Mayor Nutter, City Councilman Oh Partner on Legislation to Toughen Penalties for Vandalism on Public Art and Monuments

Philadelphia, May 31, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter has offered legislation, introduced today by City Councilman David Oh, that toughens the penalties, both fines and potential incarceration, on those who vandalize or damage public art and memorials, including those that honor military, police, firefighters and other national defense or public safety subjects.

On Memorial Day, Mayor Nutter announced during ceremonies at memorials to fallen veterans that he would send this legislation to City Council this week.

“I’ve been in regular contact with the veterans who maintain the All Wars Memorial to Colored Soldiers and Sailors, the Korean and Vietnam veterans memorials and others monuments and other veterans groups about how we can better maintain these places that honor heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation. Their stories about vandalism and damage at these and other sacred memorials raised serious questions,” said Mayor Nutter. “Councilman Oh and I want to send a very strong message that such behavior will not be tolerated. We’re doing that by substantially increasing the penalties for vandalizing or damaging these monuments and public works of art and by prohibiting people from using their skateboards, rollerblades and bikes in a way that damages these memorials.”

The bill prohibits skateboarding, rollerblading and bicycling on monuments and public art and would make this new offense punishable with a maximum fine of $2,000, up to 90 days in jail for adults and confiscation of the skateboard, rollerblades or bike. The ordinance also eliminates the lower penalty level for ethnic intimidation and institutional vandalism, making all violations subject to a maximum $2,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail.

“Philadelphia is a city with deep historical and cultural roots, and protecting our public spaces, historical landmarks, memorials and outdoor public artwork is essential to maintaining that aspect of our city’s image” said Councilman At-Large David Oh. “I was happy to introduce an ordinance today on behalf of Mayor Nutter so that we can better combat vandalism and public nuisances around these precious assets that are meant to be enjoyed by those who call Philadelphia their home as well as visitors to our great city.”

Department of Licenses and Inspections Announces Use of Professional Attire for Inspectors

Philadelphia, May 24, 2012 – The Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) proudly announces the implementation of a new Professional Attire policy, which will help Philadelphians easily identify L&I inspectors. Through vigorous enforcement of the codes and ordinances of the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, L&I inspectors work tirelessly all of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods to promote public safety and advance economic development.

The use of professional attire not only makes inspectors more easily identifiable to residents but also reflects the Department’s commitment to setting the highest standards for accountability, professionalism, customer service, and results. The attire is comprised of blue collared shirts prominently featuring the Department’s name and logo. Residents will be able to identify L&I Inspectors just as they would members of the City’s other public safety agencies.

The shift to professional attire is one of the many recent initiatives undertaken to strengthen L&I’s professional culture and its ability to deliver services effectively and efficiently. Individual L&I inspectors are now able to handle vast range of enforcement issues, including housing and fire regulations to business compliance.

“The Department of Licenses and Inspections has accomplished so much in the last few years in its successful effort to achieve the highest level of quality services for the residents of Philadelphia. Adoption of professional attire is yet another achievement in that direction,” stated Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “I have the utmost confidence L&I is well on its way to becoming the nation’s leading code enforcement agency.”

L&I Commissioner Fran Burns added, “Our inspectors are proud of the work that they do. Conducting this work in professional attire affirms the pride we have in our work and reminds the public that we are here to serve.”

The Department of Licenses and Inspections is the chief regulatory agency for ensuring the safety of Philadelphia’s built environment. L&I’s code enforcement officers work throughout the City, conducting inspections in diverse places ranging from high-rise construction sites to single-family homes, to protect the residents of Philadelphia. ###

Mayor Nutter To Kick-Off the Fun Safe Philly Summer Campaign

Launches Fun Safe Philly Summer Service and Reading Challenges.

Philadelphia, May 23, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the launch of the Fun Safe Philly Summer campaign, a summer-long effort to involve and engage Philadelphia youth in structured programming, drop-in activities and the Summer Meals Program. The kick-off coincides with the update to the youth programming website, which will serve as a one-stop information hub for available summer activities for all ages.

“Summer is certainly a time to relax and enjoy a break from school. But it is also an invaluable opportunity for our young people to be active and engaged in fun and enriching programming,” said Mayor Nutter. “Fun Safe Philly Summer is an all-encompassing campaign aimed at promoting available structured programs and encouraging involvement in drop-in activities, as a way to ensure young people are spending their time productively.”

