September 18, 2022

Dear Mayor Kenney:

As faith leaders representing different denominations from across Philadelphia, we stand in solidarity with the brave residents and housing organizers fighting to save the UC Townhomes.

The University City Townhomes (3900-3999 Market St.), owned by Brett Altman and Altman Management/ IBID Associates, has provided low-income housing to more than 70 families for almost 40 years. In July 2021, Altman/IBID informed tenants that they would not be renewing their HUD contract and would instead be selling the property to a commercial developer, part of a nationwide trend of private landlords foregoing their HUD contracts. For the UC Townhomes, the owner has ordered all residents of the property, which operate under a HUD contract, to leave by Oct. 7* so he can raze the property and sell the land.

Instead of accepting this immoral action, residents are waging a historic fight, and earlier this month, they proposed a plan to purchase the 70 unit townhomes. The UC Townhomes Resident Council asked that the owner, Altman /IBID, sell the property to a third party that will maintain UC Townhomes as 100% affordable housing for very low-income seniors, families and residents. The resident-organizers are calling upon City and State officials to contribute money to preserve the property. Additionally, the residents continue to demand that the city take action on the dozens of expiring public housing contracts in West Philadelphia–and beyond, and commit to keep Section 8 properties 100%, deeply affordable.

As moral leaders and persons of faith, we believe that housing is a human right.

We support the residents' demand that the City take action to preserve low-income, subsidized housing at the UC Townhomes and throughout Philadelphia. We are calling on you, Mayor Kenney, to commit to a process that will save the UC Townhomes and keep seniors, persons with disabilities and residents in their homes, neighborhood, and community. We urge you to immediately meet with residents in person and rise to this challenge of stopping displacement and preserving deeply affordable housing.

* the owner has now extended this deadline to Dec. 27th.

Signed,

Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari, Kol Tzedek Synagogue

Rev. Dr. Chris Kimmenez, Healing Communities, PA

Rev. Jeffrey H. Jordan, Whosever MCC

Rev. Nicolas O’Rourke, Living Water United Church of Christ

Rabbi Michael Pollack, March On Harrisburg

Rev. Robert G. Coombe, First United Methodist Church of Germantown

Rev. Tim Emmett-Rardin, Calvary United Methodist Church

Rev. Joe Williams, Mt. Airy United Fellowship Church

Rev. Greg Holston

Rabbi Linda Potemken, Congregation Beth Israel of Media

Rabbi Margot Stein, Mishkan Shalom

Rabbi Michelle Greenfield, Kol Tzedek Synagogue

Rabbi Nathan Martin

Rabbi Shawn Zevit, Mishkan Shalom

Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Ph.D., The Shalom Center

Dr. Koach Baruch Frazier, Kol Tzedek

Rabbi Bronwen Mullin, SVARA

Rabbi DAYLE FRIEDMAN, Germantown Jewish Centre

Rabbi Julie Greenberg, Congregation Leyv Ha-Ir~Heart of the City

Rabbi Mónica Gomery, Kol Tzedek Synagogue

Cantor Jessi Roemer

Rabbi Myriam Klotz, Institute for Jewish Spirituality

Rabbi Alissa Wise

Rabbi Sheila Weinberg, Reconstructing Judaism

Rabbi Abi Weber, Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel

Rabbi Linda Holtzman, Tikkun Olam Chavurah

Rev. Paula Burnett, Recovery Christian Center UCDC

Rabbi Micah Weiss, Reconstructing Judaism

Rev Jay Bergen, Germantown Mennonite Church

Rev. Anne Cormier, Open Table, United Church of Christ

Rabbi Yael Levy

Rabbi George Stern, Congregation Rodeph Shalom

Rev David Reppert, Emanuel United Church of Christ

Sr. Betty McVeigh, Sisters of St. Joseph of Philadelphia

Suzanne Gallagher, Sister of Mercy of the Americas - Justice Office

Sister Kathleen McManus, Sister of Mercy

Sister Karen Scheer, RSM, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas

Kate O'Donnell OSF, Sisters, St. Francis of Philadelphia

Sister Honora Nicholson, Sisters of Mercy

Suellen Snapp, St. John's Episcopal

Sister Colleen Dauerbach SSJ, Sisters of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, PA

Sister Elizabeth Gallagher, Sisters of Mercy

Rabbi David Teutsch, Germantown Jewish Centre

Rabbi Debrah Cohen

Sister Jean Strawbridge RSM, St Margaret Parish

Rev. Katie E Aikins, Tabernacle United Church

Rabbi Mordechai Liebling, POWER

Pastor Daniel Eisenberg, Saint John's Lutheran Mayfair