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A letter from a neighbor



To Mayor Nutter,

I am a resident of East Sydney Street near Devon where construction on the Enclave
townhouse project has been going on for nearly three years. The project was
suppose to be finished in nine months.
The project has been an endless source of disruption for our street. Dust, noise,
and demolition that has shaken our homes, and disorderly behavior, cursing, etc.
from the crew have been serious problems. My house is 6 houses away, and I've
been affected by this never-ending construction. This has gone on far longer than
anyone could reasonably tolerate.

My neighbor, Margaret Motheral, at 259 East Sydney Street has been made very ill
by the dust and pollution from the site, her home has been damaged, the crew has
used her back yard for trash. She was unable to live in her home for over ten
months because of illness, severe cough and disorientation from the contaminated
dust. I know she has had to go to the hospital.

Many of us are upset about this project. Margaret Motheral, however, needs to be
moved from her resident until the project is complete and her home can be
restored. Her home has been surrounded by construction on 3 sides (counting the
frequent street construction) for almost 3 years.

Thank you,

Gloria Rohlfs
249 E. Sydney St., Phila.19119
215.248.6287
CoachGDR@juno.com

I have been forced out of my home again by the construction at Sydney and Devon.
The dust is thick, the street tore up, my house shakes- the extended and
continuous assaults on my home and property continue. The new architect showed
up a week or more ago in a group of a man and a woman. When I asked who they
where they said they were from the city.

The man gave me a card , George Baker , and said he was taking over. He said he
was going to make every thing okay. I started to break down because in three
years, no matter what has happened to me , nobody has ever helped. I believed
him. Stupid me. He said fax him something. I said I needed to be remove.

The next day, new workers are out there kicking up MORE dust and being louder
and shaking my house more than ever and I start to get really sick again and now I
am forced to leave my home again.

I called George Baker's number and left messages that things were getting bad
again. He never responded. Every single aspect of my life has been taken from me
because this City failed to protect me or uphold its own codes and regulations that
are designed to protect its citizens. When I started to get hurt , they discriminate
against me and it continues to this day.

Now I am sick and homeless once more because the City of Philadelphia has allowed
and perpetuated these abuses toward me.

One of my 2 cats is also sick but I have to leave her there.

The Discrimination toward me of "delivery of public services" that are due my right
as a citizen as gone so far past simple discrimination. The City of Philadelphia and
its failures to up hold my rights and protection and delivery their duty to uphold
procedures, and services as amounted to criminal abuse.

Maybe the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations should be involved.

I've been coughing all night from the dust. I'm very weak. It's really a bad week for
dust. I need to be removed.
I've been abused, assaulted, harmed, traumatized by this situation for three years now
and nobody ever helps me. The problems are obvious. I need medical care. The
wrongs done by this project and the city and community are obvious.

Help me.

City of Philadelphia assembles various pieces of industrial land full of environmental
contaminates AND on top of headwaters of Wingohocking, next to Sedgwick train
station and decides to allow residential building of townhouses.

Project is presented to the community by City Council Donna Reed Miller and East
MT Airy Neighbors. The adjacent neighbor, within a few feet and surrounded by the
project is NOT invited to the meeting.

City Council's Ward leader Vernon Price and East MY Airy Neighbor president Derek
Green go in front of PLanning Commisson to represent project. Donna Reed Miller
writes a letter of endorsement and say the neighbors want the project. Not exactly
true. Adjacent neighbor is ignored, ignored ignored, even when her property and
health start to get damaged by the environmental hazards and reckless construction
process.

Zoning application by Attorney Henry Clinton show former use of land as coal bins.

Coal bins should have been a red flag to the PLaning Commission and L&I and
zoning that environmental studies were extremely important. The simple fact that it
was next to a rail station that had been a major industrial off load since 1876
should have been blatant clue that there might be problems with this land.

Fire insurance maps, easily accessible to the public at the library and elsewhere ,
showed that the MAIN address of the proposed building site was MIssing from the
zoning application submitted by Henry Clinton Esq.

None the less, the Planning Commission, the plan examiner and zoning and L&I
have an obligation to the public to know the land they are zoning and planing
including know environmental hazards and history.

