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Honoring the Citywide Tenant Union of the Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America and tenants, tenant leaders, and tenant organizers at the Emerson and Florence Gardens, who are organizing to end rental junk fees and secure basic tenants’ rights and protections in the City of Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Over the last five years, tenants have organized for safe, secure, and affordable housing across the City of Philadelphia with support from the Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America; and
WHEREAS, These campaigns have included providing support to tenants at the University City Townhomes to preserve affordable housing in 2022, organizing at Brith Sholom House in 2024 to preserve over 300 units of affordable senior housing, at Oak Lane Court in 2024 after tenants were displaced by a partial collapse at Lindley Towers, at Hardy Williams Veterans Center in 2025 in response to safety and security concerns, and others; and
WHEREAS, Tenants at the Emerson, located at 4209 Chester Ave, began organizing in February 2026 in response to a power outage in the dead of the winter; and
WHEREAS, Tenants have suffered from power outages on an annual basis due to management’s decision to transition from radiator heat to electrical units without properly insulating, weatherizing, and upgrading the electrical system; and
WHEREAS, The decision to electrify has shifted thousands in utility costs to tenants, some of whom experience electricity bills of over 300 dollars each month for studio apartments; and
WHEREAS, Tenants at Florence Gardens, located at 506 S 41st Street, inspired by the organizing at the Emerson and sharing the same individual owner as well as the same management company, New Age Realty, began organizing to combat pest issues, unsanitary conditions, water leaks, and other conditions that have afflicted tenants; and
WHEREAS, Elevators in both buildings have been bolted shut for years despite the promise of their maintenance in tenants’ leases, rendering the buildings dangerous for tenants with disabilities and making amenities less accessible overall; and
WHEREAS, Tenants in both buildings are demanding the elimination of junk fees, which management calls the “Resident Benefits Package”, for which tenants are forced to pay 300 dollars each year for minimal so-called benefits; and
WHEREAS, The Emerson and Florence Gardens Tenant Associations are fighting to ban junk fees for themselves and for all tenants across the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Tenants are further demanding that the individual owner and management, New Age Realty, join them at the bargaining table to renegotiate an agreement that ensures safety, affordability, and accountability for all; and
WHEREAS, New Age Realty manages hundreds of units across the City of Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, The individual owner has established multiple Limited Liability Companies to house his assets and income from the Emerson Apartments, Florence Gardens, and others; and
WHEREAS, Representatives from the tenant associations have received a commitment to meet and discuss the tenants concerns; and
WHEREAS, The Safe Healthy Homes Act requires landlords to bargain with tenants in good faith beginning in November 2026; and
WHEREAS, Tenants from the Emerson and Florence Gardens are asserting the right to withhold the “Resident Benefits Package” and are asking tenants to not rent from the Emerson, Florence Gardens, and the Lexington in solidarity with the tenants and in support of their demand for the landlord to come to the bargaining table and reach a fair agreement; and
WHEREAS, This legislative body, and the City of Philadelphia, honor the significant and positive impact of tenant unions on living conditions and economic security, and, additionally, have a duty to protect tenants’ rights to strike, to unionize, and to bargain collectively without disinformation, interference, fear of intimidation, or the threat of retaliation. As a result, we urge New Age Realty to respect its tenants’ right to unionize and collectively bargain; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Honors the Citywide Tenant Union of the Philadelphia Democratic Socialists of America and tenants, tenant leaders, and tenant organizers at the Emerson and Florence Gardens, who are organizing to end rental junk fees and secure basic tenants’ rights and protections in the City of Philadelphia, and calls upon the individual owner and New Age Reality to come to the bargaining table, without delay, and negotiate contracts in good faith with the tenants.
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