Authorizing the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the feasibility of expanding the services of the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) and establishing CLIP offices citywide.

WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s CLIP consists of several programs aimed at improving the appearance of neighborhoods throughout the City. These programs carry out this mission by educating neighbors on property maintenance codes, enforcing these maintenance codes, and, when necessary, abating nuisance properties; and

WHEREAS, The Graffiti Abatement Team (GAT) at CLIP is the lead City agency responsible for eliminating graffiti vandalism in Philadelphia. Provided as a free service to residents and businesses in Philadelphia, the GAT addresses most graffiti removal requests within 3 to 4 business days and responded to nearly 130,000 graffiti reports during FY17; and

WHEREAS, The Community Partnership Program at CLIP assists organizations and neighbors with neighborhood maintenance efforts by loaning out tools and cleaning supplies to facilitate cleaning and greening efforts. CLIP also assists neighborhood cleaning efforts through its Community Service Program, which provides an opportunity for non-violent offenders to complete their mandated community service hours through projects that include street sweeping and assistance with community cleaning projects. In FY17, CLIP loaned over 5,400 pieces of equipment through the Community Partnership Program, while the Community Service Program completed nearly 2,000 service projects throughout the City; and

WHEREAS, The Property Maintenance and Vacant Lot Programs were created to address problems associated with nuisance properties, including the accumulation of trash and debris that can result when a property is abandoned. These two programs play an important role in enforcing the City’s property maintenance codes and can work to abate nuisance properties if enforcement efforts fail to ensure the owner’s compliance. During FY17, the Property Maintenance Program inspected the exteriors of nearly 14,000 properties and abated over 3,500, while the Vacant Lot Program inspected over 44,000 vacant lots and abated nearly 16,000. Because these programs are able to bill property owners for the work CLIP does to bring properties into compliance, they have proven a cost-effective mechanism for reducing neighborhood blight; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s Community Life Improvement Program plays a crucial role in creating vibrant neighborhoods across the City through targeted blight reduction and community partnerships. The expansion of CLIP’s services, and of the organization’s physical presence in the City, would provide a great benefit to Philadelphians as they continue their efforts to improve the quality of life in their neighborhoods; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby authorizes the Committee on Legislative Oversight to hold hearings examining the feasibility of expanding the services of the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) and establishing CLIP offices citywide.

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