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Commending the work and life of Eva Gladstein, whose tireless efforts to make our city more just and our city government more efficient, have improved the lives of all Philadelphians.
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WHEREAS, Eva Gladstein recently retired as First Deputy Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia after three decades working for the City of Philadelphia and devoting her career to improving the lives of all Philadelphians, particularly those who are the most vulnerable. She has led and been a key player in transformational housing programs, innovative public health approaches to some of our cities most intractable problems, managed city revitalization efforts, zoning reform, the City’s Health and Human Services agencies, Licenses & Inspections, Emergency Management, and more. Her portfolio includes the efficient spending of hundreds of millions of dollars in needed services as well as creating, managing, and directing programs that have deeply impacted and improved the lives of countless Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, In 1976, shortly after graduating college, Eva co-founded and directed the Tenants Action Group. She served as its director through 1992, growing the group into a multimillion dollar provider of grants, loans and rental subsidies to low-income renters. In 1994, Eva directed The Community Builders, aimed at providing mixed-income housing; and
WHEREAS, In 1998, Eva began a long and storied career working for the City of Philadelphia as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Empowerment Zone, a $79 million federally-funded sustainable economic development program supporting three neighborhoods; and
WHEREAS, As the Director of Neighborhood Transformation in the Office of the Mayor, Eva led a $300 million community revitalization initiative that supported quality housing, cleaner and greener streets, and vibrant cultural community centers; and
WHEREAS, In her time at the Zoning Code Commission, she successfully reformed a zoning code that had not been updated in 50 years. The zoning code was in serious need of change and Eva was responsible for implementing a public referendum to update the system; and
WHEREAS, In her capacity as Director of the Office of Community Empowerment and Opportunity for the Nutter Administration, Eva oversaw the Shared Prosperity Philadelphia plan to combat poverty. The program received national recognition from President Barack Obama as the designated lead agency for the West Philadelphia Promise zone; and
WHEREAS, While Eva served as Health and Human Services Deputy Managing Director, she oversaw the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual DisAbility Services, the Department of Public Health, and more. Eva played a crucial role leading Philadelphia during and through the COVID-19 pandemic, including transforming vital services; and
WHEREAS, Eva has strived to build on foundations that can in turn be built upon for the betterment of the City of Philadelphia. Her tireless efforts to improve communities in need of support and investment have improved the quality of life of people in Philadelphia. She recently received recognition as the Pennsylvania Community Development Corporation 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner. Eva’s work, ever rooted in community engagement, has supported revitalization across Philadelphia, and her work in Philadelphia’s City Government has left an indelible mark on many thousands of Philadelphians, the work that we can collectively aspire to, and serves as a leading example for how government can work for those who need it most; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA Commends the work and life of Eva Gladstein, whose tireless efforts to make our city more just and our city government more efficient, have improved the lives of all Philadelphians.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Eva Gladstein, as an expression of the admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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