Seemingly routine voting regarding the legislation of Rue Landau to enable tenants to pay security deposits in installments, went south on Thursday, when several of its other legislators suddenly began to question the bill.
The tense public debate in the chamber dominated by the Democrat meant that Landau stopped the voice and placed the bill on Thursday afternoon.
Katherine Gilmore Richardson, a leader of the majority, who led the unexpected interrogation of the Landau account, said she expected her to go ahead if she was not applied to the smallest owners of the city.
“Cutting out if they had one or two properties, they would not have to deal with the auspices of this regulations,” said Gilmore Richardson. “I undertake to cooperate with my friend. I think she did a star job in this and I want to make sure that we will get it to the finish.”
The drama began when the President of the Council Kenyatta Johnson called Roll, first of all of the two accounts in the plan of A accessibility of Landau, which would limit fees for notification of $ 50 and required the owners to enable tenants to pay security deposits in four installments. The draft act on fees regarding the application was successfully adopted by the Council.
But Gilmore Richardson, who officially abstained from voting on the Act on security deposits, said that she was concerned about the influence of the regulations on petite owners and asked for release for such property owners.
After Gilmore Richardson expressed his fears, he caught the dominant effect of the conversation by the chambers of councils, when other members began to question the bill in the middle of voting.
Landau, a housing lawyer by profession, said that “she is very, very, aware not only of the numbers of small owners we have in the city, and what they have a great influence. They are necessary. My bill does nothing scandalous or outrageous.”
The Act allows owners to accept deposit installments from tenants in four installments, if the deposit for the first year of rent exceeds the price of the monthly rent, according to the bill. Tenants have the option of paying a security deposit for one lump sum or in installments with a monthly rent as a lump sum, and other funds paid in three payments of equal installments.
The total amount of the deposit cannot change, regardless of whether the security deposit is paid at the same time or in installments.
The Landau office announced that the price of affordability means “the first major changes in this particular area of ​​rental and housing in Philadelphia in the recent history.”
Housing policy is currently the dominant political problem in the town hall, and the initiative of the repair and construction of the mayor of Cherlle L. Parker in the amount of $ 800 million is the subject of intensive debate.
Progresses develop their own bills with various successes. Legislation of the Jamie Gauthier Council increasing the corporations of community development and exceeding the speed of inexpensive apartments by way of a approval process, while Nicolas O’Rourke from working families did not receive several other bills for rent protection through the committee at the beginning of this week.
Before the Landau act was detained, she tried to preserve the defense of her initiative and keep the chance to pass.
“I want to adopt this bill in this way,” Landau said, noting that she did not receive applications from the owner’s spokesperson to release petite owners. “Let’s see how it goes. If there is a problem that caused it, I am fully open to changing it.”
Gilmore Richardson replied that she had sent Landau an opinion from “Number of groups”, most of which the leader heard: “Although you may not have heard from spokesperson.
Commmotion followed Gilmore Richardson’s statement. A member of the Council Anthony Phillips, who previously voted for the support of the Act, tried to change his voice to abstain, but when he was notified that he was unable to change his voice to them and claimed that “he always had ongoing concerns” about the law and is “excited” that he was complex.
Soon, members of the Council began to circulate in the Chamber to discuss the controversy with their colleagues.
Landau met with the President of the Council Kenyatt Johnson at the bottom of Dais in Chambers, and a few moments later the legislators organized again, and Landau said that he would keep the bill to fall, out of respect for Gilmore-Richardson.
But after focusing with the leader of the majority after the council session (which caused a hug), Landau told reporters that “possible” it is that legislators would agree to “another resolution for a deposit account”.
Landau was not deprived of allies in dust.
Gauthier, who chaired the Housing Committee, came to the defense of Landau and legislation.
“I think this is good and well regulations on reason, which ultimately get the owners of what they need, while giving tenants a little more space to breathe,” said Gauthier.
Member of the Curtis Jones Jones Council. He said he was simply “proud” of the Council of Living Discussion.
“Because if we all agree to everything, 16 of us are not necessary,” he said.
The writer of employees Michaelle Bond contributed to the report of this story.
