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The Committee of Seventy was established in 1904 to combat corruption in Philadelphia, playing a major role in the adoption of civil service reforms and the passage of the 1919 and 1951 Home Rule Charters. A nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, Seventy does not endorse candidates or represent any special interests.
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Interactive Voter Guide

Question 1

Ballot Question #1:

Should The Philadelphia Home Rule Charter be amended to create the Office of Homeless Services Ombudsperson to assist residents experiencing homelessness, help provide fair access to essential resources, improve quality of life in the shelter system, investigate client complaints, and provide oversight and recommendations to the City’s providers of homeless services?

Statement from Philadelphia City Commissioners: The City’s Home Rule Charter sets up the framework of City government. The Charter is the City’s constitution.

A “yes” vote means you approve the creation of a new Office of Homeless Services Ombudsperson in City government. This Office will help people who don’t have homes get the services they need, and work to improve the City’s homeless services.

Seventy Says:

This measure, sponsored by City Council Majority Leader Katherine Gilmore Richardson (Democrat-At Large), was approved by City Council in the wake of disclosures that the City’s Office of Homeless Services overspent its budget by $15-million between 2020 and 2023 while delaying payments to nonprofits for emergency shelters and programs aimed at reducing homelessness. Should it pass, an ombudsperson appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council, would lead an office that would serve as an independent watchdog over the Office of Homeless Services with the power to investigate its operations, issue subpoenas, evaluate grievances and advocate for unhoused Philadelphians. Its 2025 budget would be $500,000. According to Gilmore Richardson, similar offices exist in New York City, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Parker ordered an independent investigation of the Office, and appointed a new executive director in 2024, but her administration hasn’t taken a stand on this question. [Seventy neither endorses nor opposes the measure.]