West Philly Residents - Your Attendance IS REQUIRED - WED FEB 15 7:00PM

**annie** · 02-11-2012, 11:06 AM

Pass this to all your neighbors... e-mail, SMS, Facebook, Twitter... broadcast it to everyone you know.

Why: To put a final cork in the malcontents in your neighborhood trying to preserve crack dens, vacant lots and warehouses. Show your support for the revitalization of West Philly into a thriving, economically and environmentally SUSTAINABLE neighborhood that will benefit the City of Philadelphia and all of us in other neighborhoods who look to your neighborhood as a beacon of hope for renewal.

What: Zoning meeting for Apple Lofts project
Where: Arnett A.M.E. Church, 815 S 53rd St.
Time: 7:00PM

In any normal civic, these meetings are usually sleep-fests. A developer/appellee proposes, people mumble and grumble and ask questions, and a piece of paper is passed around indicating for/against said proposal. If people are for something, fine. If not, that's fine too.

But in YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD this has turned into a circus where ONE PERSON has hijacked this normal community function to serve not only his own needs, but to replace your voice in City Council with his own.

If you live in West Philly, this affects you and the quality of your life. IN YOUR HOME. Ergo, your attendance at Wednesday's zoning meeting is absolutely required.

Can I attend even though I don't live near the proposals? YES

Can I attend even though I am not a member of (insert organization here): YES. ZBA recognized civic organizations are required to hold their meetings PUBLICLY. They cannot be closed to the general public. They can however restrict in their codified bylaws who can vote on proposals and measures.

I work in West Philly but do not live there, can I vote? All civic associations are required to recognize as members those who have established residency and for non-persons such as businesses, that makes the proprietors of said businesses eligible to vote in a civic organization. (To my knowledge, I know of no such civic associations that have successfully barred small business owners from being able to hold memberships or deny them permission to vote on motions and proposals in civic meetings)

**boognish** · 02-12-2012, 11:23 AM

I'm 10 blocks to the east, but I'm going to do my best to make it. I'm tired of the poverty pimps running the show.

It makes me sick to see them convincing their neighbors that development is evil when in reality all they're doing is looking for a pay-off from the developers.

**seand** · 02-13-2012, 11:53 AM

I have a conflicting meeting that night (ironically about the possiblity of maybe getting someone interested in bringing senior housing to some of the abandonned land around 51st and Baltimore - basically if its even possible - as per the reccomendations of community input in the planning meetings that Kelly tried to shut down last year) but I will make every attempt to be there.

P.S. I thought that Kelly already had his version of an "anti" zoning meeting at that church last week. Is this a second one? Or rather a third one since Cedar Park Neighbors had already had one at Wayland Baptist that I heard described as "mixed but basically pro" in terms of response and then he had one last week that I heard described as "mixed and basically undecided" in terms of response. Is he just going to keep redoing them till he gets one that is solidly "anti" enough for him?

**annie** · 02-13-2012, 11:54 AM

Thanks, Boognish! It's ironic that I was at the Point Breeze meeting (out of morbid curiously and wanting to offer quiet, peaceful, support) and spent the whole time thinking West Philly had things together so much more. I do hope this meeting goes much better.

Yes, Sean. It's ANOTHER one.

Originally Posted by annie

Shawn Kelly just stopped by my house collecting signatures for Fattah, Roebuck and Obama. I asked him why I wasn't notified of the meeting on Wednesday and he played dumb until I said Apple Storage. He claimed he was misquoted in the paper, he's not actually concerned about people west of 50th Street (which I am) it's the people west of 52nd Street that haven't had their chance to be notified, except, you know, they already had a meeting plus the CPN meeting which had people west of 52nd Street in attendance (he disputed this even though I don't remember him being at the meeting). He kept claiming he was misquoted in the paper and he's NOT actually opposed to the project but it's just that people weren't notified and not even the 51st Ward Leader knew about the project. Well then! He kept using the example that not even 53rd and Pentridge knew and what do you know, that's where the Ward Leader lives! So this is all about him making himself feel important and buttering up the ward leader. The 51st Ward Leader sounds like a crappy community leader since she apparently doesn't follow CPN even though she lives just on the other side of 52nd Street.

