THIS IS A FREE PETITION! We have not set up any system of money collection with i-petition. If you are asked to verify your signature you can do that for free. If you want to donate please do so directly with the physical Treehouse members. 

Please sign our petition to be delivered by Wednesday (5.19.10). We encourage former Treehouse members and members of the Philadelphia community who have benefited from (or wish to show support for) the Treehouse, to sign. 

 According to the mediator who was hired to assist communication (as well as many of the LCA Board members and the Treehouse community), a meeting was scheduled in order for the Treehouse community to deliver a proposal about the long-term viability of our community. Instead, the Treehouse community was given 60 days to vacate the premises, and our proposal was ignored. 

 The primary reasons for the Board’s decision are financial, and the Treehouse community is frustrated by the idea of being evicted for low income, from a community whose bylaws are designed ‘for the long-term use of low to moderate income individuals’ or to ‘provide relief to the poor, distressed and underprivileged’. The other reasons for the Board's decision are stated below, and though many are not completely accurate, they are all directly tied to communication difficulties within the LCA community, or financial difficulty within the Treehouse community: 

 1. Late cost share in violation of a month to month lease the Treehouse was expected to sign in October, or risk being evicted at that time. 2. Maintenance and upkeep of the Treehouse property at 906 S. 49th Street (also tied to the income of each community). 3. Lack of Board representation at meetings and Treehouse involvement in the LCA. 4. Transitions in Treehouse community leading to uninformed members and community instability. 5. Being ‘reactive versus proactive’ when communicating with the LCA Board.  

The Treehouse community is currently one month behind on cost share, has had difficulty financing the maintenance of our home, has felt unsafe, unsupported and unwelcome at LCA Board meetings, and has faced difficulty making sure new members understand the circumstances involved with current LCA membership (a difficulty faced by the entire LCA community). The Treehouse community was proactive, approximately 18 months ago, in informing the LCA board, in writing, of pending financial difficulty, and requested assistance. This communication was met with confusion about how the LCA could be of assistance. 

Most of the LCA is middle class now (or able to live middle class because of the LCA) and long-term communication difficulties within the LCA have made it difficult to convey the possibility of the long-term sustainability of a low to moderate income community, or explore what type of assistance might be needed to accomplish that goal. 

Consequently, the Treehouse community has been working to create financial stability, without LCA support. We have sustained our community, despite transitions, communication and accountability difficulties, and low income, and we are months away from establishing long-term stability. Please request the proposal and general letter of inquiry (for grant searches) for more information. 

Thank you.