Title
Authorizing City Council's Committee on Law and Government to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of public housing resources and services to the low and moderate income residents of Philadelphia by the Philadelphia Housing Authority in cooperation with the City of Philadelphia, and the available legislative remedies for inadequacies that may be found, including, but not limited to, the reallocation of City-controlled and/or appropriated housing funds to other agencies, and authorizing the Chairperson of the Law and Government Committee in furtherance of such investigation to issue subpoenas or other process as the Chairperson deems necessary or appropriate to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of documents to the full extent authorized under Section 2-401 of the Home Rule Charter.
Body
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Housing Authority [PHA] was established in 1937 and is the nation's fourth largest housing authority and the state of Pennsylvania's and City of Philadelphia's largest landlord providing housing for over 75,000 Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, This Council, in approving the current five year plan, has authorized a unique and central role for PHA in the City's overall housing program; and
WHEREAS, PHA is governed by a five-member board of commissioners, appointed as follows: two members are appointed by the Mayor, two are appointed by the City Controller, and the fifth member is appointed by the other four. One of the current members, the Chairperson, is the Mayor's Chief of Staff, and another is the Majority Leader of City Council; and
WHEREAS, PHA employs 2,100 people all of whom must adhere to a residency requirement identical to that in effect for City of Philadelphia employees; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspections inspects and regulates the housing conditions in all of PHA's rental units; and
WHEREAS, The functions and activities of PHA and the City in the...
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