Title
Authorizing the Council of the City of Philadelphia to hold hearings on the use and occupancy of 2100 W. Girard Avenue by the City of Philadelphia and it's contractors and in furtherance of such investigation, authorizing the issuance of subpoenas to compel the attendance of Parker Administration officials including the Mayor, and other such witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
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WHEREAS, The Parker Administration has proposed an initial $100 million to build capacity for centers for individuals struggling with addiction to combat open-air drug markets in Kensington; and
WHEREAS, The Parker Administration plan has been scant on details, with omissions about the location of said triage facility being a particular concern for Philadelphia residents; and
WHEREAS, The Parker Administration has not provided details about proposed treatment options, operators, care providers, existing crisis resource alternatives in Kensington, or the role of law enforcement in potential involuntary removals of open-air drug addicts from Kensington to the triage facility; and
WHEREAS, On May 2, 2024 The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Administration was seeking to open a triage facility in Fairmount, nearly five miles from the epicenter of the Kensington drug crisis, within a matter of days without any input or consultation of the surrounding communities in Fairmount, Francisville, Sharswood and Brewerytown; and
WHEREAS, In that same article Mayoral spokesperson Joe Grace disputed the characterization of the proposed facility as a "triage center," preferring to use the term "wellness center" before declining "to detail the difference between such facilities"; and
WHEREAS, In that same article it was noted that the "Parker administration declined to provide more details about the center, and some key stakeholders were in the dark Thursday," including Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr.,...
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