FEBRUARY 14, 2025
City of Philadelphia officials are expecting approximately one million people or more to pack the streets in South Philadelphia, Center City and the area around the Philadelphia Museum of Art (Art Museum) for today’s (February 14) Philadelphia Eagles victory parade.
The parade will begin at 11 a.m. at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue in the Sports Stadium Complex, proceed north up South Broad Street to City Hall and then west on to Benjamin Franklin Parkway and end at the Art Museum. The event should end at approximately 3:15 p.m.
The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs to win Super Brown 59. Councilmembers and staff, who held a pep rally last week to show support for the Eagles, continued that excitement in Council Chambers this week. The Chambers remained decorated with Philadelphia Eagles signage this week.
Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) introduced a resolution in Council this week honoring the Eagles for winning the Super Bowl and Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr. (5th District) introduced a resolution honoring Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts for being named the Super Bowl’s Most Valuable Player. Both resolutions were unanimously approved.
“I want to congratulate the Philadelphia Eagles on winning Super Bowl 59,” Johnson said. “Eagles teams always mirror the grit, passion and resilience of its fans throughout Philadelphia and the entire Delaware Valley. This Super Bowl victory has uplifted our city and will be a lasting and positive memory for decades to come for all Eagles fans. I am honored that the Eagles call my Second Council District home. Fly Eagles Fly!”
The Eagles made NFL history by winning this year’s Super Bowl as one of just 16 teams in NFL history that have won multiple Super Bowls. The Eagles won Super Bowl 52 in 2018.
SEPTA is making service adjustments for the parade, including free rides on the Broad Street Line and Market-Frankford Line. Visit this link for more information.
To stay connected to details from the City for today’s Eagles parade, text READYEAGLES (one word/no space) to 888-777 to receive free text alerts from the City’s ReadyPhiladelphia Alert and Warning program.
Any information and updates will be published on the Office of Emergency Management (@Philaoem), City of Philadelphia (@PhiladelphiaGov), and Police (@PhillyPolice) Twitter pages.
This week, Council approved five resolutions that were on the final passage calendar. No bills were on the final passage calendar.
Among the resolutions approved this week were:
- Resolution #250030, introduced by City Councilmember Mark Squilla (1st District), naming Market Street from 7th to 8th as Emma Chappell Way, in honor of the trailblazing work she did to establish Philadelphia’s first bank operated by a Black woman.
- Resolution #250080, introduced by Councilmember Rue Landau (At-Large), urging Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit, an essential anti-poverty initiative that has drastically cut child poverty and benefitted millions of families.
- Resolution #250083, introduced by Councilmember Jeffery Young (5th District), authorizing the Commissioner of Public Property to execute and deliver to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority deeds conveying fee simple title to properties in the 5th Councilmanic District of the City of Philadelphia and further authorizing the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to transfer to the Philadelphia Land Bank fee simple title to such properties pursuant to Section 16-405 of The Philadelphia Code.
- Resolution #250084, introduced by Councilmember Quetcy Lozada (7th District) authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of a property in the 7th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.
- Resolution #250090, introduced by Councilmember Cindy Bass (8th District), authorizing the Philadelphia Land Bank to dispose of a property located in the 8th Councilmanic District in accordance with the terms of Chapter 16-700 of The Philadelphia Code.
Bills that have been introduced since Council started its winter session have been assigned committee hearing dates. Look out for final passage votes on bills in the coming weeks.
COUNCIL HELD A HEARING THIS WEEK TO PROBE AFFORDABLE HOUSING INTIATIVES
City Council’s Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless, chaired by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), held a hearing earlier this week examine how “affordable” the City of Philadelphia’s (City) affordable housing programs truly are, who the City is actually serving through its affordable housing programs, and what needs to change to ensure those who need government’s help the most receive their fair share.
The City’s affordable housing resources may not be going to families who need them the most. The city’s median income is $57,000 per year. However, Philadelphians who earn over $68,000 per year are eligible for the majority of the City of Philadelphia’s affordable housing programs. Some programs even accept applicants who earn more than $130,000 per year. Only one City affordable housing program exclusively serves those earning less than the average income: housing for homeless individuals.
Gauthier says Philadelphia needs at least 55,000 more homes that rent for less than $750 per month. However, the city is currently producing less than 250 of these units annually. At this pace, it will take 220 years to meet the existing need for affordable housing. To successfully combat the city’s housing crisis, the Councilmember believes it is imperative that the City of Philadelphia ramps up its efforts to build and preserve genuinely affordable housing that working families can afford.
Among those who testified this week were Mayor Cherelle Parker administration officials, leaders of housing organizations and community development corporations, and homeowners and tenants that live throughout Philadelphia.
During the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s annual Mayoral Luncheon this week, Mayor Parker announced that she plans to launch an affordable housing program she’s calling “Mission 30,000” next week. She also indicated that housing will be major focus of her administration this year.
COUNCIL CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH
During Black History Month this year, Council honors Black leaders who have shaped Philadelphia and beyond.
According to The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia website, the late civil rights attorney Raymond Pace Alexander (1897-1974) became Philadelphia’s first Black City Councilmember when he was elected in 1951. He represented the Fifth Council District from January 1952 to January 1959, when he became the first Black judge to sit on the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
The late Dr. Ethel D. Allen (1929–1981) was a physician and she was the first Black woman Councilmember when she was elected in 1971. She represented the Fifth District from January 1972 to January 1976. In 1975, Allen decided to seek re-election to Council, but this time ran for one of Council’s at-large seats as a Republican. She won and served from January 1976 to January 1979, when she resigned to become Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth under the late Governor Dick Thornburgh.
A guide to Black History Month 2025 events in Philadelphia is available here.
SATURDAYS WITH CITY COUNCIL RADIO SHOW IS ON THE AIR THIS WEEKEND
Tune in and listen to the next Saturdays with City Council show on Saturday, February 1 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Eastern Time for Saturdays with City Council on WURD Radio (900 AM/96.1 FM) or online at wurdradio.com
The show is hosted by Council Communications Director Vincent Thompson and features Councilmembers and civic leaders discussing issues impacting Philadelphia. Councilmember Nina Ahmad (At-Large) will be the featured guest.
COUNCIL OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON FEBRUARY 14 FOR THE EAGLES PARADE AND FEBRUARY 17 FOR PRESIDENT’S DAY. THE NEXT COUNCIL SESSION WILL BE ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2025
All City of Philadelphia and City Council offices will be closed today (February 14) due to the Eagles Parade and Monday, February 17 in honor of President’s Day.
The next City Council meeting is scheduled for Thursday, February 20, 2025, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time at Philadelphia City Council Chambers, Room 400 (Fourth Floor), Philadelphia City Hall.
Tune in by watching Xfinity Channel 64 and Fios Channel 40 if you have cable TV in Philadelphia, stream online at www.PHLCouncil.com/watch or listen to WURD Radio (900 AM/96.1 FM) from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