Fun Safe Philly Summer is collaborative project across City agencies, departments and external partners.
For summer 2012, the City of Philadelphia has identified more than 15,000 structured summer program spots for youth, including up to 8,000 slots at 140 Department of Parks and Recreation sites. Paired with structured programming, the City is also promoting participation in drop-in activities at recreation centers, public libraries, pools, KEYSPOT computer centers and more.

“This summer, the City of Philadelphia is taking a proactive approach to helping kids and teens create their own summer program,” said Deputy Mayor for Environmental and Community Resources Michael DiBernardinis . “Drop-in activities, like visiting one of the 54 public library branches, swimming at one of 70 public pools or playing at a neighborhood recreation center, can be enriching and safe options for spending your summer.”

Susan Slawson, First Deputy Commissioner for Recreation and Programs said, “The Department of Parks and Recreation offers affordable, fun and safe summer opportunities for youth of all ages in neighborhoods throughout the City. Our programs serve the diverse needs of our youth no matter their interest; such as the arts, athletics, outdoor education or computer classes.”

As part of Fun Safe Philly Summer, the City is working with Philadelphia Youth Network (PYN) on the Save Summer Jobs program. Save Summer Jobs identifies and reaches out to local businesses to create jobs or internships for young people.

Mayor Nutter also introduced the Summer Service and Summer Reading Challenge, which offers incentives to young people who read and/or volunteer this summer. Challenge participants can pick up and drop off forms at any branch of the Free Public Library. The challenges are:
• The Summer Reading Challenge is open to youth ages 5 to 18. Participants will read three books and complete book reports.
• The Summer Service Challenge is open to older youth, ages 14-18. Participants will volunteer at least three service events, completing no less than 10 service hours.

Participants, who complete the challenges, will be entered in to a raffle drawing including donated tickets from the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Philadelphia Zoo, as well as American Idol concert tickets and WWE Wrestling tickets. Each winner will reach two tickets. The grand prize is two tickets to Power 99’s 30th Annual Powerhouse concert in October.

“Fun Safe Philly Summer capitalizes on the importance of providing young people with positive and engaging activities. This will not only help to keep youth engaged but also safe during the summer months,” said Philadelphia Youth Commission Executive Director Jamira Burley. “As a commission that represents the interest of youth between the ages of 12 and 23, the Philadelphia Youth Commission recognizes the need to provide youth with various forms of engagement. When young people are involved in these kinds of activities, they are more likely to stay engaged in positive activities throughout the year.”

The Fun Safe Philly Summer campaign also encourages enrollment in the Summer Food Service Program, a federally funded program that serves breakfast, lunch and snacks to children 18 years of age and younger and mentally and physically challenged persons who are enrolled in specialized programs. The Summer Food Service Program begins on June 18, 2012.

In 2011, the Summer Food Service Program served 2.8 million meals to about 90,000 Philadelphians. However, an additional 41,000 children were eligible to receive food services but were not registered. Meals are served at nearly 1,000 sites across the City, including recreation centers, playgrounds, Play Streets, summer camps, community organizations and schools and daycare centers.

Mayor Nutter also reminded parents, caregivers and youth that the summer curfew will go into effect when the school year ends on June 14, 2012. The curfew times are as follows:
• 13 years old and younger, 9 pm;
• 14 and 15, 10 pm; and
• 16 and 17, 11 pm.

For more information on summer youth programming options and for a full list of program start dates and times, call 3-1-1 or log on to www.phila.gov/youthprograms. Follow Fun Safe Philly Summer on Twitter @PhillySummer or on Tumblr at www.funsafephillysummer.tumblr.com.

MAYOR NUTTER TO KICK-OFF FUN SAFE PHILLY SUMMER CAMPAIGN

WHO: Mayor Michael A. Nutter
Susan Slawson, Deputy Commissioner, Recreation and Programs
Jamira Burley, Executive Director, Philadelphia Youth Commission
The Phanatic, Philadelphia Phillies
Swoop, Philadelphia Eagles

WHAT: Mayor Nutter will announce the Fun Safe Philly Summer campaign, a summer-long effort by the Mayor’s Office, City departments and community partners to engage Philadelphia’s youth in structured programming, drop-in activities and to encourage registration for summer meals. Mayor Nutter will also announce the Summer Reading and Service Challenge program.
Information on youth summer programming and summer meals is available via 3-1-1 and www.philagov/youthprograms.

