Authorizing City Council to Hold Public Hearings Regarding Philadelphia Housing Authority Practices In Domestic Violence Cases.

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) is the nation's fourth largest public housing authority. PHA owns more than 14,000 affordable housing units and serves nearly 80,000 Philadelphians. PHA develops, acquires, leases and operates affordable housing for City residents with limited incomes; and

WHEREAS, It was recently reported that domestic violence victims residing in PHA housing have waited months or years to be transferred to new, safer homes. Domestic violence advocates say such transfers should not take more than a few weeks; and

WHEREAS, PHA residents have an average income of $10,645 and have few options beyond PHA housing; and

WHEREAS, At the beginning of last year, approximately 40 families in PHA housing were on a waiting list for relocations due to domestic violence. PHA has shown improvement in its handling of such cases, reducing the waiting list to fewer than 10 families, but the typical household is still waiting two to three months for a relocation; and

WHEREAS, PHA has worked closely with Women Against Abuse, a domestic violence advocacy organization, to improve its policies in such cases; and

WHEREAS, It is important that PHA continue to improve its practices in domestic violence cases, both by reducing the number of families on a relocation waiting list and the length of time families spend on such a list; and

WHEREAS, It is our responsibility as City Council to investigate practices that impact the safety and security of Philadelphia residents and steps City Council can take to improve the same; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby authorize City Council to hold public hearings regarding Philadelphia Housing Authority practices in domestic violence cases.

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