for the changes that are

2:08:32coming to Medicaid. Last summer, PADHS

2:08:35projected that more than 73,000

2:08:37Philadelphiaians would lose Medicaid

2:08:39because of the new work requirements.

2:08:41That number could change as new federal

2:08:43guidance uh comes out. But led by the

2:08:46managing director's office, the

2:08:47administration is working with

2:08:49consultants with deep expertise. We've

2:08:51convened leaders across departments.

2:08:53We're tracking federal policy guidance.

2:08:56We're in close coordination with PADHS.

2:08:59We are engaged in data analysis to

2:09:01explore supporting the state in

2:09:03exempting qualified Philadelphiaians. Uh

2:09:06we're planning outreach and discussing

2:09:08uh strengthening pathways to work or

2:09:10volunteer opportunities to help people

2:09:12comply with the new rules and keep their

2:09:14Medicaid. Um very briefly, in addition

2:09:16to our benefili program, CEO does other

2:09:19work to help connect Philadelphiaians to

2:09:21other vital resources um for

2:09:23affordability and quality of life. Our

2:09:25community engagement and outreach team

2:09:27has made nearly 1.8 million outreach

2:09:30attempts, including knocking on doors.

2:09:32We've supported the ZeroFare program by

2:09:34making over 66,000 phone calls and over

2:09:37113,000 text messages and partnered with

2:09:41five community groups to reach residents

2:09:42who were eligible for the program. On

2:09:45our same day work and pay program, we

2:09:47provided just under 8,000 shifts in FY26

2:09:50to Philadelphiaians with significant

2:09:52employment barriers who just need a few

2:09:54extra bucks to make it to the end of the

2:09:56month. Our Just Home project will create

2:09:59deeply affordable housing for people

2:10:00with a history of incarceration. And by

2:10:03the end of this year, we also expect to

2:10:05reach a thousand Philadelphiaians with

2:10:06incarceration history with one-time cash

2:10:09assistance and financial counseling. Our

2:10:12work ready program, which provides

2:10:14services to families that are enrolled

2:10:15in extended TANF, so they've been on

2:10:17TANF for more than five years, offers

2:10:19help with necessities like clothing,

2:10:21food, beds for kids, utility, and rental

2:10:24assistance, and our financial

2:10:25empowerment programs help residents find

2:10:27affordable bank accounts, provide

2:10:30navigation support for people being sued

2:10:32over debt in municipal court, and we'll

2:10:34soon launch a program in partnership

2:10:36with the mayor's office of education to

2:10:38help people with student loan debt uh

2:10:41provide free legacy planning services

2:10:43and more. And by the end of FY27, we

2:10:46will also have invested 5 million paying

2:10:48fines, fees, and restitution for youth

2:10:50and adults with criminal legal system

2:10:52involvement to lessen the barriers that

2:10:54they have to jobs and housing so they

2:10:57can focus on their economic futures

2:10:58rather than being saddled with debt they

2:11:00can't pay. And finally, our claim your

2:11:03money PHL campaign provides free tax

2:11:05prep services and put more than $19

2:11:07million in tax refunds into people's

2:11:10pockets during the most recent tax year.

2:11:12Um, and I really want to thank all of

2:11:14our contracted community- based

2:11:15organizations that help us implement all

2:11:17of that work. Um, you did ask us to

2:11:20share um some briefly some of the

2:11:21findings from our community needs

2:11:23assessment um on affordability issues.

2:11:25Our last community needs assessment was

2:11:27published in 2024. Um, I will note that

2:11:30housing rose to the top as an

2:11:31affordability concern. U, we hear that

2:11:34every day. Transit affordability also

2:11:36has been a theme in our community needs

2:11:38assessments, particularly as a barrier

2:11:40to finding or keeping jobs. And even

2:11:43across many areas, even where we see

2:11:44gains, they're not evenly distributed,

2:11:47and disparities by race, gender, and

2:11:49income are persistent. We also heard

2:11:51clearly from residents about the

2:11:53importance of accessible service

2:11:54delivery and direct outreach to connect

2:11:56residents to needed service in their

2:11:58communities. We do expect since our 2024

2:12:01CNA some issues that emerged then that

2:12:03we believe has become more concerning

2:12:05are increasing utility prices ex

2:12:07especially for electricity and federal

2:12:09policy changes that have increased fear

2:12:12and reduced access to critical services

2:12:14particularly for our immigrant

2:12:15neighbors. These are tough problems, but

2:12:17we're grateful to Mayor Parker and city

2:12:19council for facing these challenges head

2:12:21on. In closing, we know that one of the

2:12:24worst things about the affordability

2:12:25crisis is that it keeps people stuck in

2:12:28figuring out how to make ends meet. So,

2:12:31they don't have the bandwidth to think

2:12:33about the future that they really want

2:12:34and that they deserve, economic

2:12:37mobility, prosperity, and generational

2:12:39wealth. But we can't take our eyes off

2:12:41these things. And so, Mayor Parker has

2:12:43invested more in CEO's portfolio of

2:12:46economic mobility programs to make sure

2:12:48there are on-ramps to help people reduce

2:12:50wealth, uh, reduce debt and preserve and

2:12:53build wealth. Thank you for the

2:12:55opportunity to testify.

2:12:57>> Thank you all for your testimonies, for

2:13:00all that you have shared.

2:13:01[clears throat]

2:13:02Uh, a few questions um to lift up first

2:13:06to Miss Cordderero and Miss Tanden. Can

2:13:10you speak more to the impact it would

2:13:12have on small businesses, on their

2:13:14employees, and our commercial corridors

2:13:17if the city used the transit access fund

2:13:19to subsidize transit benefits for small

2:13:21employers?

2:13:22And I do appreciate Miss McConnell your

2:13:25uh nod particularly to this question of

2:13:27sorts, but if you could respond to that.

2:13:29>> Sure. Um, so there are two to three ways

2:13:31of looking at it. If people have more

2:13:34mobility because because again it's more

2:13:36affordable they will be able to a reach

2:13:39their workplace if it's situated at a

2:13:41distance. Um so they're all businesses

2:13:43or small businesses that we're talking

2:13:45about right now in this context. If

2:13:47small businesses are able to get the

2:13:49kind of talent or staff they're looking

2:13:51for or they they want to hire and

2:13:53they're only being stopped because of

2:13:55lack of mobility constraints or the

2:13:57expense that they the the staff

2:13:58potentially incurs if they're trying to

2:14:00reach there. This essentially solves

2:14:02that challenge. Um it also depends on

2:14:04the type of small business we're talking

2:14:06about. Child care centers as we've heard

2:14:08uh from in in different contexts as

2:14:10well. They struggle right now in terms

2:14:12of staffing their centers. Uh lack of

2:14:15mobility is one of those reasons as

2:14:17well. So if you are able to offer this

2:14:19benefit, it would allow a lot of these

2:14:22different uh segments of the labor force

2:14:24to actually reach possible positions of

2:14:27workforce and contribute to the economy

2:14:29in that sense. The other angle is to

2:14:31look at it from a demand side. Um, if a

2:14:34commercial corridor is more accessible

2:14:36because of the transit fund, more

2:14:38customers will be able to reach there

2:14:40and actually make purchases over there.

2:14:41You're not talking about purchases at

2:14:43one specific unit. You're talking about

2:14:45purchases across different

2:14:47establishments or small businesses

2:14:48across that um particular corridor. Uh,

2:14:51so it's more of a demand and supply

2:14:53thing. It adds up on both sides. It's a

2:14:55win-win in terms of both the customer,

2:14:58the laborer, as well as the business

2:14:59owner.

2:15:02So, when we say local businesses, we're

2:15:04talking about entrepreneurs, small

2:15:06businesses. We're also talking about

2:15:07grassroot nonprofits that probably have

2:15:09a team less than 10 people. This takes a

2:15:12burden off of that organization. Whether

2:15:14it's a business or it's a nonprofit,

2:15:16it's an opportunity for the business

2:15:19owner to feel supported by SEPTA. I

2:15:20think it's a win-win for everybody. And

2:15:22when you're thinking about environmental

2:15:24impact, it reduces the carbon footprint

2:15:26that we're leaving. I also believe that

2:15:28when you don't have access to

2:15:30transportation, you're more likely to

2:15:32find a job that's closer to home so that

2:15:34you can afford to be able to get to

2:15:36work. And I think that is currently

2:15:38what's affecting high turnover. We're

2:15:40already struggling with wages as

2:15:42nonprofits being able to pray pay

2:15:44equitable wages. We're struggling as

2:15:46small businesses trying to find end meet

2:15:48to pay equitable hourly salaries. And

2:15:51now we're having to figure out how to

2:15:53navigate the increase in step to costs.

2:15:55So I feel if we were included in these

2:15:58conversations, we might be able to come

2:15:59up with very positive solutions that

2:16:02benefit not just the business owners,

2:16:04organization leaders, it benefits the

2:16:06workers. And I feel that if we work that

2:16:09way as a social worker, I think

2:16:12sometimes when we're living in survival

2:16:13ourselves and creating survival

2:16:15mindsets, we're also showing those who

2:16:18are actually marginalized and struggling

2:16:19that there isn't going to be an

2:16:21opportunity to help them thrive when

2:16:22we're also struggling within that. So

2:16:24there's a sense of equity that aligns

2:16:26with the solution.

2:16:28>> Thank you.

2:16:30>> Just wanted to add one more point. uh

2:16:31from the affordability lens. Uh there's

2:16:34one thing to say that you're helping

2:16:36these individuals save money on transit,

2:16:38right? But the other thing is also

2:16:40you're actually improving their access

2:16:42to different stores or access points

2:16:45where things are more affordable, right?

2:16:47So if you live in a neighborhood where

2:16:49the shopkeeper has realized he has a

2:16:51monopoly or they have a monopoly, they

2:16:53start raising their prices. just having

2:16:54access or mobility to different

2:16:56locations would really help sort of

2:16:58balance the economy or or the market in

2:17:00general would also empower your customer

2:17:03at that point. So just to

2:17:05>> the transit question has been something

2:17:06that's that's been so um just

2:17:10fascinating to me just to to to learn

2:17:12about over the course of the last year

2:17:13and some change that we've that our

2:17:14office has been really focused on it.

