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Philadelphia council amends Safe and Healthy Homes bills after hours of public testimony
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Summary
After more than an hour of public comment, Philadelphia City Council adopted amendments to two tenant‑protection ordinances — bills 250329‑A and 250330‑A — and placed the amended measures on the final‑passage calendar for the next session. Supporters called the changes a needed public‑health step; some landlords urged delay and more narrow timelines.
Councilman Nicholas O'Rourke moved amendments to two housing bills known collectively as the Safe and Healthy Homes Act on April 15, and the council adopted those amendments before placing the bills on the final‑passage calendar for the next session.
The measures — bill 250329‑A, which revises property licensing and creates a proactive inspection program, and bill 250330‑A, which revises landlord‑tenant rules and strengthens good‑cause and anti‑retaliation protections — were the focus of an extended public‑comment period in which tenants, housing advocates, small landlords and nonprofit housing providers testified.
Supporters described years of hazardous housing conditions they said the bills would address. "We don't have to live in homes that make us sick," said Melissa Montz, who identified herself as speaking in support of bill 250330, urging the council to pass the measures without further delay. Shamika Grant, a lifelong city resident, called the bills an "urgent necessity for hundreds of thousands of renters." Vanessa Raymond Garcia of Regional Housing Legal Services said the bills would provide "real teeth" including requirements that landlords correct outstanding violations before license renewal and a new proactive inspection program.
Opponents, including small‑owner representatives, urged revisions or additional timelines. Richard Moore, a broker who said his company manages roughly 400 units for small owners, asked the council to postpone the vote to allow more input and to consider a city‑specific lease standard. Jacqueline Tobin, a realtor testifying on behalf of Lexi McDowell, recommended a longer notice period when a unit is sold, warning that 90 days can be impractical for closing a sale and could disadvantage first‑time buyers.
O'Rourke's amendments were circulated to council members in advance; the chair announced adoption of both amendments on the record and said the bills would appear again on the final‑passage calendar at the next session. The council set a two‑minute speaking limit for public commenters at this session and adhered to that schedule.
Next steps: the amended ordinances will be read on the final‑passage calendar at the subsequent council meeting for a final vote.
Ending: Council members and advocates framed the measures as a public‑health response to long‑standing housing problems in Philadelphia; opponents urged more time for technical fixes and protections for small property owners.