WHERE: City Hall, Mayor’s Reception Room, Room 202

WHEN: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:00 am TODAY

Mayor Nutter Announces Green 2015 Pilot Program to Green Schools and Recreation Centers

New public-private partnership envisions major expansion of public green space

Philadelphia, May 10, 2012– In a major step forward for the “greening” of public spaces in Philadelphia, Mayor Michael A. Nutter formally announced today that the City and a national conservation group will partner with the School District to green as many as 10 school yards and recreation centers starting this spring.

The new groundbreaking initiative marks the second phase of the City’s innovative Green 2015 Action Plan. It was announced at the William Dick Elementary School, which will partner with the adjacent Hank Gathers Recreation Center in North Philadelphia on a pilot project to significantly expand green space for public use. In addition to the School District, Green2015 partners include the Philadelphia Water Department, the Department of Parks and Recreation, national conservation non-profit The Trust for Public Land and the Mural Arts Program.

“This is an exciting collaboration for the City of Philadelphia,” said Mayor Nutter. “Working with our partners, we will be able to green places where our children play. Making Philadelphia the greenest city in America involves infrastructure changes and creating healthy, sustainable spaces. However, it is also about educating our children about the environment so that they are prepared to care for it in the future. I am confident these improved school yards and recreation centers will do all of the above.”

The partnership will initially focus on redesigning and redeveloping the William Dick Elementary Schoolyard, Hank Gathers Recreation Center and Collazo Park, with additional recreation centers and schoolyards to be announced in the coming months based on the success of the pilot. One major advantage of the partnership is that it allows the City and the School District to pool limited public resources to focus on areas where public schools and City recreation centers are located close to each other.

The partnership also leverages federally-mandated stormwater management funds, committed state funding through the Pennsylvania Department of Conversation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and private philanthropy raised by The Trust for Public Land from the William Penn Foundation, MetLife Foundation, National Recreation Foundation, and others. The TPS Foundation is also providing support to incorporate public art at various sites as part of the overall initiative.

The William Penn Foundation was one of the original supporters of the planning and public engagement effort to draft the Green2015 Action Plan and is now providing significant resources for the pilot project. “This program represents a triple bottom line for Philadelphia. It cuts down on paved surfaces, which helps to keep heavy rains from washing pollutants into our water supply,” said Janet Haas, M.D., the Board Chair of the William Penn Foundation. “It repurposes existing city property, putting assets we already own to better use. And it brings communities together in attractive public spaces around their schools and recreation centers. In a time of economic scarcity, that level of impact is no small feat.”

When fully implemented, the project envisions the greening of 10 school playgrounds and City recreation centers at a total cost of $9 million, about two-thirds of which would be met through combination of State, City, and School District sources. The Trust for Public Land is leading the effort to raise private funds to leverage public funding from the City and School District, and will also be establishing a stewardship fund to assist local organizations with maintenance and programming for each site.

“When we launched the Green2015 action plan last year, our goal was to chart a course for action that would make our city more equitable, livable, and competitive. Now we stand in partnership to make good on that goal through the greening and connecting of our community assets, parks and recreation centers and schoolyards,” said Michael DiBerardinis, Deputy Mayor, Environmental & Community Resources/Parks and Recreation Commissioner. “With this partnership and the community, these sites will provide children and families with places for recreation and increase the attractiveness of our neighborhoods—all by taking affordable steps to transform land into publicly accessible green space. Green 2015 is a smart choice, makes sense for Philadelphia, and we look forward to engaging with many partners to advance this work.”

Pedro Ramos, Chair of the School Reform Commission said, “When schools, communities, and local agencies work together as we’re doing in the Green 2015 project, we’re given a unique opportunity to maximize value all around us. The children and everyone participating in this project are learning why it’s important to care about public spaces like city parks, school yards, and neighborhood playgrounds. At a time when the District must make the very best use of limited financial resources, this project offers the potential to provide cost-effective new ways to improve the quality of life in our city by creating more publicly accessible green space and protecting the environment at the same time.”

Water Commissioner Howard Neukrug shared the Water Department’s enthusiasm for Green2015. “If we want to change the world, we need to begin by nurturing the seeds for change at our schools. The city’s children – our children – are the true stewards of a sustainable future for Philadelphia. Our children need to grow and thrive amongst trees and green play spaces to truly learn about and value the elements of the natural world that clean our air, manage our stormwater and provide those precious spaces of beauty in our urban environment. PWD is thrilled to be working with its Green2015 partners – PPR, TPL and Mural Arts – to leverage our shared resources to collectively transform schools and adjacent public spaces into green acres that ultimately renew our rivers and streams.”