It's not that hard. It's on the maps plus local history of the site as belonging to the
Anastasi Masonary co. was obvious and well known. In fact a truck hull with a big
sign saying Anastati Bros. was still on the lot before illegal demolition of the site
began.

Also it was known that the land belonged to this family by Stan Smith the managing
director of Devon Street LLC who also owned Mt Airy Rentals. Mt Airy Rentals sold
at least a portion of the Anastasi property to Devon Street LLC for over ten times
the fair market value.

Stan Smith is known mainly as a large commercial developer and also gives
campaign money to Council Woman Donna Reed Miller.

So- there was no reason for the City of Philadelphia to over look the facts about the
highly industrial nature of this site and the environmental hazards inherent in such
a site, such has a gasoline station for the cola trucks, dumping of chemicals and oil
wastes into the and, all the chemicals various products associated with a
contractors site and automobile stuff.

Combine all that with the fact that Philadelphia has a notorious history of ignoring
both environmental abuses and abuses against the "common folk", especially those
committed by the "political friends"

This is the heart of Gowen Country- the fist of Redding Rail and Coal that abused
both the workers and land and totally tied up the politics of Philadelphia until he
was busted by the supreme court and I believe shot himself in the head.

So- it all happens again. The City of Philadelphia allows its builder friends to do
whatever they want and turn the other way when the neighbors get hurt.

The presence of contamination is shown when , the neighbor located the file on the
missing address and it shows records of a leaking gasoline tank that was used for
the coal trucks. Of course the gasoline back in those days was very toxic and the
way they filled the tanks was from fill directly from the tanks on the train that
would stop there. The way they knew the tank was full was when the gas started to
spill over into the ground.

The City of Philadelphia allowed this piece of land to be zoned for residential in May
2006 without any reports to PADEP or any remediation.

Minimal remediation came when the neighbor who became extremely ill form the
chemicals escaping from the ground and the flying brick dust and other
contaminated dust discovered water flowing from the ground during a phase of
excavation. The water had an oil sheen in it and dark pocket of oil could be seen in
the cut up soil. Photos available.

It came to light that this area was the headwaters of source springs for the
Wingohocking Creek. Once again, Zoning and the Planing Commissioner and Plan
examiner failed and every one else failed to take this important piece of geological
information into consideration when they rubber stamped this plan.

The City of Philadelphia, once again, decide to by pass the PADEP, and do there own
from of remediation. They knew the neighbor was ill and displaced from her home.
They ignored her and ignored the notes for her doctor saying she should not be
living home during construction ,at least. But the City offered no help and they
allowed substandard remediation of the environmental hazard without informing
the neighbors of what they were being exposed to and without going through
proper procedures.

Public Health was of no concern to the City.

The City continued to allow Zoning in spite of the presence of the headwaters and
the environmental contamination and the illness it was causing to the nearest
neighbor AND ALL the violations and inconsistencies and wrongs riddled through
this project.

Rizzo's office once asked me what I wanted. I said I wanted ot be removed as
doctor's orders, and I wanted the neighbors to know about the heath hazards they
were being exposed to due to the uncontrolled contaminated dust. He hung up on
me.

Council Woman Donna Reed Miller has never responded.

My name is Lotus Dodson.
I AM A 57YR. old single parent of a 12 yr. old daughter, and is
employed.
We are in a rental home. We request assistance with rental or
purchase of PHA properties.
Home ownership is our goal. I understand that there are home
ownership classes and programs that are available that will lead
directly to home ownership, please send me information and help
to arrange my admittance to said programs.

I am a volunteer with Mr. Bob Shipman , Institute for the Study
of Civic values, 215-238-1434 rmship@gmail.com . he and Mr. Ed
Schwartz has taken a personal interest in our case and directed
me to this site.

I have completed a Work Certified program that has enhanced my
skills. I am also available to volunteer in your city council
office or the office of the Mayor.

I want to give back as soon asap.

We will await your response...

Thanking you in advance!