2:17:16And the report um coming back kind of

2:17:19highlighting when you look at the issue

2:17:20of child care that the the overarching

2:17:23issue is just a lack of people to work

2:17:27in it. That's one of the big issues and

2:17:29it's they exist what have you but the

2:17:31accessibility to be able to get to where

2:17:33you're going to be able to to staff up

2:17:35and these sorts of things that that

2:17:36being a roadblock I think I heard you

2:17:37say that basically is that essential to

2:17:39getting child care workers to their

2:17:42place of employment to be able to

2:17:44provide child care which many of us let

2:17:46me speak for myself Nicholas Oor is

2:17:49feeling the pinch of right now with just

2:17:50one kid [cough and clears throat] but if

2:17:52we want to see a reduction in that many

2:17:54other folks who have more kids than I do

2:17:56at younger ages or what have you are

2:17:58experiencing this pinch seriously that

2:18:00in order to be able to address that we

2:18:01have to be able to get childcare workers

2:18:02to these spots and in order to do that

2:18:04we need a functional and affordable

2:18:05transit system. Is that accurate?

2:18:08I I just want to draw that point out

2:18:10because this is we're talking about

2:18:13we're talking about how to address the

2:18:16question of affordability which we we

2:18:17keep repeating as if it's like this

2:18:19novel thing that's going to win

2:18:21elections and all that kind of stuff

2:18:22like that. That's not our business in

2:18:23this in this room. And and I think we

2:18:25fail sometimes to to capture just how um

2:18:29um uh uh wide reaching and far-reaching

2:18:33the issue is and how interconnected it

2:18:35all is. That one thing is not

2:18:37disconnected from from the other. And if

2:18:38we're going to make real a reduction in

2:18:42the cost of living or at least create

2:18:44more space for our low paychecks to go a

2:18:46little bit farther, then we have to

2:18:48address all of these in a unilateral or

2:18:49at least a group of them to be able to

2:18:51bring these at the same time to kind of

2:18:52bring them back down. So, I thank you

2:18:53for helping to draw out the connection

2:18:56point on that in particular. Miss

2:18:58McConnell, can you provide further

2:19:00details about the management director's

2:19:01plan to support Philadelphiaians at risk

2:19:03of losing Medicare uh coverage? I think

2:19:05you mentioned um in your in your report

2:19:07in your testimony.

2:19:09>> Sure. Um so, the administration has

2:19:12contracted with a team of expert

2:19:15consultants. They have deep expertise in

2:19:18uh Medicaid. Um we have um convened uh

2:19:22working groups across the administration

2:19:24right now with multiple departments that

2:19:26are affected um and will have a role um

2:19:29to play um including um DBHIDS

2:19:33um CBH lots out lots of letters acronyms

2:19:36I can I spell out here managing

2:19:38director's office HHS is leading this

2:19:40work um like I said we are we are

2:19:42closely tracking federal guidance it is

2:19:44changing um uh regularly right so um uh

2:19:48centers for Medicare and Medicaid

2:19:49service um have to give guidance to the

2:19:51state about the how these changes will

2:19:54be implemented. So, we're paying very

2:19:55close attention to that. We are in

2:19:57direct communication and coordination

2:19:59with PADHS.

2:20:01Um we of course, as Mr. Ho also pointed

2:20:04out, the best um avenue for most

2:20:06Philadelphiaians is to qualify for an

2:20:08exemption. If they are qualified, we

2:20:10want to make sure that they get that

2:20:11exemption. Some people will be

2:20:13automatically exempted because the state

2:20:15has relevant data uh to do that but not

2:20:18every the state doesn't have data on all

2:20:20of the people that qualify for an

2:20:21exemption. So we need to both look at

2:20:23data that the city might have and

2:20:26discuss with you know obviously all the

2:20:28uh privacy and and data sharing um uh uh

2:20:32experts in the room and the law

2:20:34department in the room whether or not we

2:20:36can share any of that data with the

2:20:37state um so that they can automatically

2:20:39exempt people. We're exploring that and

2:20:41I cannot say right now whether or not we

2:20:43have exactly identified what those data

2:20:45sources are, but we're looking very

2:20:46closely at them and a conversation with

2:20:48the state in addition to direct outreach

2:20:51to people to make sure that they know

2:20:52what to do to themselves.

2:20:54>> In my brain, I think I was I was more

2:20:56trying to gather like is there a time

2:20:58like when you say you're providing or

2:20:59planning outreach if there was like a

2:21:01timeline to that, but it sounds more

2:21:03like you're kind of in conversation with

2:21:04different organizations and it will kind

2:21:07of reveal itself in terms of what you

2:21:08need to do and when you need to do that.

2:21:09Yeah, it's there's a lot of moving

2:21:11parts. Um, so the working groups are

2:21:12meeting regularly and routinely right

2:21:14now and coming up with our plan and

2:21:16strategy. And we'll probably have more

2:21:17to share about what our timeline will be

2:21:19soon. Um, but obviously with October 1st

2:21:21with a group of folks being affected um

2:21:23folks with uh who are immigrants,

2:21:25refugees, asylles being affected October

2:21:271st and then the rest of the population

2:21:29in January, they'll be cut there's a

2:21:31phased approach um uh to reaching out to

2:21:33Philadelphiaians. Yes.

2:21:34>> Okay. Heard. I could ask more questions,

2:21:36but I want to make sure that I get to

2:21:37our vice chair who is eager to raise

2:21:39some questions and I think actually this

2:21:40is an appropriate segue uh for her on

2:21:42that particular point. Madam vice chair,

2:21:45>> thank you chair. Um so much good

2:21:48testimony um all of you given. It was

2:21:51particularly moving to hear yours. Um, I

2:21:56didn't come as a refugee, but I was

2:21:59leaving a country that was completely

2:22:01demolished and I didn't have refugee

2:22:05status, but it felt like I was a

2:22:07refugee, right? And so I know when I had

2:22:10to count how many pennies I had in my

2:22:12pocket, whether I could afford a extra

2:22:15topping on my McDonald's burger. So I

2:22:18know when you had to put I had to put

2:22:20plastic on my shoes. So the holes in my

2:22:25shoe didn't cause my feet to get wet. So

2:22:30you know, cleaning toilets and having

2:22:33bad employers is something uh I've

2:22:36experienced. And yet like you

2:22:40look at where we both are, right? And so

2:22:42we need to make sure that pathway is

2:22:45open for everybody. If you and I could

2:22:48do it, uh we should make sure we create

2:22:52those um rem remove the barriers for

2:22:55everybody uh to be able to achieve the

2:22:58American dream. I mean, I am deeply

2:23:01grateful to be living that in so many

2:23:03ways. Um but I also wanted to talk to uh

2:23:07Miss McConnell about the 59,000 people

2:23:10who

2:23:12seem to be dropped off the SNAP

2:23:14benefits. Do we know who they are? like

2:23:17do we have a sense of what did they drop

2:23:20off because they don't qualify with the

2:23:23new rules or is it because they have

2:23:25found other ways to um you know take

2:23:28care of themselves which would be what

2:23:31we would like but I know that's probably

2:23:34not the case and and you talked about

2:23:36tracking is since we know who those

2:23:3859,000 were without needing to assess

2:23:42privacy issues are we able to track them

2:23:45and see where are they what is going on

2:23:47in their lives. That's one part. And the

2:23:50second part is resources, right? Actual

2:23:53money. And so I know that the PPA, red

2:24:00light, cameras, and all of that is

2:24:03bringing in a lot of dollars. And they

2:24:06contribute something which goes to the

2:24:08general fund. I don't know all the

2:24:10numbers.

2:24:11We would like to know if there's a

2:24:13direct way to take money that has been

2:24:16made off the citizens of Philadelphia,

2:24:20put it right back into uh supporting

2:24:23those who are facing troubled times and

2:24:26are we discussing those kinds of

2:24:28solutions? I know you're doing a lot of

2:24:30work on tracking and making sure people

2:24:33get their exemptions. Um those things

2:24:36should be automated like in this day and

2:24:39age. We should have a way to deanonymize

2:24:42and still be able to automate who gets

2:24:44what. It just boggles my mind that we

2:24:47have, you know, so many different

2:24:49platforms. You go to Japan, they have on

2:24:52a each person carries a chip on a card,

2:24:56regardless of where they are, their

2:24:58medical reports can be accessed and they

2:25:00can be treated anywhere.

2:25:03We're first world country that prides

2:25:05itself on being ahead. we have fallen

2:25:08behind greatly to say that we don't know

2:25:10how to attract those most in need. So we

2:25:13have to step up in a very big kind of

2:25:15way in a more um robust manner with real

2:25:20dollars to do some of what you had said

2:25:22but more importantly just put some money

2:25:24in people's pockets

2:25:26like basic income situation in dire

2:25:31situations right I understand we don't

2:25:34have a lot of revenue sources but PPA is

2:25:37a revenue source and I want to know how

2:25:40are they contributing doing to us in a

2:25:43time of need. We we don't even have to

2:25:45make it that they're always doing we can

2:25:46say right now

2:25:49right now when we're facing this cliff

2:25:53what are we really looking how what are

2:25:55the solutions? So two-part question one

2:25:57is who the 59,000 are and then what

2:26:00exact real solutions do we have outside

2:26:04of just strategizing to get information.

2:26:07So on your question about um PPA, I I

2:26:10can't answer that question. That's

2:26:12outside my portfolio of work. Um and uh

2:26:16uh you know, the administration has a

2:26:17process for new policy ideas and

2:26:19legislation and vetting those and

2:26:21engaging stakeholders and making those

2:26:22decisions. So I don't want to get ahead

2:26:23of that. So defer to the mayor's office

2:26:26to follow up on your question.

2:26:27>> One second.

2:26:27>> Please let them know

2:26:29>> that you've asked the question. I'm sure

2:26:31they're listening. Uh so but on your

2:26:34other question about SNAP, so one thing

2:26:35I think a couple things are important to

2:26:36know. We did start seeing declines in

2:26:39SNAP before HR1 even went into effect.