Because one in eight Philadelphians does not have a public park or playground within walking distance of their home, the Green2015 plan outlines the opportunity to link the City’s twin goals of increasing outdoor recreational spaces and improving stormwater management through the creation of parks, playgrounds, and other recreational areas with green elements.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national non-profit conservation organization that conserves land for people and is the nation’s leader in creating parks in cities. TPL is dedicated to ensuring that everyone—in particular every child—enjoys easy access to a park, playground, or open space.

Through its Parks for People–Philadelphia program, The Trust for Public Land will play a key role implementing the Green2015 Initiative of Mayor Nutter’s Greenworks Philadelphia sustainability plan, helping transform 500 acres of land into neighborhood green playspaces by 2015. TPL will work with the City of Philadelphia to identify existing schoolyards and recreation centers as prime opportunities for conversion into greened play spaces and recreation areas, thereby providing healthy, outdoor recreational resources for all Philadelphia residents, especially children.

“The renovation of urban parks and playgrounds and the creation of green spaces that allow city dwellers to connect with nature and lead healthier lives is a high priority for The Trust for Public Land,” said Will Rogers, president of TPL. “Clearly, the City has the same priorities and understands the importance of this work. We are glad to be working in a strong multi-level partnership with Mayor Michael Nutter’s office, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, the School District of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Water Department, other public partners, and local communities. Win-win partnerships like these get real traction and deliver on-the-ground results.”

Community engagement will be a critical element of The Trust for Public Land’s unique design process; teams of Philadelphia students, city and school staff, and community members will be involved throughout the design process—evaluating existing conditions, selecting new amenities and play equipment, and developing use and maintenance plans—to ensure that the parks and play¬grounds meet the needs of the communities they serve and are safe, accessible resources.

“We believe in the power of art to unleash new possibilities, create common ground, and bring together people through transformative projects,” said Philadelphia Mural Arts Program executive director Jane Golden. “Mural Arts is thrilled to be part of this public-private partnership, and looks forward to working with all of our partners and the community to create engaging, sustainable spaces for youth.”

Licenses and Inspections Launches Third Annual Building Safety Month

Events to Bring Needed Attention to Building Safety Issues

PHILADELPHIA, May 10, 2012 – Today the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) launches Philadelphia’s third annual Building Safety Month. Building Safety Month is presented in coordination with the International Code Council Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating the devastating effects of natural disasters and other building tragedies though consumer education, professional development, and community service.

This month, the Department of Licenses and Inspections will collaborate with partners throughout the City of Philadelphia, including other public safety agencies such as the Fire Department and FEMA, as well as the Liberty Chapter of the International Code Commission to host a variety of exciting and educational events promoting building safety.

“I am very proud of the work done to organize what will be another successful Building Safety Month. Building safety means public safety—safer homes, families, businesses, and communities,” said L&I Commissioner Fran Burns. “Building a safer and stronger Philadelphia takes not only excellent codes and robust enforcement, but also community effort, so I encourage the public to take advantage of the wonderful education opportunities Building Safety Month provides.”

Buildings that are not constructed or maintained to code can be the site of accidents and may pose greater risk to surrounding structures. Building Safety Month provides a broad platform for engineers, architects, and other built environment professionals to share knowledge and participate in further training so that communities can be safe, strong, and sustainable.

The May events will be held throughout the city, highlighting four important building safety themes: Energy and Green Building, Disaster Safety and Mitigation, Fire Safety and Awareness, and Backyard Safety. The Department is excited to continue its public outreach efforts and will be holding weekly sessions at a local Home Dept to issue permits and licenses, provide forms and pamphlets, and answer questions regarding codes and the Department.

Mayor Nutter Announces Appointment of Carlton Williams As L&I Commissioner

Philadelphia, May 9, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Deputy Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams has been appointed as Commissioner of the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), replacing the current L&I Commissioner Fran Burns, who is slated to become the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority. Williams will assume his new position in early June.

