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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Colleen Puckett, 2nd Ward Leader, 2nd Ward Dems (267-449-5338, colleenpuckett@yahoo.com)
George Donnelly (484-645-715, george.a.donnelly@gmail.com)

2nd Ward Democrats Unanimously Endorses Emergency Housing Protection Act

Urges City Council to Pass Bills

(May 28, 2020) Second Ward Democrats last night voted unanimously to endorse the Emergency Housing Protection Act, a set of six bills and a resolution that would put in place modest, temporary protections for renters in Philadelphia. Councilmembers Helen Gym, Jamie Gauthier, and Kendra Brooks introduced the bills to City Council this week. “Now more than ever, housing is vital to the health and economic well being of Philadelphia families, and these common-sense bills will protect renters during the Covid-19 crisis and in its economic aftermath,” said 2nd ward committee person and assistant treasurer George Donnelly, who put forward the motion to endorse. “Before the Covid-19 crisis, most Philadelphia renters were already in a precarious financial situation. Most were cost-burdened, meaning they spent over 30% of their income on housing costs, and more than 200,000 families were severely cost-burdened, spending more than half of their income on rent,” he said.

The bills would extend the moratorium on evictions, establish an eviction diversion program modeled off of Philly’s nationally renowned mortgage foreclosure diversion program, waive late fees and freeze rents for tenants who have lost income due to Covid-19, establish repayment plans for tenants behind on their rent, and protect tenants against illegal evictions.

2nd Ward Democrats urges City Council to pass these bills and encourages constituents to contact Councilmembers Mark Squilla and Kenyatta Johnson to ask them to vote in favor of this legislation.