Ms. Lotus Dodson dodsonlotus@yahoo.com 215-225-5657
2411 W. Hagert Street

I WOULD LIKE TO BE REFERRED TO SOME ONE THAT MIGHT HELP ME FIND
THE EXEMPTION FOR A TANGLED DEED TO BE CLEARED. I AM A LOW
INCOME SENIOR AND HAVE JUST ABOUT RUN OUT OF OPTIONS OF
CHANGING A DEFUNKED CORP TO MY NAME ON THE DEED WITH OUT PAYING
SOME $3,000.00 FOR THE PRIVLEDGE.

I WOULD HOPE THIS MESSAGE WILL BE READ AND ANSWERED AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE

THANK YOU

MIRIAM BOSS

Linebarger is the contractor who collects overdue property taxes,
and the contract to renew the terms of service is under your
authority. Please let Linebarger collect the $622 million in
overdue property taxes owed the city --

www.hallwatch.org/proptax/about/redelinq/stats/summary

After the recent press by Dave Davies, Andrew Maykuth, and
Anthony Woods on the city's ineptitude in properly assessing and
collecting property taxes, city residents have never been so
angry and so well informed at how little the politicians are doing.

There is still a chance to show that you care for the voters who
pay their fair share faithfully. Let citizens have input on what
gets sold by Linebarger for back taxes, and set limits so that
everyone knows that if a property owes more than X for longer
than Y, it automatically goes to Sheriff Sale, and no politician
can fiddle with it. That gets you off the hook as well.

Let citizens who are in good standing on taxes recommend nuisance
properties for foreclosure to Linebarger using an online
mechanism of reporting like the one used for www.ppdonline.org.
This reporting of properties should be fair by allowing neighbors to

1. forward copies of L&I complaints, and actions, fines, and photos

2. forward copies of of arrests, news accounts, and other police
data that is publicly available

Then, Linebarger can use that objective data to expedite
collection of overdue property taxes on nuisance properties. It
only makes sense that a nuisance property that has come to the
attention of the Public Nuisance Task Force and resulted in
actions of some kind be required to pay up in full at once or
change hands to someone who can be responsible, for example.

It's only fair to those of us who live in the city to be able to
have the power to coordinate information that gets to the proper
collecting authorities.

This online reporting system of nuisance properties who owe taxes
for collection could be run by the DA's Public Nuisance Task
Force, since they seize properties anyway to be sold, or handled
by Linebarger. It can be low cost -- as simple as an email read
by a clerk who then has Linebarger make a determination to
collect on objective data when the property is presented to the
courts to be ordered for sale for back taxes.

Any property that owes more than $3,000 or more than 2 years in
unpaid taxes should given carte blanche by Linebarger, and the
community deserves to have the power to recommend the worst
offenders and neighborhood killers for immediate collection. Why
risk looking like you coddle deadbeats? When the press covers
stories like the recent woman who didn't pay taxes on a house for
27 years that she owned free and clear, City Council looks bad,
not beneficent. Not collecting taxes penalizes good schools, and
makes Philly an open air prison, where you can't wear an ipod
without risking your life. We need this money for schools,
police, crime prevention items, and clean streets.

So here's your chance to be the pols who come out strong for
common sense and tax fairness. I would appreciate a specific,
detailed response on the status of the terms of collection with
Linebarger as soon as they become available.

I've also asked a few of my friends to read this email as well
and to demand our right to be part of the city collecting what is
owed it promptly and fairly. Thank you.

PLEASE HELP ME KEEP MY BLOCK CLEAN.. I HAVE APPLY 4 AN EMPLY
LOT ACROSS THE ST 2057 IT!S .GOING ON 2 YEARS NOW AND CITY
HALL LOST ALL PAPER WORK I!V BEEN KEEPING THE LOT CLEAN .ALSO
TRYING TO GET DIRT TO START THE BLOCK GARDEN BUT CITY HALL KEEP
SAYING NO.. I BELIEVE ALL THE PEOPLE AND ALL THE KIDS ON THE
BLOCK SAID THEY WOULD HELP ME WITH THE GARDEN WHEN COUNCIL
FRANK DICICCO SAYS YES THANK YOU.....CARLOS

I am very sick from the two tear so construction on contaminated land--the
developer's attorney admitted it was an environmental "problem. The City has
known that was I displaced with illness from the dust and vapors. The CIty knows
doctors don't want me living in the middle of a construction site.