2:26:43There's many reasons, of course, why

2:26:45people have left SNAP. Um, one, maybe

2:26:47they're no longer eligible. Maybe they

2:26:49no longer need it. Perhaps they've

2:26:50gotten a better job. We hope that that's

2:26:52the case. But we also know that the news

2:26:55that the information that's in the news

2:26:56does frighten people. They do get

2:26:58confused and they it changes their

2:27:00behavior. They may not submit their

2:27:02renewal documentation. We also know that

2:27:04the state has been absolutely

2:27:06overwhelmed. The county assistance

2:27:08offices have been overwhelmed with

2:27:09people calling and wanting to know about

2:27:11their SNAP, about their Medicaid, are

2:27:13they affected? And they simply don't

2:27:15have the staff to keep on top of all of

2:27:17that. And that causes additional

2:27:19problems for people who are eligible and

2:27:21are submitting their documentation and

2:27:23they can fall through the cracks. So, we

2:27:24know that that happens as well. The

2:27:26other thing I want to add in terms of um

2:27:28kind of knowledge and visibility and

2:27:30tracking folks, we also know there are a

2:27:32lot of Philadelphiaians that are not in

2:27:34our databases and they don't want to be,

2:27:36right? They they have fear um they would

2:27:40um they don't um um may may not qualify

2:27:42for many benefits programs. So, we just

2:27:44don't know. Um and we don't have data

2:27:46about everybody all the time um uh for a

2:27:49lot of different reasons. But what we do

2:27:51know and what we do have, uh, we're

2:27:54using and what we when we don't know,

2:27:56we're doing our best to do outreach the

2:27:57oldfashioned way. So, um, the city does

2:28:00have a data sharing agreement with

2:28:02PADHS. Um, so we do know and that and

2:28:05CEO is the, um, uh, relevant department

2:28:08to that work. Um, we do have data on

2:28:11SNAP participants in Philadelphia. Um,

2:28:14we have very strict rules about how we

2:28:16are allowed to use that data. the state

2:28:19actually has to approve even the drafts

2:28:21of the text messages that we're sending

2:28:23out. Um, and they have and they've been

2:28:24wonderful partners on this. So, we have

2:28:27some idea and so you know there are over

2:28:29400,000 last year there's over 472,000

2:28:32people on SNAP when we uh a year ago.

2:28:34So, um we are able to see if they're

2:28:36showing up or not showing up in

2:28:38different uh monthly batches of data

2:28:40that we're getting. So, we know okay

2:28:42this person was in on SNAP uh last

2:28:45quarter, they're not on SNAP this

2:28:46quarter. we have reason to believe that

2:28:48they have been dropped for some reason.

2:28:50Let's prioritize doing outreach to those

2:28:52folks. We do have some information that

2:28:55also leads us to suspect, hey, they

2:28:57might be hit by these work requirements.

2:28:59They might not be eligible for an

2:29:01exemption. Let's prioritize reaching out

2:29:03to them first. So, that's what we've

2:29:05done over the last few months with that

2:29:07100,000 text messages that I was saying.

2:29:09we were targeting specifically of those

2:29:12400,000 plus the 100,000 that we thought

2:29:15were most vulnerable based on what we

2:29:17knew. Um and so we've done direct

2:29:19outreach to them and said we're here to

2:29:21help. Not just by the way this is coming

2:29:23go to the state but call us and we're

2:29:25here to help you. And our benefily

2:29:27specialists are walking through the

2:29:29process with them step by step oneonone

2:29:32[snorts] um to let them know how they

2:29:33are affected and what they need to do in

2:29:35order to comply and stay on SNAP. I hope

2:29:38that I've answered your questions.

2:29:40>> Uh, yes it does. But I know that was

2:29:42maybe outside your realm of answering

2:29:44the one about where we're getting

2:29:46resources, but I want to make a point of

2:29:48it to be publicly out there that um that

2:29:52PPA is one and then we have a rainy day

2:29:55fund and so does the state.

2:29:58If this is not raining, I don't know

2:30:00when we're raining, right? So I know we

2:30:02always worry about our bond rating if

2:30:04our u you know fund balance goes down.

2:30:09I don't know what happens to the bond

2:30:10ratings and when we have people unhoused

2:30:13sitting hungry on our streets I I I we

2:30:15have to make the choices right. So I

2:30:17think there's resources that can be

2:30:20mobilized from different buckets right

2:30:24for meeting an emergent need. We don't

2:30:27need to do it all the time. I'm I I

2:30:29understand that. But I think we need to

2:30:31think in those terms that if we can

2:30:34avert someone to landing up on the

2:30:37street, we actually that trajectory is

2:30:40beneficial to us for our revenue source

2:30:43because that person is not costing us.

2:30:46In fact, we'll be probably uh you know

2:30:48filling our coffers from participating

2:30:51and contributing if they're gainfully

2:30:53employed or whatever they're doing. So I

2:30:55just wanted to like think differently

2:30:58about this not just sort of at the edges

2:31:02think big like have a big thought about

2:31:05this and I know I'm just using you

2:31:07because you're here [laughter] so I

2:31:09understand

2:31:09>> so please pass it along we will do other

2:31:13means to also um make sure people who

2:31:16are listening I know I know these get

2:31:19recorded and reviewed so I need

2:31:23Philadelphia to step up. We are really

2:31:25facing a lot of crises on many different

2:31:28fronts and we have to

2:31:31be able to say and give confidence to

2:31:34our communities that we're thinking hard

2:31:36and thinking outside the box. So, thank

2:31:39you for the work you do though. This is

2:31:40not a hit on you. You just happen to be

2:31:42here. So, you had

2:31:45>> Can I jump back in on that? Um what we

2:31:47can do uh what people can do to uh

2:31:50maintain their their benefits, right?

2:31:51So, you can always appeal, right? If you

2:31:54have been denied benefits and you think

2:31:56unjust like unright so that you are

2:31:58eligible there you have appeal rights

2:32:01right and uh we at CLS but other legal

2:32:03aid organizations can help you through

2:32:05that appeal process if you even if

2:32:07you're not sure please call into our our

2:32:09intake line so we can discuss your case

2:32:12uh some appeal deadlines have much have

2:32:14quick turnarounds right if you're denied

2:32:15Medicaid the appeal deadlines 30 days um

2:32:18but if you had Medicaid and your

2:32:20benefits were terminated you can appeal

2:32:22within 15 days and keep your benefits

2:32:24while the appeal process is happening.

2:32:26Uh, and then SNAP has a 90-day appeal

2:32:29process, right? So, um, I I do these

2:32:32community educations all around through

2:32:34throughout Philadelphia and surprises me

2:32:36sometimes that some communities don't

2:32:38know that legal aid organizations exist.

2:32:41And so, for any any chance that uh the

2:32:43city can help promote, you know, legal

2:32:45aid has resources available, I have

2:32:48composed myself. Thank you.

2:32:52Thank you all for your testimonies.

2:32:53Thank you all for answering your

2:32:54questions. Before I shift away, were

2:32:57there any other questions or things that

2:32:58you want to raise? Dr. Akmed.

2:33:00>> Uh, no, I'm I'm good. I'm good. Thank

2:33:02you, Chair.

2:33:03>> Very good. And I know that um

2:33:05>> actually I have a lot of questions.

2:33:07>> Made a question. I'm sure

2:33:08>> we are going to look at all the

2:33:10testimony that everybody's given and I'm

2:33:12sorry I missed some of it earlier.

2:33:14>> Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. So, hearing

2:33:16no further questions uh from the members

2:33:18for this panel and there actually being

2:33:21no other panels to testify on the

2:33:22resolution before the committee, I want

2:33:23to just again thank all four of you for

2:33:26what you have provided today for what

2:33:28I'm sure um uh is more than just

2:33:31expertise but experience um in helping

2:33:34to helping us to remember what it is

2:33:35that we are trying to accomplish and why

2:33:37we're doing that and the importance uh

2:33:40somebody titled the book the fierce

2:33:41urgency of now. there there is a fierce

2:33:43urgency right now that we make real an

2:33:46affordable Philadelphia and I believe

2:33:47your commentary has helped us to get a

2:33:49little bit clear about that. So, thank

2:33:50you so much for your time. Um, we will

2:33:52now transition to our public comment

2:33:54session on resolution 2550

2:33:58879. The committee will be at ease.

2:34:07[music]

2:34:35Thank you to everyone who came out to

2:34:36speak on this resol. olution. We have a

2:34:40pretty decentsized list of number of

2:34:42people here to speak. So, we ask that

2:34:45everyone please limit their remarks to

2:34:47two minutes. We're asking for a

2:34:49two-minute um uh remark time. Mr.

2:34:53Underwood,

2:34:55will you please call the first person

2:34:56making public comment on the resolution

2:34:58before the committee today?

2:35:01>> Stephen Bronkill.

2:35:05And we can also have uh Jarrett Johnson,

2:35:11>> Hannah Kim, and Algra Dingle come up.

2:35:23As you all are getting settled, take the

2:35:25time that you need to do that.

2:35:28Whoever decides to go first, I think

2:35:29it'll be you, Stephen. Please state your

2:35:30name for the record close to the mic so

2:35:32the stenographer can hear you and

2:35:34proceed with your testimony.

2:35:35>> Thank you so much, Council Member Oor.

2:35:37My name is Steven Bronkill. Honored to

2:35:39be here with you. Thank you, me council

2:35:40member Herid Amed. Uh I'm here to

2:35:43support this incredible report and

2:35:45support its recommendation for a transit

2:35:47access fund. Last year when our state

2:35:50leaders failed to fund transit, SEPTAs

2:35:53went up 21%. Philly wages did not. And

2:35:57much like a cheap hit on Jaylen Herz in

2:35:59the second quarter, a Philly's start

2:36:01time at two o'clock, this is not our

2:36:04fault, but it is our problem. And like

2:36:06the birds and the Phillies, we are a

2:36:08city on the move. We all have somewhere

2:36:11to go. We need your help to get there. A

2:36:14transit access fund will make zero

2:36:16permanent. It's also going to make

2:36:17transit more affordable for everyone.

2:36:19And I thought you could hear a little

2:36:21bit from some ZeroFare participants that

2:36:23shared in the Urban Institute report.

