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Calling for a moratorium on the acquisition and/or condemnation of any and all occupied properties within the City of Philadelphia by the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia ("RDA") pending the outcome of a joint investigation by the Committees on Law and Government and Legislative Oversight, hereby duly authorized, into the apparent failures of the administration to adequately notify property owners and occupants that their properties are about to be condemned, or to advise them of any manner in which they can seek redress from the administration regarding mistakes that have been made for properties improperly or unfairly designated for acquisition; further authorizing the Committees to determine whether the purpose of said condemnations is to gentrify vast sections of the City, and whether an Office of Homestead Security should be established to help protect citizens of the City against irrational and heartless seizures of their homes.
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WHEREAS, It is apparent from hearings recently held on the Mayor's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative ("NTI") that thousands of properties in this City are being condemned with little regard for the rights of owners and occupants; and
WHEREAS, The following structural inadequacies have been identified through these hearings which illustrate the careless and neglectful manner in which these acquisitions are being conducted:
a) many property owners are given little or no notice that their properties have been designated for acquisition;
b) in some cases notice is given by newspaper advertising in small print, buried in obscure places unlikely ever to be seen, and with virtually no time in advance of Council's hearing on the condemnations to enable property owners to prepare a case in opposition or to make necessary arrangements to testify at all;
c) community meetings to advise neighborhoods of intended acquisition activity are poorly advertised and completely unknown to large numbers of peop...
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