HARRISBURG, Oct. 22 – State Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila. today announced that the School District of Philadelphia has been awarded two grants from the Public School Facility Improvement Grant Program totaling $8.65 million to support renovation projects at Overbrook High School. The projects will renovate the auditorium and replace the roof at the historic 98-year-old building. •$5 million was awarded for roof replacement, HVAC, energy savings, plus health and safety upgrades in the school auditorium, including complete asbestos and lead paint abatement, and removing moldy walls and ceilings.•$3.65 million was awarded for the roof replacement project for the entire school, due to ongoing leak issues that have escalated air quality and mold concerns. The School District of Philadelphia will provide $10.75 million in matching funds to cover the total cost of both projects. “At nearly 100 years old, Overbrook High School is one of the oldest and most iconic school buildings in Philadelphia but riddled with environmental concerns following years of disrepair. With its easily distinguishable architecture and beauty, these renovation projects will keep this star of our community shining for future generations,” said Cephas.“This is part of our commitment to remediating toxic school buildings across the state. I’m thankful that the Shapiro administration understood the dire need of these restorations so that we can keep Overbrook High healthy, safe and clean for our students,... Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas joined her House colleagues in sending the governor a letter, calling on him to extend the eviction moratorium until December 31, as well as provide additional financial help for homeowners, renters and landlords. Read more
Check out my latest e-newsletter to find out which police reforms are heading to the governor, how homeowners and renters can apply for COVID-19 relief and the grant program available for small businesses. Read more
Renters and homeowners who were financially impacted by the economic slowdown related to the coronavirus pandemic will be able to access applications for rent and mortgage relief beginning Monday, June 29. At that time, applications will be accessible from a red banner on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency’s website at www.PHFA.org . Homeowners who became unemployed after March 1 or who suffered at least a 30 percent reduction in annual income due to reduced work hours and wages related to COVID-19 may be eligible for financial assistance to help with missed mortgage payments. To qualify for the Pandemic Mortgage Assistance Program, the applicant must be an owner-occupant of their residence, the dwelling must consist of one or two separate units, the mortgage must be at least 30 days delinquent, and the applicant-homeowner’s annual household income must not exceed the Area Median Income for their county of residence adjusted for the number of people in their home. For renters to be eligible for financial assistance under the CARES Rent Relief Program, they will need to document at least a 30 percent reduction in annual income since March 1 related to COVID-19, or they must have become unemployed after March 1. If unemployed, they must have filed for Unemployment Compensation. Their household income cannot exceed the Area Median Income for their county of residence adjusted for the number of people in their home. For more information Read more
“Over the years, there’s been continuous attempts to reverse the progress we’ve made when it comes to women’s rights and access to healthcare,” said Rep. Morgan Cephas, D-Phila., vice chairwoman of the WHC. “Decisions like this one made by SCOTUS today help to ensure that we continue moving forward so that our communities have equitable access to necessary care.” Read more
Read the latest news in PA and the 192nd District! Read more
Applications are expected to be available June 30 for a new program aimed at providing critical funding to local businesses hurt by the coronavirus. Read more
Check out our new hours and safety guidelines as we take steps to reopen our district office safely. Read more
The Police Reform Working Group, a collection of elected officials and advocates working to bring accountability and transparency reforms to law enforcement, released the following statement in response to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney’s commitment to police reform: “To bring about true and meaningful law enforcement reform, we must work together with leaders at all levels of government so the voices of those we represent can be heard and forward-thinking change achieved. We’ve already had several conversations with Mayor Kenney’s administration and those discussions have been promising. We appreciate the mayor’s willingness to listen and believe that his announcement today is the first step in what will be a long, but productive, journey to reform. Read more
The Police Reform Working Group, a collection of elected officials and advocates working to bring accountability and transparency reforms to law enforcement, released the following statement on Gov. Tom Wolf’s adoption today of their request for a state-level deputy inspector general aimed at improving law enforcement conduct, as well as Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s, along with the Fraternal Order of Police’s, support of a confidential database to track complaints against police officers: Read more