I told him his concerns were ridiculous and that I'd see him on Wednesday.

P.S. I asked him how he was notifying people of the meeting and he said "the paper." God, his outreach efforts show some real dedication to his community.

**seand** · 02-13-2012, 12:29 PM

The ward leader for the 51st ward was basically very politely fired by the courts for losing track of about a billion dollars in forfeited bail money that was owed to the city while she and her daughter ran the Clerk of Quarter Sessions. Or perhaps better put their office was so badly fiscally mismanaged the courts were forced to seize control of the entire operation to sort out the mess and then City Council in as deferential manner as possible to the ward leader, quietly eliminated the office of Clerk of Quarter Sessions entirely.
Philadelphia abolishes Clerk of Quarter Sessions Office - Philly.com

Plus Kelly does not represent any part of the 51st ward (Vivian Miller). He represents only the 10th division of the 46th ward (Jannie Blackwell).
So if his beef is about west of 52nd, he has no jurisdiction there himself.

**annie** · 02-13-2012, 10:28 PM

Originally Posted by seand

The ward leader for the 51st ward was basically very politely fired by the courts for losing track of about a billion dollars in forfeited bail money that was owed to the city while she and her daughter ran the Clerk of Quarter Sessions. Or perhaps better put their office was so badly fiscally mismanaged the courts were forced to seize control of the entire operation to sort out the mess and then City Council in as deferential manner as possible to the ward leader, quietly eliminated the office of Clerk of Quarter Sessions entirely.
Philadelphia abolishes Clerk of Quarter Sessions Office - Philly.com

Plus Kelly does not represent any part of the 51st ward (Vivian Miller). He represents only the 10th division of the 46th ward (Jannie Blackwell).
So if his beef is about west of 52nd, he has no jurisdiction there himself.

It's that Vivian Miller? Oh god, can this get any more frustrating? Oh wait:

Originally Posted by post on CPN's FB

I spoke yesterday with a CAA member who was out with a petition on another matter. They remain adamant that they're "not trying to stop it" but they want, I believe, another sixty-day delay, so that they can further explore: whether this project will drive up taxes; whether Apple will include affordable units; whether they'll hire people from the community; etc.

Please everyone come out to this meeting so we can put a stop to this nonsense!

**MariusPontmercy** · 02-13-2012, 11:03 PM

Originally Posted by annie

It's that Vivian Miller? Oh god, can this get any more frustrating? Oh wait:

Please everyone come out to this meeting so we can put a stop to this nonsense!

47th and Bmore here. Can I vote? I'll try and make it regardless.

**annie** · 02-13-2012, 11:15 PM

Seeing as how Community Achievement Association has no members other than its founder and no bylaws, I don't see how he could prevent you but wouldn't be the first time Shawn Kelly made up the rules as he went along...(which is why people need to be there to tell him to knock it off).

P.S. Come say hi! I'll look like my icon but angry.

**seand** · 02-14-2012, 10:00 AM

As has been pointed out previously in terms of the gentrification and property tax assessments argument in Philadelphia at least, currently the whole system in Philadelphia for assessing property taxes is very much of a joke and where it ends up has everything to do with politics and City Council and very little to do with a building very, very unlike any of its neighbors. Until they figure out some of the details of how they are going implement the new market-rate assessment system, there is actually no logical mechanism for them to reassess neighbors on the fly. It can't happen and when they do switch to the new system the presence of a nearby apartment building will be far and away the least controversial part of the new system.