2:36:25These cards are like gold. They are

2:36:28weight lifted off your shoulders. They

2:36:30are less stressed to worry about. They

2:36:32made me happy to live in a city that

2:36:34gives a damn about its residents. I used

2:36:37to walk an hour to daycare with my

2:36:39daughter because I can't afford the

2:36:40fair. Now I get to take the bus to

2:36:42daycare and take the bus to work. Living

2:36:44paycheck to paycheck. A lot of people

2:36:47don't know what it's like to have $5 to

2:36:49spare, but it's a real thing. and we're

2:36:51forced to decide, dang, should I spend

2:36:54this hopping on the bus or the subway or

2:36:56on something else. Having to decide that

2:36:59is the worst feeling in the world. And

2:37:01it stops you from having the freedom to

2:37:03be the person you want to be. I'm broke

2:37:06as hell, but I know I have to get to

2:37:08work. This thing gets me there. With the

2:37:11ZeroFare card, I was able to get to

2:37:14work. I was on time. That doesn't always

2:37:16happen with SEPTA, but I got the raise I

2:37:18needed. I got the promotion and all of

2:37:21that put me on the next level

2:37:22economically for my life. Those are just

2:37:25a few of the quotes from the 60,000

2:37:27zerofare card participants out there. We

2:37:30heard today about all the challenges in

2:37:32our federal government, our state

2:37:34government, but this program isn't

2:37:35funded by DC or Harrisburg. It is us.

2:37:38And I really appreciated council member

2:37:40Amed sharing about we need lowhanging

2:37:42fruit. We need to put money in people's

2:37:44pockets. Council member Harry, you said

2:37:46our neighbors can't take another thing.

2:37:48This is that thing. Do not bet against

2:37:52Philly in sports. Do not bet against

2:37:54Philly. If we give people the freedom to

2:37:56get where they need to go, this might be

2:37:58the best $2.90 bet we could make uh on

2:38:01our freedom of mobility and our fellow

2:38:03citizens. Thank you all for having me.

2:38:06>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

2:38:08Please state your name for the record

2:38:09and begin with your testimony.

2:38:12>> Good afternoon, Council Member Mor. My

2:38:14name is Jared Johnson. I am a transit

2:38:16advocate for transit for Philadelphia as

2:38:18well as a transit organizer for

2:38:20fiscalware advocacy.

2:38:22An affordable Philadelphiaian will mean

2:38:24every Philadelphia who is at or below

2:38:26the poverty level, the working poor and

2:38:27the working class that rely on SEPTA can

2:38:29ride wherever they go and do whatever

2:38:31they want, especially with the zero fair

2:38:33and transit access fund without worrying

2:38:35about struggling to pay their rent bills

2:38:37or put food on the table for their

2:38:38families. Right now, they pay rent or

2:38:41either a mortgage as much as $1,500 a

2:38:44month. And while the affluent, wealthy,

2:38:46and well-connected are choosing where to

2:38:48go for the weekend, the working class,

2:38:51like myself are struggling to pay for

2:38:54for homes and struggling to pay for food

2:38:58while

2:39:00working two or three different jobs.

2:39:02There's families out there right now

2:39:04that are struggling to

2:39:10get a pass and buy a pass so they can

2:39:13take their son or daughter to Sesame

2:39:16Place and that's only for one time.

2:39:19A friend of mine who works at Aramark

2:39:21and she works at the concession stands

2:39:23year round with the Phillies Sixers and

2:39:26Flyers Eagles. She is a hard worker and

2:39:29she has a daughter that is a sophomore

2:39:31in high school and that

2:39:35and she'll tell you about the transit

2:39:37transit access fund the student access

2:39:39fund next week. She deserves to have

2:39:42some money to give her and enjoy herself

2:39:44on the days that she has off. But

2:39:45unfortunately she doesn't because the

2:39:48bills and the home mortgage and all

2:39:51that. At times, I have struggled myself

2:39:54with my finances because I help my

2:39:55sister pay for some of the bills and she

2:39:58is a social worker that works full-time,

2:40:00but she has two daughters and I

2:40:02sometimes take money out my pocket so

2:40:05that my nieces can have a snack

2:40:08while scrambling to pay for a one-day

2:40:10convenience pass. It's a chance I'm

2:40:12willing to take because I'm trying to

2:40:14forward a career towards what I'm doing

2:40:17right now with transit for Philadelphia

2:40:19and Fifth Square.

2:40:22in city and urban planning and we'll I'm

2:40:24almost done and we'll continue to make

2:40:25my mark with the organization I am

2:40:27currently serving. I urge you to pass

2:40:29bill number 2550879 so that every person

2:40:32in in the city will be able to afford a

2:40:34home and not only that will be able to

2:40:36get around with the zero access fund by

2:40:38making it permanent.

2:40:41Thank you for your time and support.

2:40:42>> Thank you for your time and your

2:40:45advocacy. Please state your name for the

2:40:47record and please begin with your

2:40:48testimony. Hello everyone. My name is

2:40:50Algra Dingle and I live in Jamie

2:40:52Gladier's District 3. I'm often here

2:40:55representing Transit Forward

2:40:56Philadelphia as a Southwest Philadelphia

2:40:58transit fellow, but I was also given the

2:41:00opportunity to share my lived experience

2:41:02in the cost of living report and I'd

2:41:04like to speak to that a little bit now.

2:41:06I'm a Medicaid and SNAP recipient and

2:41:08starting tomorrow I'll be also a proud

2:41:10member of the Septic Key Advantage

2:41:12program on behalf of Transit Forward

2:41:14Philadelphia. While I am so so grateful

2:41:16to have my transit paid for, as a

2:41:18low-income Philadelphiaian, I would

2:41:20conceivably also be eligible for the

2:41:22ZeroFare program. I think all residents

2:41:24recipients of government benefits like

2:41:27me should automatically be enrolled in

2:41:29the ZeroFare program augmented by a

2:41:31tiered assistance program and funded by

2:41:33the transit access fund that provides

2:41:35Philadelphiaians with immediate relief

2:41:37in accessing supermarkets, doctor's

2:41:39appointments, work, and child care. But

2:41:42I also know firsthand how difficult it

2:41:44was to get on and stay on Medicaid

2:41:46because of my inconsistent employment.

2:41:48And I know that my experience is not

2:41:50unique. There are thousands of

2:41:52Philadelphiaians that are desperate for

2:41:53this kind of support. And because of

2:41:55bureaucracy, means testing, and a lack

2:41:57of access to information about deadlines

2:41:59and applications. They're unable to get

2:42:01the services they need to improve their

2:42:03lives. This unequivocally affects our

2:42:06most marginalized immigrants, trans

2:42:08people, disabled people, young, old,

2:42:10poor, brown neighbors. Advancing

2:42:12legislation that supports a permanent

2:42:14transis access fund year overyear. A

2:42:18tiered assistance program for helping

2:42:20pay utilities and establishing a food

2:42:23and nutrition security coordination

2:42:26office. and then addressing cost of

2:42:28living concerns in the budget by funding

2:42:30eviction diversion and cash assistance

2:42:32programs, funding health centers, and

2:42:35expanding PHL prek tangibly uplifts more

2:42:39of our neighbors instead of hoping that

2:42:41they're one of the lucky ones that gets

2:42:42help. Thank you.

2:42:46>> Thank you so much.

2:42:49Please state your name and begin with

2:42:50your testimony.

2:42:51>> Hello, my name is Hannah Kim and I live

2:42:53in District 1. I am the founder of Asian

2:42:56Food Collective, a community group that

2:42:59provides culturally relevant meals uh

2:43:01for community fridges in South Philly. I

2:43:04am also a member of AsianPacific

2:43:06Islander Political Alliance or APIPA, a

2:43:09statewide organization that advocates

2:43:11for the needs of Asian and Pacific

2:43:14Islander communities.

2:43:16Since the passage of HR1 and the

2:43:18increase of ICE presence, hunger has

2:43:21been exacerbated in our city, including

2:43:23in Asian and immigrant communities. Um,

2:43:27at one community fridge location, an

2:43:29individual threatened to call ICE on

2:43:31community members for quote unquote

2:43:33taking too much. Right. I don't want

2:43:36this to discourage people. This incident

2:43:39has been addressed among neighbors and

2:43:41relevant partners and we continue to

2:43:44encourage everyone to donate and shop

2:43:46for their local community fridge because

2:43:48we keep us safe and at times fed. But

2:43:52this incident as well as the effects of

2:43:55HR1 really illustrates how big of a role

2:43:59how uh really illustrates how much

2:44:02racism plays a big part in food access.

2:44:07Asian Food Collective in collaboration

2:44:09with APIPA and Asian-Americans United

2:44:13has held several food distributions in

2:44:16response to the gaps left by SNAP cups.

2:44:19We have se we have seen an increase in

2:44:22people at each distribution. Our most

2:44:25recent distribution took place in the

2:44:2710th district in northeast Philly. This

2:44:31dro started at 12 pm, but we saw a line

2:44:35down the block as early as 10:00 a.m. We

2:44:38were able to distribute over 200 bags of

2:44:41prepacked groceries in less than an

2:44:44hour. And unfortunately, people were

2:44:46turned away since we ran out of food.

2:44:48And these distros, for context, usually

2:44:51take about two hours. So that was a

2:44:53record.

2:44:54Um, mutual aid networks and programming

2:44:57are being are are helping keep people

2:44:59afloat, but barely. At the end of the

2:45:02day, many people are still afraid to

2:45:04leave their homes because of ICE and and

2:45:07fully participate in normal daily

2:45:09activities like going to work or or

2:45:11grocery shopping.

2:45:12>> Please take 30 seconds and summarize

2:45:14your testimony.

2:45:15>> Okay. [clears throat] Um, so since the

2:45:17passage of HR1, millions have lost

2:45:21access to SNAP as uh stated earlier. And

2:45:25um I just want to put into context Asian

2:45:27Food Collective has cooked over 1300

2:45:29meals so far this year. Um, last year in

2:45:332025, this cost about $2,230

2:45:37to do as uh so far this year we have

2:45:41spent over $3,700.

2:45:44We want to provide ready to go hot meals

2:45:47because we deserve people we deserve

2:45:50people um need uh culturally relevant

2:45:53meals that feel like home. I urge um

2:45:56city council to take action to continue

2:46:00uh protecting our im immigrant

2:46:02communities and um addressing

2:46:04affordability in this city. Thank you.