Yet the CITY PROTECTS the project and NOT the citizen.

The project will be done and I will left sick for many years.

The City and leaders have DONE everything in their power to Cover Up what has
happened to East Sydney street and taken NO RESPONSIBILITY and NEVER REMOVED
me to safety.


MOVE ME MOVE ME MOVE MOVE GET ME OUT OF HERE.

In light of recent incidents of horrendous violent crime and
the upcoming summer months, I support a declaration of a crime
emergency that was discussed by Mayor Nutter and Police
Commisioner Ramsey many months ago. Our neighborhoods and our
residents deserve better than what we're getting. Many of us
are holding up our end of the bargain, it's time for you to do
the same.

Thank you.

I am alarmed by the story of needless destruction in connection with the community
organizers residing at 1652 Ridge Ave.

Mostly, because it breeds a broad distrust of government and may harm efforts to
enact desperately needed gun-control legislation.

Until June 13, I have been wary of Mayor Nutter's aggressive policing policy
proposals, including the use of cameras and stop-and-frisk, but ambivalent enough
about them to go along and see what happens without protest. But as with Abu
Grahib in Iraq, the events of June 13th make the successful execution of an already-
dubious plan so much more impossible. The resulting damage to communities'
trust means that they may greet further implementation of the plan with hostility,
rather than the cautious hope and vigilance that were the best the Mayor could
himself have hoped for.

The improper use of housing code authority in support of a nominally-criminal
investigation and illegal detentions by police, all for the purpose of harming
individuals engaged in protected free speech, makes me want to work in every way
available to limit police authority.

We can make this right, and restore at least some of the trust and sense of
possibility that has been lost.

For starters, the Mayor, the Police Commisioner, and members of Council can
publicly pledge the protection of Philadelphians engaging in protected free speech,
as it was established in this very city hundreds of years ago -- even and especially
when they criticize the city's police government.

Secondly, you can issue a clear declaration via Licenses and Inspections, indicating
in exacting detail, when, where, and why a property may be sealed (or, for that
matter, bulldozed) due to code violations and/or 'for the public health'. Rumor and
speculation about inconsistent and capricious enforcement and demolition actions
by L&I have created a climate of fear and avoidance in this city that results in less,
not more, compliance with the City's building codes. As a potential investor in
Philadelphia properties, such a declaration would help me to help the city by
creating new housing and new tax revenue in the place of derelict buildings. I
cannot do this if you seal and/or bulldoze houses without proper notice or
justification.

In faith and trust that you CAN get this right,

- Robert Monk
(215) 906-6604

Nothing like the smell of jack hammered cement in the morning.

Two doctors say I should not be living here during construction.

Stan Smith- developer-Managing Director of Devon Street LLC gives money to
Council Woman Donna Reed Miller.

Lots of political treats around here.

MIller and Vernon Price ignore all safety and heath issues, environmental crimes,
drunkenness by crew and other ABUSES done to my home and person.

So everything gets worse.

and worse
and worse
and worse

The City of Philadelphia has IGNORED and Covered up the abuses done to East
Sydney Street for a long time.

On the basis that Chapter 17-1300 of the Philadelphia Code states
that "The City of Philadelphia, including all its agencies,
departments and offices ... shall pay each Employee an hourly
wage, excluding benefits, at least 150% of the federal or state
minimum wage, whichever is higher." and the City's refusal to pay
election board workers above $6.80 an hour ($95 for 14 hours), I
am encouraging everyone to file a complaint with the Inspector
General ( http://www.phila.gov/oig/file.html ) that governmental
misconduct and mismanagement is taking place in the form of
illegal wage practices and affecting the quality of our elections.

When the mission of the law states "the City Council of
Philadelphia finds that the use of City funds to provide better
wage jobs will decrease poverty, increase consumer income,
invigorate neighborhood businesses and reduce the need for
taxpayer funded social service programs" how can the City
continually justify its refusal to increase the pay rate of
election workers?