Also, they asses properties by nearby similar properties so Apple Lofts might affect the assessments on some of the other large apartment buildings, like the 5 or 6 large apartment buildings around 48th and Spruce but, according to the way assessments are done in "normal" (not Philadelphia) places, it would not actually be figured into the assessments of nearby single occupancy row homes. Those assessments would be based on other single-occupancy homes in the immediate area.

Over the long haul, sure, Apple Lofts will likely shift perceptions of how "safe" 52nd St. is as a whole and 112 new residents will be a boon for strugling businesses along 52nd and along the western end of Baltimore. But in terms of an immediate effect on property taxes, there is really not much of a direct connection in this town and whats eventually happens has everything to do with City Council setting millage rates and likely legal challenges to the new assessment system, etc. - i.e. city-wide politics - not this one 112 unit apartment building.

I realize that for a lot of people that reality does not affect deeply held racial perceptions about "them" "taking over", etc. but in terms of an actual impact on property taxes, and the way Philadelphia actually works currently - there is no direct impact.

**seand** · 02-14-2012, 10:10 AM

So back on topic, it would be great for folks to document some of the ridiculous things likely to be said at this meeting with cell phones, like the recent one in Point Breeze, because I am sure there will be some doozies.

**annie** · 02-14-2012, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by post on CPN's FB

whether this project will drive up taxes; whether Apple will include affordable units; whether they'll hire people from the community; etc.

1. What Sean said. (Essentially N/A)
2. No, the project is privately financed and will be market-rate.
3. Yes.

I hope this meeting will be short but expect it'll drag on. I can record audio but not video.

**annie** · 02-14-2012, 07:37 PM

There is an "affordable housing consultant" neighbor who is going to be attending the meeting and unwittingly helping Shawn Kelly in his shakedown. Because we need to preserve "economic integration" on 52nd Street.

So I, east of 52nd Street, got one of these in my mailbox yesterday. People west of 52nd and near the project are saying they did not. I guess that's one way to ensure there's reason to stall for another 60 days and have yet another meeting.

Please everyone come out tonight!

**seand** · 02-15-2012, 10:22 AM

Got the notice myself so I'm definitely planning to come out.

Denying the building from getting rezoned residential will not promote affordable housing. It stops it from being residential at all.

The types of groups who actually build affordable housing for the tax credits etc. tend to be very sensitive to how hostile they percieve a neighborhood to be towards building in general. If anything shooting this down makes affordable housing builders more likely to say "hmmm, I'll look elsewhere".

**annie** · 02-15-2012, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by seand

If anything shooting this down makes affordable housing builders more likely to say "hmmm, I'll look elsewhere".

I know, right? Sigh...

**annie** · 02-15-2012, 03:35 PM

UC Review News Hour - Shawn Kelly

In case anyone wants to hear Shawn Kelly talk for 18 minutes and bash CPN repeatedly. Good for the UC Review News Hour hosts for asking real questions. He's concerned environmental issues but wants to keep the industrial use??? He says 112 apartments with hundreds of residents would bring in less money to area businesses than the warehouse having an active industrial use. He doesn't think new residents would shop in the area because of the transit connections to other shopping districts in the city.

Haha, Sean you know more about the history of the building than Shawn!

**boognish** · 02-15-2012, 03:58 PM

Wow. Unbelievable. This guy is delusional at best and a crook at worst.

**annie** · 02-15-2012, 05:12 PM

Come out tonight everyone! Lets put an end to this!

What: Zoning meeting for Apple Lofts project
Where: Arnett A.M.E. Church, 815 S 53rd St.
Time: 7:00PM

**annie** · 02-15-2012, 09:55 PM

**MariusPontmercy** · 02-16-2012, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by annie

If we had to determine merit based on the ability to form sentences and convey ideas than we would never have these problems.

