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Residents press council to restore Office of Homeless Services funding; Atlee House cited as street‑level need
Summary
Speakers at a Southwest Philadelphia budget town hall urged council to restore a reported $5 million cut to the Office of Homeless Services and to prioritize shelter and street outreach; council members said they will advocate for additional funding in negotiations.
Residents and advocates at a city budget town hall urged council to reverse proposed reductions to homeless services and to invest in shelter capacity and street outreach.
At the meeting, a resident identified as Miss Riddick asked whether funding for the Office of Homeless Services (OHS) was part of the city budget and noted a “$5,000,000 reduction in OHS's budget as compared to last year.” A councilmember present agreed the reduction exists and said she and colleagues “will be advocating and addressing the issue” and named the Atlee House shelter specifically as a local facility they support.
Council President Kenyatta Johnson and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier both spoke from the dais about ongoing advocacy. Gauthier said her office has a working group looking at homelessness comprehensively and framed the topic in moral terms: “it's the morally right thing to do.”
Residents told council they are seeing increased street homelessness and asked for investments in shelter systems, supportive housing and outreach. Council members responded that they will seek additional resources and push the administration for funding during council’s budget negotiations.
No formal vote or binding action occurred at the town hall; speakers asked councilmembers to include homelessness increases and shelter needs in their negotiations with the mayor’s office.