2:46:06>> Thank you. Thank all of you for your

2:46:09testimony and for what you shared today.

2:46:11Your comments are essential and

2:46:12recorded. Thank you very much. Um, Mr.

2:46:15Underwood, will you please call the next

2:46:17person making public comment today?

2:46:21Persons, next four persons like you just

2:46:23did this past time. Jigar Meta,

2:46:28Gloria Smooches, Cartahana Hart,

2:46:32Melissa Montz,

2:46:36Karen Gilks, Gilkkeys,

2:46:43I'll keep going. Jenny Zang

2:46:50first

2:46:51>> Janice Tusto.

2:47:02Once we have four panelists uh locked

2:47:05and loaded, we will we will unleash

2:47:12Wonderful. Take the time that you need

2:47:14to find your comfort and get yourself

2:47:17situated

2:47:19and however you would like to begin.

2:47:21Let's go with the first name that that

2:47:22we heard called um please state your

2:47:25name clearly into the mic and then begin

2:47:27with your testimony.

2:47:28>> Thank you.

2:47:29>> Thank you.

2:47:29>> Uh my name is Jger Meta. Uh first uh

2:47:32council uh member or work uh council or

2:47:35Dr. Ahmad. Council member Dr. Ah and and

2:47:38uh council member Har um thank you for

2:47:42doing this. Uh this is at the heart of

2:47:45what we're trying to do as well to

2:47:47trying to understand. So uh my name is

2:47:48Meta. I am a co-founder of

2:47:50liftfilly.org. Um we represent whether

2:47:54they know it or not close to 80 86,000

2:47:56businesses in Philadelphia. 50% of the

2:47:59businesses in Philadelphia. Um we're a

2:48:02group that we eat what we hunt. Uh

2:48:06there is a bill 251026

2:48:09that if it does not pass this fall, a

2:48:12single mom earning $25 an hour will be

2:48:15asked to send the city of Phil city of

2:48:17Philadelphia taxes worth five months of

2:48:20rent.

2:48:22Just imagine that to get a tax bill

2:48:24worth five months of rent. There are

2:48:26people right now that are paying that.

2:48:28If you ever made over $100,000 in the

2:48:30past, you paid a maybe even a few

2:48:32dollars a bur, you're going to end up

2:48:34paying five months rent. And we're

2:48:35getting those letters. We're getting

2:48:36those that information. This is not

2:48:39right. Uh so what happens if Philly if

2:48:42if city council does not act on this

2:48:44bill? This single mom's going to have

2:48:46two choices. She's going to have to come

2:48:48up with the money somehow,

2:48:50and my fear is that her son will feel

2:48:53the responsibility of of paying for it,

2:48:55and he'll start making poor decisions.

2:48:57I've been in those situations. I know

2:48:59what kind of decisions he will make. Or

2:49:01she'll go into debt to the city of

2:49:03Philadelphia and if she doesn't report

2:49:05it correctly, she'll have to pay 24% a

2:49:08year. 24% a year to the city of

2:49:10Philadelphia.

2:49:12That means they can take away her

2:49:13license. Any type of work that she's

2:49:15trying to do, she won't be able to do

2:49:17legally in Philadelphia anymore. Now, if

2:49:20you are a black American, if you are a

2:49:23white American, even if you're anything

2:49:25American, you're fine.

2:49:27But if you're an immigrant, you don't

2:49:29have that option. You must pay because

2:49:32the consequences are much greater for

2:49:33you.

2:49:35So what happens? This will turn our

2:49:38black moms, our brown moms, our Asian

2:49:41moms, our white moms into indentured

2:49:44servants to the city of Philadelphia.

2:49:47>> This is good testimony. Please summarize

2:49:49it.

2:49:50>> Okay. Sure.

2:49:51Um,

2:49:56we believe

2:49:58that when city council decided to pass

2:50:02the bill that

2:50:04lower taxes for corporations but raised

2:50:07taxes for folks making over $100,000

2:50:10that it was essential.

2:50:13What we're asking for that you now have

2:50:16a new choice is to pass bill 251026.

2:50:20All we're asking for is that we treat

2:50:22the self-employed worker the same as a

2:50:25wage worker. Today, a self-employed mom

2:50:27pays more than a wage worker. She also

2:50:29pays more than a corporation in taxes.

2:50:32We just want respect for the

2:50:34self-employed worker. Now, the question

2:50:36is, is this legal? Yes. Francis Begley,

2:50:38the city's top top lawyer, said it was

2:50:40legal. Is it fiscally responsible? Yes.

2:50:43Actually, it will save the city $10.8

2:50:45million.

2:50:46>> I'll pass you about 30 more seconds to

2:50:48read so much. I appreciate you, sir.

2:50:50Thank you.

2:50:53>> What we're asking for is that

2:50:57we get a hearing. As of right now, we

2:51:00were told they were going to get a

2:51:02hearing on October 7th. It turns out

2:51:05that council, he introduced it to get

2:51:08the hearing. Council member Gilmore

2:51:10Richardson, who heads the finance chair,

2:51:12she agreed to give us a hearing. When it

2:51:14got to council president, it was

2:51:16stopped.

2:51:18What we're asking for now is give us a

2:51:21hearing and a vote. We have I believe

2:51:24most of you uh Councilman uh War,

2:51:27Councilman Harry, you're both sponsors.

2:51:29I'm sure Councilman Ahmad, you would

2:51:31support the bill. We know we have a

2:51:33total of 12 votes. So, what we're asking

2:51:35for is we just need a hearing. That's

2:51:37all we're asking for. So, thank you very

2:51:39much.

2:51:40>> Thank you very much for your testimony.

2:51:42Very much appreciated.

2:51:43>> Thank you.

2:51:44>> Would you please uh come to the mic

2:51:45really closely? Yes, indeed. state your

2:51:48name for the record and please begin

2:51:50with your testimony.

2:51:51>> Sorry.

2:51:55>> Um, good afternoon. My name is Jenny

2:51:57Zang. I'm the Philadelphia organizer

2:51:59with the Asian Pacific Islander

2:52:01Political Alliance. Um, Joyce Lynn, who

2:52:04owns the number one supermarket on

2:52:05Seventh Street in the Seventh Street

2:52:07Corridor in South Philly in the First

2:52:09District, um, shared some remarks with

2:52:11me. She wrote them in Chinese. Um, she's

2:52:13not able to be here because she and her

2:52:14husband are the only ones who run their

2:52:16store. Um, I'm going to read them in

2:52:18Chinese hopefully quickly and then also

2:52:20translate very quickly. Um,

2:52:32for

2:53:01the church.

2:53:05Ping. In 2021, we took over a small

2:53:08market on Seventh Street in South

2:53:09Philadelphia. It's been open for 5 years

2:53:11now. Most of our customers are from

2:53:13Cambodia, Vietnam, and Pakistan. Due to

2:53:16the economic downturn, many young people

2:53:18are unable to find work and have moved

2:53:19away, leading to increasingly poor

2:53:21business. We thought this small shop

2:53:23would be a reliable source of income,

2:53:24but now it's become a heavy burden. We

2:53:26work from dawn till dusk every day

2:53:28taking care of our small shop while

2:53:30constantly calculating the increasingly

2:53:32difficult to balance accounts.

2:53:53>> [sighs]

2:54:01>> Our

2:54:24first concern is the constantly rising

2:54:26cost of goods. Prices are soaring and

2:54:28the wholesale prices are changing almost

2:54:30daily.

2:54:31Um, the cost of daily necessities.

2:54:33Everything is getting more expensive.

2:54:35But I dare not raise my retail prices.

2:54:37Customers are very price sensitive these

2:54:39days, and even a few cents increase will

2:54:41lead to complaints, and they'll head to

2:54:42a bigger supermarket. The cost of goods

2:54:45has increased, but selling prices can't

2:54:47be adjusted, which results in

2:54:48increasingly thin profit margins. Many

2:54:51items are even sold at cost just to keep

2:54:53customers.

2:55:07Fore

2:55:36utilities like Water, electricity, and

2:55:37gas have become vampires for the store.

2:55:40Multiple freezers and fridges in the

2:55:42store must run 24 hours a day to prevent

2:55:44drinks and fresh food from spoiling, and

2:55:46the storage lighting and signage must

2:55:48remain on at night. We have to keep the

2:55:50air on in both summer and winter. And

2:55:52so, the monthly utility bills are

2:55:54constantly rising. With these basic

2:55:56costs rising, again, a large portion of

2:55:57the hardearned money from sales is going

2:55:59straight to the utility companies.

2:56:17I don't mean to interrupt, but I'm gonna

2:56:19forward about another minute and a half.

2:56:20Okay, thank you very much.

2:56:21>> Okay. Um,

2:56:26I'll just wrap it up. Um, every morning

2:56:28when I open the store, I'm not greeted

2:56:29with hope, but with the anxiety of how

2:56:31much I need to sell to cover the day.

2:56:33pay utilities, taxes, and rent. I

2:56:35thought I could be my own boss while

2:56:37running our small market, but in real

2:56:38reality, it's like being a worker who

2:56:40can't afford to get sick. With soaring

2:56:42prices and rising living costs and

2:56:44taxes, it is harder and harder for small

2:56:46businesses to survive. Um, thank you for

2:56:49letting me share Joyce's story.

2:56:51>> Thank you so much. Thank you very very

2:56:53much. And certainly want to be

2:56:55accommodating of all that was shared and

2:56:56also be mindful of the time. But I do

2:56:58appreciate actually having read into the

2:57:00record Mandarin on the record as well as

2:57:03the testimony that that that the meaning

2:57:04of those words are important for us to

2:57:06hear as a committee and as a body. Thank

2:57:08you again so much. Please state your

2:57:09name and begin your testimony.

2:57:11>> Please step into the mic and state your

2:57:12name clearly and thank you very much and

2:57:14begin your testimony.

