February 22, 2006 Issue                                               

©2005 The Chestnut Hill Local

A bird’s eye view of the New Covenant campus.
Transitional housing in works at New Covenant
Fifty homeless women and children expected to live on the grounds
by CAROLE BOYNTON

A bird’s eye view of the New Covenant campus.

The word went out Friday that New Covenant Church of Philadelphia, 7500 Germantown Ave., proposed transitional housing for 50 homeless women and their children.

“The church would rent out the space,” said Frank Galioto, director of constituent services for Councilman at-large Frank Rizzo. Galioto is also chair of the Traffic, Transportation and Parking Committee for the Chestnut Hill Community Association.

“I’m told this proposal is for 40 to 50 families,” he said.

These families, Galioto said, would stay on the New Covenant grounds until permanent housing could be found for them.

“How long would the stay be?” he questioned. “A week, a month, a year? It depends on availability for permanent housing.

“There really is no good estimate. It’s all in the planning stages right now,“ Galioto said.

Derek Green of Councilwoman Marian Tasco’s (9th) office and president of East Mt. Airy Neighbors, said there are three schools on the property, including the Amy School.

“There is an existing dormitory on the grounds. If they use the facilities as they are now, they don’t need a variance.

“If, however, they want to make improvements to the building, they would need a new variance which requires a permit,” Green said.

This proposal was brought to light at the monthly meeting of Mt. Airy leaders by 22nd Ward Leader Vernon Price, who works for Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller (8th).

“Vernon heard about this Thursday, and told us on Friday,” Green said. Jarmia Frisby, president of West Mt. Airy Neighbors, Green and others are writing a letter to New Covenant’s bishop regarding the proposal.

“We requested a meeting to talk to him about this,” Green said.

John O’Connell, 9th Ward Leader, said he was “eager to find out information for the proposal.”

Green said he has spoken to Padro Ramos, managing director of the city of Philadelphia, about the situation.

“I’ve also been playing phone tag with Robert Hess, head of the city’s Office of Emergency Shelter Services,” Green said. “We do know the families will be getting services such as life skill training.”

He stated he did not know the ages of the children moving in, “whether they’ll be under 10, under 18, or what.”

Green said he’d “like to know” the impact this will have on the community and schools.

“We would all like to know what support will be forthcoming to the families.”