Officials from Penn and the University City District yesterday countered allegations made at a town meeting hosted by Neighbors Against McPenntrification, a community activist organization. The meeting, which was held Tuesday night, addressed West Philadelphia neighborhood displacement. Roxie Smith, the meeting's organizer, said that lawyers have been hired and strategies have been developed to revoke the non-profit status of the University. But Penn officials dismiss the proposed legal action. "[The lawsuit] is silly. I can't even imagine what the basis of it is," said Carol Scheman, Penn's vice president for government, community and public affairs. Neighbors Against McPenntrification are circulating a petition to revoke the non-profit status of the University. The petition reads that Penn is "utilizing non-profit tax dollars to enhance its development purposes." The town meeting addressed several of Penn's policies, which panelists claimed will result in West Philadelphia neighborhood displacement. "They are a baffling set of allegations and they do not make much sense," Scheman said. Among the topics discussed at the town meeting were the possible relocation of the McDonald's on 40th and Walnut streets, the revitalization of the 40th Street corridor, Penn's plans to rehabilitate multi-tenant apartment buildings and the construction of the Penn-assisted public school. At the meeting, activist Rev. Larry Falcon alleged that, despite total residential opposition, McDonald's is relocating from 40th and Walnut to a residential neighborhood at 43rd and Market because Penn wants to redevelop the spot where the current McDonald's sits. Scheman and UCD Executive Director Paul Steinke said that the McDonald's that is currently under construction at 43rd and Market streets is unrelated to the franchise of the McDonald's on 40th and Walnut streets. Scheman said she thought the McDonald's controversy might be racially motivated, noting that the fast food restaurant on the 43rd and Market street site will be opened by an African-American entrepreneur, the city's first African-American owner of two franchises. "Rev. Falcon is upset and it has nothing to do with Penn," Scheman said. "It has everything to do with the guy being an entrepreneur, a black businessman." "It is an absolutely stupid statement," Falcon said in response to Scheman's claim. "It is outrageous for her to play the race card. I didn't know who the owner was. I just don't want McDonald's in my back yard." Steinke disputed claims made at the town meeting that the UCD's revitalization plan for the 40th Street corridor will chase out local, minority-owned businesses and replace them with corporate chains. "The UCD values local businesses and believes that locally owned businesses are an important part of the retail mix in the area," Steinke said. According to Steinke, the UCD simply recommended improvements in the physical and retail conditions for the 40th Street corridor. Scheman denied Falcon's claim that Penn's plans to buy out and rehabilitate multi-tenant apartment buildings will both raise the rent and displace the current residents of these buildings. "We are trying to stabilize rent and improve the property so as to provide good high quality rental housing," Scheman said. "We want to be sure to accommodate all income levels. There will be no community displacement." Smith said that the next step for the community activist organization is to question the mission of the UCD. "The UCD's emphasis is supposed to be to promote safety and cleanup, not development," Smith said.
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