2:57:16>> Good morning everyone. My name is Karen

2:57:19JS. I am here speaking on behalf of

2:57:22Citywide Tennis Union and um I have to

2:57:26have the pleasure of being invited by

2:57:29councilman over to speak on Philadelphia

2:57:33tenants issues. Um the economy is

2:57:36soaring food soaring food, gas, rent,

2:57:40oil and water. The last thing we need is

2:57:43to deal with unnecessary hidden fees

2:57:45called junk fees. We also have um joint

2:57:49utility bills uh where um I could leave

2:57:53and go somewhere and not be there but

2:57:55still get paid um um charged for rent. I

2:57:58mean for our utilities. Um our crooked

2:58:01landlords are not only creating these

2:58:04fees. They are demanding causing us to

2:58:08end up with late fees. On top of that we

2:58:11have to deal with them hiding behind AI.

2:58:15We are being forced to let a message

2:58:18system figure out how to address our

2:58:20daily issues.

2:58:22Please tell me why do we have workers in

2:58:25the office if all they do is print out

2:58:28threatening letters about things they

2:58:31claim are in our lease. You know what

2:58:34else is in our lease? A certified

2:58:36statement that tenants are to live in a

2:58:38clean and safe environment. working

2:58:41laundry facilities, up the co-working

2:58:43elevators, access to community centers,

2:58:47and working cameras, and a Karen and

2:58:49Lemon staff would be nice. We deserve to

2:58:53be treated like human beings, not like

2:58:55ATMs for our landlords to withdraw money

2:58:58from so they can enjoy their lavish

2:59:01homes, fancy cars, luxury trips, and

2:59:03fine dining. My main concern is the time

2:59:07the elevator went out for a week and

2:59:10people that are bedridden, wheelchair

2:59:12bound, and tenants with balance issues

2:59:16who are unable to use the stairs. Not to

2:59:19mention, I watched a new wheelchair

2:59:21tenant be stuck in the lobby for days

2:59:24for a for um unable to go to her new

2:59:28apartment. This is only for a week, but

2:59:31god forbid a real fire was to happen.

2:59:34These people will be trapped and

2:59:36management have no answer for that. I

2:59:39know cuz I asked them. I'm tired of

2:59:42hearing excuses. And who is going to

2:59:44enforce these violations or do someone

2:59:47has to die first?

2:59:49Please help us create and enforce laws

2:59:52to help us um us Phil Philadia tenants

2:59:58have safer and reasonable rent um

3:00:02without extra fees. Um my

3:00:05recommendations is that we ban

3:00:08>> Thank you so much ma'am. If you can do

3:00:09me a favor, take about 30 extra seconds.

3:00:11I'm at the end to ban to ban RS which is

3:00:15the utility bills creating a database

3:00:17exposing the worst landlords publicly

3:00:20and have Ell and I do unscheduled visits

3:00:23on a regular basis and put a cap on rent

3:00:26increases and thank you for inviting me.

3:00:29>> Way to end the commentary. Thank you

3:00:30very much for your testimony. Very much

3:00:32appreciate it. That having been said,

3:00:34ma'am, could you speak to your name and

3:00:35to the mic closely um and then proceed

3:00:38with your test?

3:00:38>> Sure. Good afternoon. My name is Janice

3:00:41Toto and uh I am a Germantown resident.

3:00:46I reside in District 8. Uh thank you

3:00:49Council Member Oro for uh holding these

3:00:51hearings. We really do appreciate it.

3:00:53I'm a volunteer for uh Transit Forward

3:00:55Philadelphia. I'm a regular Scepter

3:00:58writer and uh I do not have the option

3:01:00of driving. I do not drive. Um, I

3:01:03basically want to agree with everyone

3:01:05who's come before me to talk about

3:01:07supporting the transit access fund. I'm

3:01:10not going to repeat a lot of the talking

3:01:11points that have already been made.

3:01:13Philadelphia is a wonderful city, and we

3:01:15deserve a vibrant and uh, highly

3:01:18functioning transit system, a thriving

3:01:20transit system, and every

3:01:22Philadelphiaian deserves to have access

3:01:24to that transit system. So, again, I'm

3:01:26just asking you all to support the

3:01:28transit access fund. Thank you.

3:01:31Shamelessly, I couldn't agree more, but

3:01:33let me not get outside of my stitches. I

3:01:35want to thank all four of you for your

3:01:36testimony today. Your comments are

3:01:38important for us to hear. As uh Council

3:01:40Member Harry said, I was kind of eager

3:01:41to hear the public comment. That's the

3:01:42best part of the program. That haven't

3:01:44been said, you can return to your seats.

3:01:45Mr. Underwood, will you please call the

3:01:48remaining persons for public comment

3:01:50today? Dominic Brennan,

3:01:56Lydia Cooper,

3:02:01Helena Galant,

3:02:09Zachary Mattis,

3:02:15Andreo

3:02:16Bono.

3:02:20Keep going. Braheim Douglas

3:02:25Nor Farida,

3:02:31Jean Aken Gier,

3:02:37Teresa Price,

3:02:43Farida Yousef,

3:02:48Bertha Barksdale,

3:02:53Dan Miller,

3:02:57Eden. Oh, there's Dan Miller. Okay.

3:03:01>> Okay, we'll stop there.

3:03:03>> Got a good four there.

3:03:05Very good. Take the second that you

3:03:06need, Mr. Miller and others to come to

3:03:10the panel. If if we already have three

3:03:11at the at the table, just take us. You

3:03:13can sit in the ring. Thank you,

3:03:14Sergeant-at-Arms. Get yourself

3:03:16comfortable. Looks like we're about

3:03:17ready. Whoever would like to go first,

3:03:19whatever name was called first and

3:03:20person that came up, please go first.

3:03:22Speak into the mic clearly your name and

3:03:24then you can begin your testimony. I

3:03:25will repeat again that for the sake of

3:03:28uh timeliness, we're going up on three

3:03:30hours in the next 10 minutes. And so I

3:03:32do want to encourage us to stay within

3:03:33about a two-minute time frame for your

3:03:35testimony. I'll extend grace as needed.

3:03:37Uh but please be mindful of a two-minute

3:03:39time limit. Thank you so much. Please

3:03:40begin.

3:03:41>> Thank you so much. Um good afternoon,

3:03:43Chairman Oor. Good afternoon, Council

3:03:45Member Herity, Council Member Mad. Thank

3:03:47you so much for convening this

3:03:49incredibly important hearing and for um

3:03:52holding the affordability um

3:03:54Philadelphia program u the affordable

3:03:57Philadelphia program. My name is Dominic

3:03:59Brennan. I am the community building

3:04:00coordinator at CMAC, a social service

3:04:03organization in South Philadelphia in

3:04:05District 1. Um, in this role I work with

3:04:08businesses along the South Seventh

3:04:10Street commercial corridor, many of whom

3:04:12are first generation immigrants. We

3:04:14heard the story of um, Joyce Lynn at

3:04:17number one seafood. Later, we'll hear

3:04:18from Norfa as well. Um, some of these

3:04:22store owners have come to Philadelphia

3:04:24with the belief that America offers

3:04:26better opportunity. Some have come here

3:04:29as a result of America's foreign policy.

3:04:32All, however, are extremely proud to

3:04:34call Philly home. The South Seventh

3:04:37Street commercial corridor currently has

3:04:3877 stores representing as many as 16

3:04:41languages and dialects and 14 different

3:04:44ethnicities. Um this number, however, is

3:04:47changing rapidly. Uh due to the cost of

3:04:50living crisis, we're seeing store owners

3:04:52struggling to keep their businesses

3:04:53open. With a with a halal store having

3:04:56recently closed, the neighborhood's only

3:04:58fish market considering closure, a third

3:05:00and fourth store wearing their options.

3:05:02It's very safe to say that affordability

3:05:04is on everyone's mind. And I'd like to

3:05:07share some testimonials from the

3:05:08business owners who couldn't join us

3:05:10today because as you can imagine,

3:05:11they're running their stores. Um we

3:05:13don't have many stores with employees to

3:05:16take over when the um official business

3:05:18owners are doing events like this.

3:05:22[clears throat]

3:05:23Sutang Lur has owned um City Anchor

3:05:25Market since 2018. Uh she sells

3:05:28Southeast Asian fruits, vegetables, dry

3:05:30goods, and the margins are tighter than

3:05:32ever due to high tariffs. The fear of

3:05:34ice in the neighborhood um which has

3:05:36caused low foot traffic as well as high

3:05:38utility costs and the cuts to EBT. On

3:05:41average, EBT is um accounts for three

3:05:45quarters of business for our store

3:05:46owners. Um

3:05:49Suten's has Suten has seen her utility

3:05:51bills um go up as much as 30% over the

3:05:55past six months. and she's not the only

3:05:57uh store owner operating on fine

3:05:59margins. Bella Lee, owner of Nikkiro

3:06:01Cafe, is facing a similar situation.

3:06:04Nikkiro Cafe is an Indonesian restaurant

3:06:06that opened almost two years ago and is

3:06:09one of the only East Javanese

3:06:10restaurants in the northeast of the US.

3:06:13Uh it serves authentic Indonesian

3:06:15comfort food and is busy for six days a

3:06:18week. Um, but between utilities and

3:06:20building maintenance costs, uh, the old

3:06:23housing stock, um, Bella and her family

3:06:25are barely able to break even. Um, she

3:06:27noted that this past month she had to

3:06:29pay $4,000 to fix the HVAC system and an

3:06:32additional $800 to fix the roll down

3:06:35gate.

3:06:36>> Um, so those are just a couple quick

3:06:39examples. I know we're short on time,

3:06:40but every store owner and resident on

3:06:42the commercial corridor in South Philly

3:06:44and all across the city have a story to

3:06:46tell about affordability, whether it's

3:06:49forgoing payment.

3:06:50>> If you could just hold for a second, one

3:06:52second. For those that have phones that

3:06:54may be going off in the chamber, could

3:06:55you please put your phones on silent as

3:06:56we hear public comment?

3:07:00>> Understood. Understood.

3:07:03Thank you. Thank you very very much.

3:07:04Please uh please conclude your

3:07:06testimony.

