The Fox Chase Homeowners Association amended its bylaws and approved the construction of a series of new twin homes, and the Fox Chase Town Watch accepted a donation from District Attorney Lynne Abraham’s public service foundation during a joint meeting of the groups last week.
The July 9 event was Abraham’s latest stop in a series of public appearances in the Northeast. The prosecutor, who has said she will not run for re-election next year and will leave office in January 2010, previously met with the Somerton Civic Association and the 7th Police District Advisory Council.
Before giving the Town Watch a $200 check from the Urban Genesis non-profit foundation that she created in the early 1990s, Abraham encouraged residents to remain active in their community and diligent against threats to their quality of life.
"One of the reasons a community is successful is because people come together in organizations like this and people support those who are helping the community," Abraham said. "In unity, there’s strength. Your Town Watch is a community anchor, and businesses are anchors."
While strife between residents and local businesses is a sure sign of trouble for a neighborhood, cooperation between those sectors of the community benefits both.
In Fox Chase, Holiday Markets donates cash to the Town Watch based on the amount of shopping that members and their friends do at the supermarket. Shoppers need only save their Holiday receipts and hand them over to the Town Watch periodically. The program is perpetual and has been in place for years.
Abraham also noted that residents of the neighborhood have been willing to get involved in local problems to solve them. In some areas, folks choose not to call police or elected officials and problems persist. In one instance, neighbors’ complaints led city officials to shut down a suspected illegal massage parlor and brothel on Rhawn Street.
"The massage parlor that went out of business is a perfect example what happens when people work together," Abraham said.
The district attorney commented on several other topics:
• She told residents about her office’s new public newsletter, The D.A. Dispatch, available online at www.phila.gov/districtattorney. Created in December, the periodical highlights cases prosecuted by the district attorney’s office as well as its anti-crime initiatives and special events. Abraham said that local newspapers have cut back their coverage of local courts, so the newsletter is her office’s chance to recognize assistant DAs for their good work.
• Abraham assured residents that despite overcrowding in local prisons, she would vehemently oppose any attempt to release inmates, even those convicted or accused of non-violent offenses.
"If anybody proposes to put people out on the street, they’re going to hear from me," she said. "Nobody has proposed it yet. I’m just advertising in advance."
• The prosecutor advised women to consolidate the personal belongings they carry daily to help prevent being targeted by muggers and purse snatchers. Abraham doesn’t carry a pocketbook. Instead, she carries a pair of credit cards.
"They can get me anything I need today, tonight or tomorrow," she said.
• Abraham warned of recent telephone scams targeting local residents. Typically, the crook will identify himself as an IRS employee and accuse the victim of a past-due tax bill. The caller threatens to arrest the victim if he or she doesn’t send a check right away. To "confirm" the transaction, the caller may demand to know personal information about the victim, including back account numbers and a Social Security number.
The IRA does not conduct business as such over the telephone or by e-mail. Those who receive calls of suspicious nature should tell the caller to send any correspondence in writing on official letterhead by U.S. mail.
• Another kind of fraud growing in frequency is home theft, Abraham said. Con artists target properties that are unoccupied. Often, residents are older and staying with relatives or in health-care facilities.
The crooks forge a deed using publicly available tax records, then take it to a public notary. There the property may be sold or otherwise transferred to another party. The transaction will then become a part of city records.
Abraham supports a proposal to require notaries across Pennsylvania to check photo identifications and to keep copies on file. This may deter some con artists and help authorities investigate future cases.
Later in last week’s meeting, the Fox Chase Homeowners voted to adopt a series of modifications to its existing bylaws.
One change was to add the position of zoning director to the list of officers on the organization’s executive board. Longtime president Craig Turner became the group’s first zoning director in January when Matt Braden replaced him as president and Jerry Rocks became vice president. The changes further formalized the role of the zoning director.
Another amendment created a 60-day minimum "good standing" period for members before they can participate in any general vote of the organization. The group meets every two months. The new guideline prevents individuals from joining and voting on any particular issue in the same night. Another new section of the voting guidelines specifically empowers the group to check the identification of members prior to a vote.
Under new disbursement of organization funds rules, the treasurer can authorize any expenditure of up to $50. The executive board must authorize any expenditure between $51 and $500. Any expenditure over $500 must be approved by the general membership.
Further, the group adopted a standing policy to oppose the legalization of any non-conforming multi-family residential property.
In a separate vote, the group voted to approve a builder’s plan to erect two sets of twin homes on Ferndale Street at Borbeck Avenue on a property currently occupied by a vacant single house.
Though the civic group has a standing policy against subdividing single-family properties, the builder in this case would be able to build three singles as a matter of right, without having to obtain a zoning variance.
If that project moved forward, each new home would be 35 feet high, said Jim Toner of J Toner and Sons. In exchange for permission to build the four twins, Toner agreed to limit the height of the units to 25 feet each, matching the twin homes that occupy the rest of the block. A zoning hearing was scheduled for July 16, after the Times went to press.
In other news:
• Tom Garvey, vice president of administration for Fox Chase Cancer Center, reported that the hospital expects to occupy its new Cancer Research Pavilion as early as late this month, with finishing work expected to continue for several months. Meanwhile, a new parking garage is targeted for a September completion.
Due to storm water management work that will be performed on the neighboring campuses of Fox Chase Cancer Center and Jeanes Hospital, the Cottman Avenue entrance to the facilities will close July 14 for an estimated 10 to 12 weeks. The work will include installation of three culverts to improve storm drainage.
During the closure, traffic will be routed to the hospitals via Burholme Avenue, Borbeck Street and Barnes Street.
• Braden reported that Clear Channel has agreed to remove three billboards from local properties along Oxford Avenue and Rhawn Street. The company expects to get a demolition permit from the city in about two months. In the meantime, Braden hopes to convince the company to remove torn paper advertising from the boards that have created a local eyesore.
• The next Fox Chase Homeowners Association meeting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 10, at 7:30 p.m. at Cpl. John Loudenslager American Legion Post 366, 7976 Oxford Ave. ••
Reporter William Kenny can be reached at 215-354-3031 or bkenny@phillynews.com