The law is the law and City Hall needs to stop turning a blind
eye when it suits them.

http://www.phillyrecord.com/2008/0508/letters.html

Adam Lang

Friday June 1st found me, as usual, on the local southbound
Broad St. line heading home after a long day at work. The
train was full as there was a Phillies game at the stadium.
And again, there were people drinking beer on the subway. This
has happened before, but I, after a year of living here, found
myself like so many other Philadelphians with my head in the
sand, ignoring the obvious breach of prohibited items listed
above the doors of each SEPTA subway car that the young men
were imbibing. However, this time, beer was spilled on me by
one of them. I had watched them come down the staircase of the
City Hall station with a 12 pak box of Bud Ice or Bud Light
which they immediately broke into on the concourse waiting for
the subway. After the spill, no one said exuce me, sorry,
nothing. I exited the car at Walnut-Locust and called customer
service and reported the incident. Saturday, the same thing
occurred, young men coming thru City Hall station, drinking,
one young man consuming 3 beers before I exited at my Snyder
station stop! This time I took pictures. Tonight, Monday, 3
more young men drinking Bud Light, I took pictures again, and
reported it to the conductor of the train as I exited, and ran
quickly to the front of the train down the concourse. The
reply from the conductor was, "they're stupid and can't read."
Since I did not ask for an IQ test, I requested he call it in,
as he should have instead of making excuses. I have lived in
Philadelphia for a year now having moved from Florida. In that
year, and riding the subway many times a day, different lines
on my days off as I play tourist, I do not see people overall
abusing these rules of no food, drink, loud music, tobacco,
etc. on the trains. But, on a game night, the cars are a
rolling party. I do not understand how they get through the
gates with open beers, red plastic cups of open liquids,
etc....I have witnessed all this and now have pictures to prove
it. Unfortunately, this just proves how lax SEPTA is, how the
employees either are too afraid, unempowered, or just too
lacadaisaical to worry about what someone is bringing onto a
crowded train. And why is it okay that sports fans are allowed
to drink alcohol on the subway...not all of them..just
some...usually younger white males. I notice cameras on the
cars and in the subway stations. Do they not work? Are they
just a lame deterrent against crime? I have called SEPTA x2 now
about this and reported each incident. Tonight I was told
someone "undercover" would probably ride the trains (when) to
see or catch the offending riders. There already exists a
SEPTA transit police. Where are they? There is one at my
Snyder stop every morning upstairs...he could not however, see
the woman every morning who walked in front of him and right in
front of the ticket booth manned by 2 people, smoking, waving
at them, they waved back, and she would throw her cigarette
aside, usually almost into someone...one morning it hit me, the
people behind their protective glass said nothing to her, the
SEPTA cop even less. I reported that and now he is down below
on the concourse where I also reported that usually there are
anywhere from 2-4 people smoking. I am utterly amazed that the
employees just "look the other way" at these things that are
clearly prohibited in writing on placards on the walls of
stations and within the cars. I am amazed at the amoung of
money we pay to ride SEPTA. I understand it is about, or is,
the most expensive public transit in the country. When I
visited NYC, I found subway police handing out tickets and in 2
cases removing riders from the concourse for obvious behavioral
issues. Why isn't that being done here? And just on the side,
have you been down in the station at City Hall? Absolutely
NASTY! Can SEPTA not clean the subway stations, the walls, the
walkways? With the daily increase of riders I have noticed the
last 2 weeks (obsiously due to the price of gas), you would
think enough money is coming in to maintain a clean, safe, well
lit station and that there would be more policing of that
stations. The added income from tickets being written for
drinking alcohol/smoking/disturbing the peace would be a boom
for SEPTA. And removing the homeless and trying to remove the
persistent urine odor (especially in the Macy's stairway, what
a shame, and right next to the SEPTA transit police station!!)
would obviously make the system more enjoyable and obviously
give riders a feeling that someone cares about them and their
safety. As far as the guzzlers, I wonder how long it will be
before one of them, after riding for a while and drinking a lot
on the car, will fall, injuring themselves or others, possibly
suing SEPTA (you know how that goes), and winning causing SEPTA
to bemoan a loss of funds causing fares to rise
and "anticipated maintenance" to be delayed or cancelled? I
honestly hope someone looks at this. The rules are there for
all, not just for some as it appears now. SEPTA needs to step
up and take control and maintain the control. I don't think
too many people will get so angry that they quit riding with
gasoline prices as they are now. I have seen the look in other
rider's faces...I am not the only one feeling this way.
However, it seems I am the only one calling SEPTA and reporting
the problem, taking pictures, and writing as I am now. I look
forward to hearing from you and I look forward to this being
presented to Mayor Nutter as well. Even though I am not born
here, I am a Philadelphian and I feel very positive about
living in Philadelphia. But I also see people looking the
other way, out of fear, or possibly knowing that nothing will
happen if they say anything. Tonight I was just laughed at
when one of the young men tried to just leave his beer can on
the floor...I told him not only was eating and drinking not
allowed, but littering was absolutely the worst. I was laughed
at, LAUGHED AT, by young men, one of them I'm not sure was
actually old enought to be drinking in public. The only reason
these people are getting away with breaking the rules of
prohibited items aboard the cars is because they are being
ALLOWED to by the authorities, by SEPTA, and by other riders
for not saying anything. Well, I'm saying...let's see what
happens. Thank you for your time. J.G. Nesbitt, jr.

