WHEREAS, The history of redlining in the United States has created a legacy of racially segregated housing across the country; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia metropolitan area is one of the most segregated in the country, ranked eleventh according to 2020 Census data; and
WHEREAS, There is ample evidence that exclusionary zoning and lending policies like those in Philadelphia’s history lead to a marked decrease in wealth and human capital over time for many neighborhoods as a result of poorly-funded schooling, lack of public resources, and the health and safety risks associated with low-income areas. The discriminatory effects of this zoning compound from one generation to the next, further widening the wealth and resource gap between neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Those Philadelphians who reside in low-income ZIP Codes are disproportionately likely to be members of a protected class under the Fair Practices Ordinance of the City Code; and
WHEREAS, The Fair Practices Ordinance declares it unlawful for anyone to
deny, either directly or indirectly, any of the accommodations, advantages, facilities or privileges of public accommodations to a person based on their status as a member of a protected class; and
WHEREAS, Despite this Ordinance and other applicable laws, Philadelphians and their businesses in these ZIP Codes are often denied services from vendors, contractors, insurers and other service providers; and
WHEREAS, Denying these services adversely affects these neighborhoods, and creates intractable problems that decrease the quality of life and viability of these neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, Many neighborhoods in the city are underserved as a result of these practices, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, that it hereby authorizes the Committee on Neighborhood Services to conduct hearings with the goal of (i) understanding the ways in which ZIP Codes are used to abet discriminatory actions and (ii) finding possible solutions to the issue that would ensure fair and equitable treatment and access to resources for all Philadelphians, regardless of residential area.
End