**seand** · 02-16-2012, 05:04 AM

So it largely was the hostile meeting it appeared designed to be from the get go but the strongest impression I had was how completely ignorant of kind of very basic city issues ward leader Vivian Miller. I guess it should not surprise me but I perhaps naively assumed that if you are elected as one of the city's 69 party leaders, the one-time chair (I believe) of the African-American caucus and had been elected to a city-wide row office repeatedly for the last 20+ years that you would have an at least passing familiarity with some of the most discussed city issues.

She spoke first at the meeting and led right off with "we got to stop this thing."

What surprised me was that she sincerely seemed to have never even heard of the 10-year tax abatement - at all.

In quick order she:
1. intentionally jokingly mispronounced the word "abatement" to indicate her unfamiliarity with this apparently novel term
2. indicated she did not understand that its an "abatement" because only the extra value of the rehab is reduced and repeatedly insisted that "they won't be paying any taxes at all". Not for dramatic effect but because she really did not understand it.
3. indicated that did not understand that it was a city-wide law that is available to every builder, including individual home owners, and seemed to sincerely believe it was a special deal for only this one developer
4. indicated that she pretty much have never heard of the whole controversy about "market based assessments" and seemed to have no grasp of how property assessments are supposed to work

Now this would not surprise me from an "average Joe" but this is someone who has been a "player" in city politics for at least 30 years, who ran for and was re-elected to a city-wide office repeatedly. I naively believed that someone like that actually reads the newspaper sometimes or at least maybe scans the head lines of the Philly Record, the trade rag of city ward politics, at least occasionally.

I mean if for no other reason that a huge proportion of the articles talking about her personal horrible fiscal mismanagement of the Clerk of Quarter Sessions would also include mentions of the general call to eliminate all the row offices and clean-up the BRT as agencies rife with political patronage. I mean if only as someone who in theory is a significant player in machine politics and presumably handing out some of those patronage jobs, I kind of expected her to be at least vaguely familiar with and already have some kind opinion on this stuff. Not act like she's shocked and its all news to her.

I was kind of shocked at how outright ignorant Vivian Miller was of issues I imagined that city ward leaders might at least make small talk about at City Committee meetings, etc. I mean if you are involved in city politics at all, and especially have a vested interest in them, I really and truly expected that she would have heard of some of this stuff before. But no.

Oh and she also expressed outrage that noone had told her personally that the Apple Storage building had sold 5 years earlier, though obviously they publish that in the newspaper and you can look it up on the BRT/OPA website. Its not like you would expect her to say actually pay attention to the only 7-story tall giant eyesore of an abandonned building in her ward or anything. Oh wait, you would.

No, instead she was probably one of the most ill-informed, "they ain't gonna drive me out of my home, they didn't tell me nothing" speakers of the entire evening.

Oh and later when the developer was showing renderings (after he had said they are rehabbing the building as-is but cutting in larger windows about 8 times) she was confused and thought that somehow they making the building bigger and grumbled that noe that it was a highrise that it would ruin her view.

I was not surprised that Vivian Miller was leading the "we got to stop this" anti-gentrification charge but I was very surprsed at how generally ignorant and just kind of slow on the uptake she came off as.

The one ray of hope out of the evening I saw was how pointedly non-commital Councilwoman Blackwell's comments were. Basically she said "when good intentioned people come together a solution can be found" (i.e. avoid taking a specific position) and that she "always respects majority rule" (also vague but sort of "i'm on your side" without promising anything specific and then reminded everyone that they only asses people's property taxes on similar properties and that there are no similar properties to Apple Loft.

i may be overly optimistic but i read her comments as "intentionally vague as possible 'I'm sympathetic to you'" and "i'll just sit back and let the developer try to figure out to assuage the 'they are taking over' outrage." Which is the best I hoped for from her, to be honest.

Comedic highlights were when a young man in the back on a very angry "it's all Penn, we ain't gonna let you push us out" tirade starting on a "you talk all soft-spoken but you don't fool us" bit and Shawn Kelly misunderstood who he was pointing to and started to get very defensive and the young man had to awkwardly explain that he actually meant the white developer guy standing next to him.