Help! There are dogs and cat's housed in this property they have
not been registered or given yearly shots. Our residents are
afraid to come outside in the mornings when Ms. Christine has
them out on a lease. She can hardly handle them. She has so many
she brings them out in shifts. When she is not home the animals
stand at the door and windows growling at residents, seniors and
children passing by going to the corner store, Marie's located on
6th Titan street. It is terrible at night. Ms. Christine brings
stay dogs home every week. 536 Titan Street 19147
Also:
There is a huge growth of trees over grown from the yard to the
pavement and now the street , walking and driving lanes.

There has been a attempted robbery at this location of a
pedestrian walking home from work. This is a dangerous the
intruder hide in this over growth and sprang forth as the
resident attempted to walk past property and growth.
This growth has made senior citizens walk into the traffic lane
of the 500 block of titan st @ 536 Titan st.

The property houses 7 vicious breed of dogs and 4 cats. None of
them has dog tags and have not had shots, please help us! I will
send a copy of this request to our Governors offices, State
representative offices, and Mayor, and council at large and local
district offices. Thank you the services. The city is liable in
this matter and our blcok committee has made a urgent plea.

To whom this letter may or may not concern:
Goodmorning, I know that many concerned citizens of Philadelphia
write to each and every one of you all daily. I'm sure we choose
to do this because we feel that expressing our concerns to you
will hopefully bring about change. I would like to bring the
issue of quality of living to your attention. I recently began
working for a non-profit organization located in Kensington that
works with formerly homeless women and their children that are
moving from transitional housing here on the premises to
independent housing via PHA or WCRP or subsidized housing. The
ultimate goal is for these young women to be able to sustain
both themselves and their families as well as to maintain
housing and never have to return to homelessness or sheltered-
living again. I have not been in this field long being that I
graduated from college two and a half years ago, but from what
I've seen I don't think that that goal of independence can be
accomplished. Due to the policies of housing these women cannot
turn down any housing opportunities presented to them, no matter
the location or condition of the residences, because doing so
would forfeit any other public housing available to them. For
whatever reason many of these families are offered housing in
some of the most dangerous neighborhoods and decrepit buidlings.
I believe these conditions in no way, shape or form encourage
our families that anything is better out there for them. Sure
there are cases where it does motivate but that is extremely
outweighed by feelings of desparation, defeat and despair.
Simply walking into the lobby areas of these buildings should be
enough to dissuade you. The roach-infested, broken down
elevators, the extreme smell of urine saturating the stairwells,
the bedsheets as curtains, the barely working, dim lights in the
halls where children play and the unusable heaters in the winter
should be just a few of the things that should dissuade you. I
challenge all of you to take a tour of these
highrises, "projects" as many call them, and determine for
yourselves if these would be places you would want to grow up or
raise a family in. Chances are you absolutely would not! So
how can it be acceptable for individuals who can barley help
themselves???

To the Mayor and City Council,

Our neighborhood at East Sydney Street has been under assault from a construction
project that was approved of by Council Woman Donna Reed Miller. She wrote a
letter saying the neighbors approved of this project. This was not true-- but the
project was pushed through anyway by East Mt Airy Neighbors and Ward Leader
Vernon Price.