3:07:06>> Of course. Yeah. Um yeah, every store

3:07:09owner and resident um on the Seventh

3:07:11Street corridor and across the city has

3:07:13a story to tell when it comes to

3:07:15affordability um because this is a

3:07:17pervasive issue. So whether they're

3:07:18foregoing paying themselves, which many

3:07:20of our store owners do in order to pay

3:07:23their PICO bill or whether they are not

3:07:26paying their water bill for this month

3:07:28so they can keep their fruits and

3:07:30vegetable prices affordable for their

3:07:32community members. um we are just seeing

3:07:36this affordable uh affordability issue

3:07:38get out of control and our um small

3:07:41business owners predominantly our um

3:07:44marginalized community members our

3:07:45immigrant uh business owners are bearing

3:07:47the brunt of this. So, first, Council

3:07:50Member Oor, I commend you for um pulling

3:07:52this cost of living task force together

3:07:55and um having the affordable Philly now

3:07:57program, but I would love it if we don't

3:07:59let our businesses like City Anchor,

3:08:01Nikkiro, and the other 75 on the

3:08:03corridor fall through the cracks at the

3:08:05expense of predatory util utility rates

3:08:08and um and the like. So, thank you so

3:08:10much for your time. I really appreciate

3:08:12it.

3:08:12>> Thank you very very much. Thank you for

3:08:13your testimony.

3:08:15>> Hello, ma'am. if you could speak into

3:08:17the mic your name and then you can begin

3:08:18your testimony.

3:08:19>> Good afternoon. My name is Lydia Cooper.

3:08:22I am the program manager of family

3:08:24education and support at Mental Health

3:08:26Partnerships and this my testimony is my

3:08:28lived experience with an affordability

3:08:30crisis. Um, as of April, I'd like to

3:08:33report that I am now cancer free. And

3:08:35uh, okay.

3:08:39And during that time of crisis, um, even

3:08:42though I'm a full-time employee and I

3:08:44have and I own my own home, um, uh,

3:08:47there were some family members that came

3:08:49to live in my home and I was eligible

3:08:51for quite a few things. I want to thank

3:08:54you first of all, city council, for the

3:08:56excellent community development centers

3:08:58and neighborhood action committees that

3:09:00I sat down with someone and they applied

3:09:02for me for about 20 things and I was

3:09:03eligible for a few. So now my roof no

3:09:06longer leaks and I have grabbars so I

3:09:08don't won't fall down and hurt myself.

3:09:09I'm now a senior citizen and I came here

3:09:12free on SEPTA. So these things have

3:09:14helped. But the problem is, even though

3:09:17I am a full-time employee, um, and I

3:09:20don't live in a fabulous home, I live in

3:09:22a modest row home in Germantown, my

3:09:25monthly income does not meet my

3:09:26expenses. I have had to choose to not

3:09:30pay certain bills and not do certain

3:09:32things. For example, food. I haven't

3:09:34bought a full month's worth of food from

3:09:36a supermarket since April of 2023.

3:09:40Thankfully, my next door neighbor turned

3:09:41me on to the free refrigerators and

3:09:44things that are around. I can't get food

3:09:45from a food bank because when I fill out

3:09:47that form, my income is now too high.

3:09:50So, but I still need a solution. Um, I

3:09:52had decided that I was just going to not

3:09:54pay some bills and I stopped paying my

3:09:57water bill because it's the last utility

3:09:58to get turned off. Well, now now after

3:10:00two small leans and they were getting

3:10:02ready to do a third one, I went ahead

3:10:03and I have a payment arrangement with

3:10:04the water bill. But now that I'm paying

3:10:06that water bill, I have to not pay

3:10:08something else. So, I'm feeling pretty

3:10:10good. So, I have decided that I'm going

3:10:12to cancel my home health care insurance

3:10:14should I become uh disabled because I

3:10:17need to be able to meet my expenses. I

3:10:19cannot let my house go. I have a

3:10:21intellectually disabled great

3:10:23granddaughter and I plan on leaving that

3:10:25house for her and trust. I must keep it.

3:10:27But there is a solution and the solution

3:10:29is that I spoke to a financial planner

3:10:32at a tableabling event that was

3:10:34sponsored by the city and we came up

3:10:36with this great solution and he can help

3:10:38me with it if I pay him a fee of

3:10:42starting at $625 blah blah blah blah

3:10:45which I cannot afford. So I'm trying to

3:10:48rely on AI to come up with some

3:10:50solutions and but but there is a light

3:10:51at the end of the tunnel and the problem

3:10:53that I have is there is no one in the

3:10:55city and and mind you it is my job to

3:10:58find resources for people. There is no

3:11:00one in the city that has a can at a

3:11:04fiduciary level help me understand my

3:11:07finances. I can go to places like the

3:11:09senior law center and other things to do

3:11:11>> extend about 45 seconds for articulate

3:11:13>> to get a budget. I don't have any

3:11:15problem budgeting. I'm a program

3:11:16manager. I bring my programs in under

3:11:18budget every year. But there seem needs

3:11:21to be things in place for people who I'm

3:11:24not eligible for anything because my

3:11:26income is too high, but because of life

3:11:28circumstances, I am struggling and there

3:11:31needs to be a person, a committee or

3:11:34someone at a knack who helps this this

3:11:38the people who are on the edge. I I

3:11:41definitely want you to vote for the

3:11:43bill. But moving forward, please

3:11:45consider that because of the

3:11:46affordability crisis, there's now

3:11:48another level of people who really need

3:11:51help. So, thank you.

3:11:53>> Thank you. Thank you for your testimony.

3:11:55Just want to say what you were

3:11:57describing. So many folks of different

3:11:59positions are finding themselves

3:12:01squeezed and pinched in this moment.

3:12:02Now, your time is up. Squeezed and

3:12:04pinched in this moment. And so I

3:12:05appreciate you providing even more

3:12:07context as many of you have as relates

3:12:08to what it's like to actually be living

3:12:10amidst this affordability crisis, what

3:12:12the actual consequences are on a real

3:12:14life family, even for those that might

3:12:16be making a few more dollars than than

3:12:18than may be prescribed to suggest that

3:12:20you are uh in in a pickle. All of us are

3:12:22feeling the pinch and I thank you again

3:12:23for your testimony. Um let's move now to

3:12:25you. Please state your name clearly into

3:12:27the into the microphone and then please

3:12:29begin with your testimony. Just mindful

3:12:30that I will um extend grace a little bit

3:12:33if you go beyond the two-minute time,

3:12:34but I will probably stop at like three

3:12:36and a half minutes. Please, please

3:12:37continue.

3:12:38>> Okay. Good evening everyone. My name is

3:12:40Norfar Ahmed Jamil. I come I 10 years

3:12:44ago I came from Malaysia to USA.

3:12:47It's refugee. I come from refugee. Now I

3:12:49have my own store on seventh street

3:12:52northal and grocery store almost six

3:12:54year. I decided to open this store

3:12:56because nobody asked on seven street

3:12:58about that refugee people what they like

3:13:01the halal meat halal food the product of

3:13:04Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myamma

3:13:10to the stock I call they certify their

3:13:13they need with product

3:13:16find for find they can find the near the

3:13:19neighbor or leave our neighbor

3:13:23And my electric bill has gone up this

3:13:27year.

3:13:29That's so bad. Every month my 815.

3:13:33So hard for me for run business and it's

3:13:36feel hard with the run business. The EP

3:13:40card has also made harder harder for my

3:13:44customer to pay because my customer

3:13:47always pay with EP. They also affected

3:13:50my store and a lot of family not being

3:13:52able to buy grocery store to even feed

3:13:55their family because they they rely on

3:13:59EBT to survise. ICE has scaled by

3:14:02customer to they will come to outside

3:14:05bankrosis

3:14:07my store because they are too afraid of

3:14:10being deported.

3:14:13And then I have community members around

3:14:16four people last March they sold at EP

3:14:18cut EP

3:14:20I s I told them go there Wi-Fi office

3:14:23they tell them so they go they didn't

3:14:24take exchange they just say oh your pin

3:14:27is the chain

3:14:29the pin chain the cut chain that's it

3:14:34like around they they live south

3:14:36Philadelphia they take the when the when

3:14:39the customers select the card they have

3:14:41the balance and where store they use

3:14:43when they use my store name they come in

3:14:45North Halia how much they use it now

3:14:47they come to Chicago like uh West Philly

3:14:50they didn't go west Philly

3:14:54they stolen so much people my community

3:14:56member they complain me so please take

3:14:59action for this thank you so much

3:15:03>> thank you so much for your testimony

3:15:04madam vice chair please

3:15:06>> I just wanted to say hello to you I

3:15:08think I was at your store and I bought

3:15:10some things we're still using the shrimp

3:15:14balich chow. We're still flavoring our

3:15:16food with it. So, thank you. And we need

3:15:19you to be able to sustain yourself and I

3:15:21thank you, Donic, as well.

3:15:24>> Thank you, Madam Vice Chair. Please

3:15:26speak into the mic your name very

3:15:27clearly and then you can proceed with

3:15:28your testimony.

3:15:30>> Thank you. Uh my name is Dan Miller and

3:15:33I am the business manager at Mental

3:15:35Health Partnerships. Um and I'm also a

3:15:38certified pure specialist. Being a

3:15:41certified pure specialist means I have I

3:15:43have mental health I have lived

3:15:44experience with mental health challenges

3:15:46and I bring that lived experience into

3:15:48the work I do every day.

3:15:50Um but before I had this career I was on

3:15:53disability and participating in

3:15:55intensive outpatient therapy. Nine years

3:15:57ago I was living on a very limited

3:15:59income. It wasn't easy but I was able to

3:16:02make it. I could afford the basic,

3:16:04remain housed, receive the treatment I

3:16:06needed, and focus on rebuilding my life.

3:16:10Today, I honestly don't believe I could

3:16:12do the same thing. In 2021, I went back

3:16:15to work. I worked my way up within the

3:16:17organization while going to school

3:16:18full-time and working full-time and

3:16:20earned my master's degree in public

3:16:22administration.

3:16:24And eventually, I was promoted to

3:16:25business manager. I'm proud of how far

3:16:27I've come, but I recognize that I had an

3:16:30opportunity to rebuild. Today, through

3:16:32my work with at mental health

3:16:33partnerships, I see people struggling to

3:16:36find that same opportunity.

