A large crowd of activists who support an effort to increase protections for renters in Philadelphia attended Thursday’s City Council meeting as legislators were expected to vote on legislation known as the Safe and Healthy Homes Act. However, though it had initially been planned, there won’t be a vote on the act. In a statement from organizers with One Pennsylvania Renters Untied Philadelphia, activists from several tenants rights groups planned to attend Thursday’s City Council meeting to support efforts that were initially set for a final vote. According to a summery of the legislation, the Safe and Healthy Homes Act is intended to provide protections related to requiring landlords to have a good cause for ending a tenancy, adding protections against retaliation and harassment for tenants and tenant organizations and other efforts. Earlier this year, as detailed by the Philadelphia Inquirer, landlords in Philadelphia filed an emergency injunction to delay the vote that was scheduled for Thursday’s City Council hearing. The suit claims that the City Council effort violates the Pa. Sunshine Act. Still, in an interview with NBC10’s Lili Zheng, Philadelphia City Councilmember at-large Nicolas O’Rourke said the injunction may have delayed the discussion on tenants rights, but it hasn’t derailed the effort. “It was never about any of those things,” he said when asked about the Sunshine Act concern. “It was about stopping this, bringing about tenant protections, and so again, we aren’t detered in that. We are actually sharpened in our focus and our clarity.” He said the bills involved in this tenants rights effort would head back to committee, but just when they might make it back in front of City Council for a formal vote is, as yet, unclear. This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available. ...read more read less