This project is built on land with environmental health hazards and there have been
unrelenting fugitive dust problems that all the neighbors are sick of.

Myself, the most adjacent neighbor has been in the hospital 3 times because of
these problems and has notes from two doctors saying I need to be removed from
my house. ASAP!!!!

The City Council and the City in general and Planning and Zoning have failed to
protect this neighborhood, especially the children and the most adjacent neighbors
from the damage from this project.

The project itself is built upon the headwaters of the Wingohocken Creek and has
received violations against the Clean Streams Act, among other violations such as
demolition without permits , excavation violation on contaminated soil, etc. They
put up the townhouses before they put in the water system and now problems are
rising from the underground spring and water.

These issue very directly affect the neighbors on East Sydney Street and have caused
and is causing harm. We see no end to problems because of the way this project
was built and everybody I have talked to on the street is very concerned.

Council Woman Donna Reed Miller and her Ward Leader Vernon Price have
repeatedly and consistently allowed this harm to me and my neighborhood to
continue relentlessly, in spite of many notifications. They also influenced the
Police Department of the 14th District to NOT help and protect me in spite of many
crimes that were committed against me.

Council Woman Donna Reed Miller and her Ward Leader Vernon Price have
continuously protected this project and those involved in spite of illegal zoning,
environmental hazards , and many many violations, both civil and federal and
criminal, and the harm it has continuously done to our neighborhood.

East Sydney Street Neighbors deserve better and want a full accounting of the
actions and non- actions and decisions of the City that has allowed and promoted
such a project.

The problems here could have been stopped long ago and so much damage could
have been avoided but nobody would listen or respond and I was basically made a
target of abuse by the Council , Ward Leader and community groups.

I know that other people in the city have suffered similar things and never get
any help either. The bond between developers and political interests is too tight
and the rights of the average citizen are run over.

In my ordeal, the deliberate exclusion by the community groups and local press has
led to many abuses in our neighborhood. The civil rights violations and
environmental injustice is everywhere.

I have thought deeply about how this can be avoided for other citizens
in Philadelphia. There are other stories across the city of people in my position
whose lives and health have been devastated by actions of developers and the
screen of protections they have with the City and political interests.

I came up with this Bill of Rights for Residents Near Construction Sites.

These laws can help protect public health, the environment , personal property
and give citizens greater knowledge and participation in the creation of the city
and protection of the environment.

Rights of Citizens and Environment near Building Projects


1) Easy and quick Citizen access to environmental reports of sites located within
eight blocks of their home.

2) Notification, Access and Transparency of decisions of building sites made by
City Planning and License & Inspections, City Council, and Zoning provided easily
to Citizens within eight blocks of residence.

3) One of the First Steps in getting any approval at City Planning is Environmental
Reports. If Environmental Report is not adequate, timely, missing or false then
any proceeding decisions made by City Planning or Zoning is invalid.

4) Give Citizens the Right to demand a third party or neutral Environmental study
to be made at site owners expense of any developing site within affected
neighborhood.

5) Require that NO fugitive dust from Construction or developing sites escape the
site and invade residential area or public areas. This is already Federal law but
is not currently enforced in Philadelphia. Hold developing site and City responsible
for enforcing effective dust control. Citizens can FINE the City and the Developer
for invading dust.

6) Circulate information of known health hazards of dust and other common
environmental hazards to local citizens so they can more easily protect and treat
their health.

7) If a site developer violates the health of Soil, Air or Water and the damage
is not reversible, then the violator must contribute to a project or fund that will
clean up Air, Water or Soil elsewhere.

8) Site developers and the City must go to each neighbor within site influence
and know the heath status, vulnerabilities and concerns of each neighbor, in order
to implement required protections and respect for each neighbor. (VERY
IMPORTANT) Quick and effective responsiveness to neighbor concerns are required
by developers and city.


9. The new site developers, whether City or private, must go to each adjacent
neighbor and pay for a property/ home inspection before any demolition,
excavation or building proceeds in order to record prior status of adjacent home so
that if any damage is done there is a record.