3:16:38Our organizations works with people

3:16:40experiencing homelessness. And I think

3:16:43and I think about the participants in

3:16:45our homeless shelters, but I also think

3:16:47about the people who aren't in shelters

3:16:49yet, people receiving disability, people

3:16:51working full-time, people living with

3:16:53mental health challenges, people doing

3:16:55everything they can to remain housed,

3:16:57but whose income simply can't isn't

3:16:59keeping up with the cost of living.

3:17:01behind because homelessness doesn't

3:17:04begin when someone walks through the

3:17:05doors of a shelter. It can begin when

3:17:07rent becomes unaffordable, rent

3:17:10groceries consume too much of a

3:17:11paycheck, or when unexpected expenses

3:17:15pushes someone into crisis. Nine years

3:17:18ago, I was able to live on disability,

3:17:21receive treatment, and eventually

3:17:22rebuild my life. If I weren't in that

3:17:25same position, if I were in that same

3:17:27position today, I don't believe I would

3:17:30have made it. I am standing here today

3:17:32because I had an opportunity to move

3:17:35forward. We need to make sure that

3:17:37opportunity still exists for the people

3:17:40we serve. And thank you very much for

3:17:42your time.

3:17:46>> Thank you so much for your time as well.

3:17:48Thank you all for what you provide

3:17:49today. As I said before, your testimony

3:17:51is Yes. Uh thank you very much. Your

3:17:54testimony is essential. Um and the

3:17:56various corners from which you are

3:17:58coming from uh the angles from which

3:17:59you're speaking from helps us to to make

3:18:01sure that we put together again a wide

3:18:03reaching kind of not just a report but

3:18:05even report back from you all

3:18:07constituents that are giving real

3:18:08experience testimony about what's going

3:18:10on in your corner. So again thank you

3:18:11for what you're sharing particularly uh

3:18:13working in the area of mental health uh

3:18:15as well. Ma'am please state your name

3:18:17into the mic very clearly and then you

3:18:18can begin with your testimony.

3:18:20>> Thank you very much. My name is Bertha

3:18:22Barkstdale and I'm also from the

3:18:24citywide tennis union. I'm also here to

3:18:27discuss how there is an inevitable an

3:18:29inevitable necess necessity for a course

3:18:33of action desires for homelessness

3:18:36prevention. Preventive measures are

3:18:39drastically required. I'm just going to

3:18:41stop right there because I'm not going

3:18:42to pretend that there is not an issue. I

3:18:47heard all [snorts] the issues today and

3:18:49I would like to be a part of the

3:18:50resolve. Okay. I have many resources

3:18:54national and international. I am in the

3:18:57finance arena and I've written a

3:19:00business plan for the eradication of

3:19:03homelessness

3:19:05and I like to state that I've been

3:19:07offered $2 billion and then $5 billion

3:19:11but um I didn't like the terms but um I

3:19:14have further connections that um plan on

3:19:18financing and funding my business plan

3:19:22also with my other resources I can bring

3:19:24funds

3:19:25to the city of Philadelphia.

3:19:30They just have to be allocated properly

3:19:32and that's where you guys come in. So, I

3:19:35want to be a part of the resolve. Thank

3:19:38you.

3:19:39>> Thank you so much for your testimony.

3:19:44>> Mr. Underwood, will you please call the

3:19:45next person or any other persons

3:19:47remaining on the public comment list to

3:19:49make comment today?

3:19:52Eden McDougall

3:19:54and Andrea Kersh.

3:20:02Take the time that you need to find your

3:20:05comfort level and get yourself situated.

3:20:07And the first name that was called,

3:20:09please, when you are ready, speak into

3:20:11the mic clearly your name and then you

3:20:13may begin with your testimony.

3:20:16>> Uh, my name is Eden McDougall. I'm also

3:20:19a volunteer at Transit Forward Philly.

3:20:20Um, thank you for publishing this report

3:20:23on affordability and holding this

3:20:24hearing. Um, I started taking SEPTA in

3:20:27college. I used the West Trenton line to

3:20:29commute to and from Temple University.

3:20:32Uh, when I was in the city, my friends

3:20:33and I would use the Broad Street line to

3:20:35visit small businesses, go to

3:20:37restaurants and events, and just enjoy

3:20:38being in Philly. For about four years,

3:20:41SEPTA was my preferred method for

3:20:43getting around Philly. When I graduated

3:20:45and moved back at to my parents house in

3:20:47the suburbs, I continued using the West

3:20:49Trenton line to get to my freelance

3:20:51journalism jobs and to visit my friends

3:20:53still at school. I also learned to use

3:20:56buses so I could get around more of

3:20:57Bucks County without driving.

3:21:00I moved back to the city in June 2025

3:21:02and having so many different transit

3:21:04options again was the best part. I could

3:21:06take the L to Old City, trolleys to West

3:21:08Philly, and regional rail to Northwest

3:21:10Philly and more. Unfortunately, there

3:21:12was a budget crisis and SEPTA ran out of

3:21:15money. Uh they cut routes and raised

3:21:17fairs last summer. The bus and train I

3:21:20used to get to work were both cut, which

3:21:21made my commute longer, less reliable,

3:21:24and way more crowded. Every bus was 20

3:21:27minutes late every single day and

3:21:29standing room only at rush hour. While

3:21:31service was eventually restored, uh the

3:21:34fair hikes remain in place. The

3:21:36transpass I have used to cost $96. Now

3:21:38it's $116. I can afford that because I

3:21:42live with my mom, so I save on rent and

3:21:43utilities, but other people aren't so

3:21:46lucky. Being able to get to work or

3:21:48school, being able to get essentials

3:21:50like food and medical care, being

3:21:52[snorts] able to see your friends and

3:21:53have fun should not be a matter of luck.

3:21:56Over the summer, uh, Transit Forward and

3:21:58the new Kensington Community Development

3:22:00Corporation teamed up to take Kensington

3:22:02residents to the Laplaca Farmstand on

3:22:04public transit to highlight how transit

3:22:07can move us to places and opportunities

3:22:09that we might not have in our own

3:22:10neighborhoods.

3:22:12But those places and opportunities will

3:22:14continue to be out of reach if transit

3:22:15is unaffordable. Every level of

3:22:17government needs to invest in public

3:22:19goods, including transit. Nobody should

3:22:22have to worry about whether or not they

3:22:23are going to lose their benefits,

3:22:25especially when costs are rising all

3:22:27around. Zero should be made permanent

3:22:29through this transit access fund. Thank

3:22:31you.

3:22:33>> Thank you very very much for your

3:22:35testimony. Please state your name.

3:22:37>> Thank you.

3:22:38>> I'm Andrea Kersh. When I moved to

3:22:41Philadelphia 23 years ago, the fact that

3:22:44there was public transit was a part of

3:22:46that decision. I watched both my

3:22:48grandfather and then my father get to

3:22:51the point where they couldn't or

3:22:53shouldn't drive and was determined that

3:22:55before I got to that point I would be in

3:22:57a place that was served by public

3:22:59transit. I'm speaking on behalf of the

3:23:02transit access fund and I'm a volunteer

3:23:05with transit forward. Um it's a matter

3:23:08of basic equity. We've heard that from

3:23:10everyone else, but I wanted to bring up

3:23:12several other points that have to do

3:23:14with the larger city budget, which all

3:23:16of you are responsible for. Firstly,

3:23:20everything that you do for the citizens

3:23:22in Philadelphia depends on their ability

3:23:25to get there. Whether you're offering

3:23:26them health care, whether you're

3:23:28offering them education, whether you're

3:23:31offering them job training. So to offer

3:23:33those things without making access to

3:23:36reach them doesn't make a lot of sense.

3:23:39The other is that transit being a basic

3:23:43part and a permanent part

3:23:45[clears throat] of the city's budget

3:23:46means you can go to the large employers

3:23:48in the city and say this is important to

3:23:51us. It needs to be important to you and

3:23:54you should participate in paying for

3:23:57transit for your employees.

3:23:59And then we know we will have to go to

3:24:01Harrisburg [clears throat] to ask for

3:24:02more money for transit. And once again,

3:24:05they're going to want to know what does

3:24:07the city have invested in this. So, it

3:24:10really is crucial that basic transit be

3:24:13available and be part of the city's

3:24:16budget so that you can ask for the funds

3:24:19that we will need. We want the city to

3:24:21grow. We can't afford more people and

3:24:24more cars. So, I think it's everything.

3:24:28They're very large things involved in

3:24:30the transit access fund and it would be

3:24:32a very good investment.

3:24:36Thank you very very very very very much

3:24:39for your testimony. Any commentary, Mr.

3:24:42Herity? Okay, I see our vice chair is a

3:24:45bit preoccupied. I don't think that

3:24:46there were any other comments or

3:24:48questions. And Mr. Underwood, are there

3:24:50any other names in the list for public

3:24:51comment today?

3:24:52>> That's everybody.

3:24:53>> I would like to thank all of our

3:24:55speakers, as I've done throughout the

3:24:56course of these last three hours. I want

3:24:58to do so again. Uh for what you have

3:25:01brought to this process, these hearings

3:25:04um a lot there they often bite into the

3:25:06schedule for many of us as council

3:25:07members. There's so many things that

3:25:08we're doing at a certain at different

3:25:09times the day. Many of you were taking

3:25:11out time out of your day to come here to

3:25:13be a part of it. When we have these and

3:25:15the content of the conversation is what

3:25:17it is, it make it re-enders a sense of

3:25:20of faith in our political process,

3:25:22especially if we can deliver on these

3:25:23sorts of things. So I thank you for

3:25:25participating in democracy in a time

3:25:28when democracy is constantly sliding is

3:25:30not a obvious thing. You have to engage

3:25:32with it. You have to work with it in

3:25:33order for it to work. So I thank you for

3:25:35being a part of that process today.

3:25:36Seeing no one else here to testify on

3:25:38the resolution. This does conclude the

3:25:40business of the committee on global

3:25:41opportunities and the creative

3:25:42innovative economy today. The public

3:25:43hearing on resolution number 2550879

3:25:46is recess to the call of the chair.

3:25:48Thank you all very much for your

3:25:50attendance.

3:25:54>> [music]

3:26:02[music]

3:26:03>> Hey,

3:26:12[music]

3:26:14hey, hey.

3:26:17[music]

3:26:23>> [music]

3:26:29[music]