“Carlton will be a tremendous leader at L&I. Much like his predecessor, he has a strong commitment to Philadelphia and a history of public service. Commissioner Burns set an example of innovation and hard work that I know Carlton will continue. While we will miss Fran, I am excited to see what is next for L&I under Carlton’s leadership,” said Mayor Nutter.

Deputy Commissioner Williams has been an innovative administrator for the Sanitation Division of the Streets Department, overseeing the Annual Philly Spring Cleanup, the City’s UnLitter Us Campaign and the implementation of Big Belly Solar waste baskets. He has also led the City’s recycling efforts, which include a now 20% recycling diversion rate and citywide weekly recycling.

“I am extremely honored to be selected as the City’s next Licenses and Inspections Commissioner,” said Deputy Commissioner Carlton Williams. “L&I is the lead agency for building code safety, and I understand the magnitude of ensuring that we continue to exercise the highest standards and professionalism in this regard. Commissioner Burns has set a precedent for accountability and integrity, and I am looking forward to building upon her success. I would like to thank Mayor Michael Nutter and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger for this tremendous opportunity.”

Carlton Williams has a long history of public service. He was recently honored with the inaugural Richardson Dilworth Award for Distinguished Public Service. He has served as Deputy Commissioner of the Streets Department since 2005. He also served as Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Recreation for five years and worked 10 years for the Fairmount Park Commission. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Temple University and a Master’s in Public Administration from Widener University.

L&I Commissioner Fran Burns said, “It’s been a privilege to serve as L&I Commissioner. I thank everyone who played a role in moving this Department forward – the employees whose hours of hard work resulted in improved inspection rates, the community groups who partnered with us to identify and resolve issues, other City agencies for helping us reach our shared objective of improving this city, and Mayor Michael Nutter for raising the bar for L&I services. As a result, I am handing over a much improved Department. While there’s still work to be done, a solid foundation has been re-established. I look forward, with the same vigor of service of the past four years, to my new position as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.”

Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Alan Greenberger said, “As sad as we were to have Fran Burns leave L&I, we are delighted to welcome Carlton Williams to this critically important leadership role. Carlton’s dedication to public service and his vast knowledge of city operations will assure that improvements to L&I will move forward with professionalism and conviction.”

Streets Commissioner Clarena I. W. Tolson said, “I am certain that the focus on customer service and integrity that Carlton Williams demonstrated every day in the Sanitation Division of the Streets Department will translate well to Licenses and Inspections Department.”

City of Philadelphia has Selected a Vendor to Provide 311 APP

New 311 mobile application to process service requests; officials hope to be ready by Labor Day.
Philadelphia, May 7, 2012 – The City of Philadelphia announced that a vendor has been chosen to produce a 311 mobile application to help Philadelphians file service requests. The app will work across platforms, including iPhone, Android and others, will directly integrate requests into the City work order systems and will allow users to submit requests through Facebook and Twitter. City officials expect the app to be ready by Labor Day.

“The new state of the art app will engage citizens across all devices in ways never achieved before and will allow Philadelphians to have City government at their fingertips,” said Richard Negrin, Deputy Mayor for Administration and Coordination and Managing Director.

Chief Innovation Officer Adel Ebeid said, “This is yet another innovative approach for using technology to bring residents closer to their government. In many instances, 311 is the front door to government and the new Philly311 mobile app is yet another tool for streamlining the feedback and interaction process.”

PublicStuff, a New York City-based company with Philadelphia roots, has agreed to produce the app as part of an $18,000 one-year contract. The company was chosen through a competitive process by a working group comprised of representatives from the Office of Innovation and Technology, 311 and the Managing Director’s Office. Four proposals were originally received.

PublicStuff Founder and CEO Lily Liu said, “We are thrilled to work with the City of Philadelphia to build out their 311 service request tool. The project is especially meaningful to us since we launched our company, PublicStuff, in the City of Philadelphia and consider it home. The Philadelphia Mayor’s Office has already proven to be a leader in technology initiatives. We’re excited to see them incorporate the app and tool to further enhance city services and engage residents in a new, innovative way.”

App users will also receive “push” notifications when their service request is updated, will have the option of anonymous reporting and will be able to view existing requests on a map.

The selection is a great example of Philadelphia as a hub for entrepreneurship and innovative businesses. The organization began in a Philadelphia business incubator, Good Company Ventures, which was sponsored by the Nutter Administration. The company focuses on solving community issues through mobile tools. More than 110 cities currently use PublicStuff technology. The company will open a satellite office in Philadelphia in conjunction with one of its investors, First Round Capital. PublicStuff is a minority- and woman-owned business and is currently filing for MBE/WBE certification.