This happens in parking garages or when you rent a car. The rental agency or
parking attendant will walk around your car and take notice of dents and scratches
so that when the car is returned to you there is a record to show if any new damage
has occurred. The developer needs to pay for the inspection.

10) 100 year history of former site use needs to be circulated to neighbors within
8 block radius. Philadelphia has a long history of industry and environmental
damages that must be known in order to execute proper and healthy remediating.
Too often the history of a site is hidden by both the city agencies and the
developers and then proper remediating is avoided and the environmental health
and rights of the community suffers.

11) If a group claims it is the Community or Neighborhood Group or the CDC, they
cannot prejudice against or exclude any specific person from the services and
support and protections they claim to offer the community or neighborhood.

12) Letters of recommendation by City Council to Zoning and Planning DO NOT
COUNT !

WHY??

Because Philadelphia has proven over and over again that the CITY COUNCIL has
special interests and cannot be trusted.

Letters of recommendation by neighbors do count.

Thank you,



Margaret Motheral

Please ask Live Nation, the owner of the historic Boyd Theatre at
1908 Chestnut to NOT sell it to a real estate developer who might
demolish it! Instead, Live Nation could work with Friends of the
Boyd (www.FriendsOfTheBoyd.org) to identify a buyer who would
restore the theater. We have lost far too much of our
architectural heritage as it is. If we loose the Boyd, nothing of
its kind will ever be seen in this city again.

Dear Council President Verna,

I am again contacting you to report the deplorable conditions at
and around Marian Anderson Recreation Center (“MARC”). I have
noted some capital improvements taking place, a new handicap
ramp, new central air system, some reconstruction of a failing
wall, and some new sidewalk associated with those repairs, but
the regular site maintenance of the property is non existent.

Last year I organized a regular park cleaning at MARC, once a
month anywhere between 6 and 20 volunteers came out to clean up
trash, trim trees, rake leaves, and pull weeds from the
playground. I don’t mind volunteering to make the park, but
some basic level of maintenance is clearly the responsibility of
the recreation department and the city, and I think mowing of
the lawns constitutes the bare minimum level of expectations,
however:

As of today, May 23rd, 2008, the perimeter, playground, and pool
area at MARC have yet to be mowed once. Last year the facility
was mowed a total of three times all summer, once by the
recreation department when the pool was opened, once by our
group of volunteers, and once at the end of the season because I
called anyone I could find a number for at the recreation
department and begged and demanded that they maintain their
facility.

It was explained to me at that time that there had been a
contract issued for the maintenance of the property at the start
of the year, but that because Steve (I don’t know his last name,
but he runs the baseball program) maintained the baseball field
by himself, that the contractor wouldn’t come out to perform the
rest of his contract.

Why is an answer like this is only considered acceptable in
South Philadelphia?

I have tried to remedy this situation with the recreation
department, I have tried to remedy it by doing the work myself,
but it is time someone step in a set some expectations and
demand some results. I am asking that you use your authority as
our elected representative to force the recreation department to
maintain, and let’s be bold and say improve, their facility.
Marian Anderson Recreation Center should and could be the crown
of our neighborhood. One of the largest complaints people have
about this area is the lack of usable open space. MARC has
great potential to fill that void, but people are reluctant to
use it because of the poor condition of the site. Some minimal
investment could go a huge way, several volunteers have
discussed larger scale improvements, like painting the fence and
trying to create some passive recreation at the under used North
Eastern corner, but it is very hard to get excited about giving
up your free time to volunteer when it feels like the city are
recreation department aren’t holding up their end of the
bargain, and are instead relying on the kindness of neighbors to
do basic maintenance.

I look forward to your response, and would be more than happy to
walk the site with your or one of your staff, just as I offered
a year ago when I last asked for your assistance with this
issue, hopefully I will receive some response this time.

Sincerely,

Dear Mayor Nutter and Members of City Council,

Please consider having both sides of Washington Avenue cleaned on
regularly. The street is not maintained and accumulates a
tremendous amount of trash on a daily basis. While signs
indicate that it is supposed to be swept twice a month, this
street has not been cleaned in years by the street sweepers. Is
it possible to have this major street cleaned on a regular basis?
Thank you very much for considering this request to improve the
quality of life of those of us who live on or nearby to
Washington Avenue.

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