Following a weekend of peaceful protests and eventual unrest fueled by the murder of George Floyd, state Rep. Morgan Cephas joined other Philadelphia elected officials Tuesday to introduce a series of critical reforms aimed at strengthening community-police relationships. "We must continue our fight to protect our communities of color from police brutality and systemic oppression, which has been an ongoing conversation in Pennsylvania for far too long," said Cephas, D-Phila. "This requires a collaborative effort involving leaders and agencies from all levels of government to pass laws aimed at streamlining police procedures and improving police community relations to help prevent future tragedies like George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery from happening in the future. The reforms target actions that can be taken by the governor, the General Assembly, local city councils, and law enforcement agencies and include, among other things: Outlaw the use of chokeholds or any other action that constricts an airway by law enforcement. Establish an independent review process for any incident law enforcement encounter that results in serious injury or death. Require law enforcement to be mandated reporters of officer misconduct or corruption. End stop and frisk policies that disproportionately target black and brown communities. Read more
In the midst of civil unrest across Pennsylvania ignited by the murder of George Floyd, elected officials from Philadelphia introduced a series of much-needed reforms aimed at improving community/police relationships. Read more
Details about what this executive order means for individuals voting by mail. Read more
From applying for a mail-in ballot to property tax/rent rebates being issued early, here are important updates from the week of May 18, 2020. Read more
With the Pennsylvania Primary Election on June 2, I want to make sure you have all the information you need before you vote. Read more
House and Senate Democrats wrote a letter urging the state Supreme Court to protect residents from evictions and foreclosure during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more
With a record number of Pennsylvanians filing for jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, state Rep. Morgan Cephas is introducing legislation to allow claimants facing debt to receive unemployment compensation. Currently, unemployment benefits granted to those with an at-fault judgment against them must all go toward repaying their debt. Cephas' plan would cut this in half, sending 50% of funds to debt collection with the other half going back to the individual. "So many of my neighbors have lost their jobs because of this coronavirus and are now relying on our unemployment program to help them put food on the table," said Cephas, D-Phila. "Instead of sitting idly by and allowing people to suffer because they owe money, we have a responsibility to supply them with the support they need to repay their debt and provide for their family, especially during these unprecedented times." This latest proposal joins other bills Cephas has helped author to assist Pennsylvanians through this COVID-19 crisis, which includes legislation to: Bridge the digital divide and provide low-income families access to online learning devices and services to aid students in learning from home. Waive interest for student loan and home borrowers. Cephas is a part of the Read more
From the stay-at-home order being extended to an update about evictions, check out the latest COVID-19 updates from the week of May 4. Read more
Philadelphia is launching an assistance program aimed at helping those who have lost income because of the coronavirus pay their rent. Read more
State Rep. Morgan Cephas is commending the American Chinese United Association for donating Tuesday more than 5,000 pieces of personal protective equipment to help protect communities in West Philadelphia from the COVID-19 virus. "As this crisis persists, there is a great demand for protective equipment," said Cephas, D-Phila. "I am forever grateful to the Chinese United Association for stepping up to help us provide relief to those who need it most across our neighborhoods." Cephas and Philadelphia City Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. received the PPE, which included masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. They plan on working with Crest Auto to distribute the materials to area organizations, including: The 19th Police District Wynne Senior Homes Wynnefield Place Apartments Calvary Baptist Church Local fire stations "These resources are critical to keep first responders and essential employees safe on the front lines of this pandemic. It's also going toward safeguarding those most vulnerable to COVID-19," Cephas explained. "I will continue working with federal, state and local leaders to open the door to more opportunities like this to aid in stopping the spread, flattening the curve and moving the commonwealth forward." Read more
The U.S. Small Business Association has resumed accepting applications for the Paycheck Protection Program but funds aren't expected to last long. Here's how to apply. Read more
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