Mayor Nutter Announces the Departure of License & Inspections Commissioner Fran Burns

Mayor Nutter announcing the departure of Commissioner Burns and expressing his profound gratitude for her public service.

Philadelphia, May 3, 2012 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced the departure of Licenses and Inspections (L&I) Commissioner Fran Burns and expressed his profound gratitude for her public service. Commissioner Burns has a long history of serving Philadelphians. She was appointed L&I Commissioner by Mayor Nutter in August 2008. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Commissioner of L&I from 2004-2008. She also held the positions of Assistant Managing Director (2002-2004), Assistant Budget Director (2002-2000) and business representative on the Mayor’s Business Action Team (1998-1999). She also previously held a staff position with PICA.

“Fran Burns is a consummate professional and a great public servant,” said Mayor Nutter. “Fran is honest, hard working, dedicated and an innovator. She has transformed the Department of Licenses and Inspections beyond what even I had originally envisioned. I am deeply grateful that she took on the challenge of being the Commissioner of Licenses and Inspections. And while we will all miss her in city government, I know she will do a fantastic job at PICA. She will continue to be an exemplary public servant, and I am very happy for her.”

L&I Commissioner Fran Burns said, “It’s been a privilege to serve as L&I Commissioner. I thank everyone who played a role in moving this Department forward – the employees whose hours of hard work resulted in improved inspection rates, the community groups who partnered with us to identify and resolve issues, other City agencies for helping us reach our shared objective of improving this city, and Mayor Michael Nutter for raising the bar for L&I services. As a result, I am handing over a much improved Department. While there’s still work to be done, a solid foundation has been re-established. I look forward, with the same vigor of service of the past four years, to my new position as Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority.”

Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Alan Greenberger said, “I have worked with Fran for three years on our efforts to reform and improve our regulatory system. She has been tirelessly committed to these efforts and has done more to improve the Department of Licenses and Inspection than any Commissioner in my memory. I will miss her professionalism and collegiality but look forward to her continued good work on behalf of Philadelphia.”

L&I has seen numerous improvements during Commissioner Burns’ tenure. These include:
Improved efficiency through the consolidation of more than 130 separate business licenses to 48 types of licenses and a reduction in wait time at the license issuance counter from an average of 90 minutes to 15 minutes;
Implementation of a vacant land strategy to hold property owners more accountable for maintenance. This initiative was one of six winners of the American City & County award for excellence in local government;
Dedicated court time to hold owners accountable for not maintaining their properties after three departmental inspections;
Reduction in overtime over the past three fiscal years from $749,527 (FY08) to $220,143 (FY11);
Reduction in demolition costs through an improved bidding process and slower economy. The average demolition cost fell from $26,000 (FY07) to $15,000 (FY10);
Execution of a high-rise inspection program to include all high-rise buildings in the city, resulting in a 43% increase in annual high-rise license revenue and reinforcement of high-rise safety;
Consolidation of L&I call center operations into 311. L&I was the first city department to do so.

Volunteer Week in Philadelphia Ceremony Honoring Volunteers

Who: Samantha Phillips, Acting Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management
Rev. Dr. Malcolm T. Byrd, Mayor’s Office of Faith Based Initiatives
Julia Menzo, President of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters

What: Volunteer Week in Philadelphia Ceremony Honoring Volunteers from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters who helped Philadelphia recover from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee

Where: The Pavilion at the Fairmount Water Works, 640 Waterworks Drive

When: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 at 10:00 a.m.

During Volunteer Week 2012 in Philadelphia, the Managing Director’s Office of Emergency Management will honor agencies from the Southeastern Pennsylvania Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (SEPA VOAD), including Lutheran Disaster Response – Eastern Pennsylvania, a ministry of Lutheran Congregational Services, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief – Southeastern Pennsylvania, United Church of Christ Disaster Ministry – Southeastern Pennsylvania Conference, and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church.

SEPA VOAD works to prepare the region for disaster and coordinate recovery and response. It is a part of a national collaboration of diverse organizations that strive to meet community needs in the wake of a large-scale disaster. Last year following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, SEPA VOAD agencies helped Philadelphians recover from damaging flood waters.

Volunteer Week honors those who dedicate themselves to taking action and improving their community. It’s also about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their community.