Several weeks ago, Universal Companies -- a nonprofit development organization headquartered in South Philly -- announced that it was entering into a partnership with the South of South Neighborhood Association (SOSNA) to redevelop 24 townhouse units at 17th and Carpenter streets. Shortly thereafter, an uncomfortable discourse emerged in the form of a testy, neighborhood-flier campaign rife with suspicions and doubts about both organizations. (See "Turf Wars," June 19, 2003.)

The first flier to hit the streets (issued by a phantom group calling themselves The Public Policy Forum & The Coalition Opposed to Condemnation) did not overtly assign racial dimensions to the development project but alluded to a potential hidden agenda on the part of Universal with a glut of barely disguised racist innuendo.

Less than two weeks later, another flier circulated -- apparently in response to the first -- that openly expressed racial unease, going so far as to single out a particular SOSNA board member as a racist and an instigator. (That individual refuted those charges but was asked to take a leave of absence from the board.) The author of that follow-up flier was also suspiciously anonymous.

Last week, registered voters in the 30th Ward, which runs from Broad Street and the Schuylkill River and from South Street to Washington Avenue, received an official response to the flier campaign, via mail, from City Council President Anna Verna's office. In addition to chiding those responsible for disseminating the hostile messages, it included a fact sheet to address the numerous apprehensions that have surfaced since the project was announced.

"Frankly, we don't care who wrote those fliers," says Kathleen Murray, a Verna spokesperson. "But we will not tolerate prejudiced or racist language. What we're trying to do is get accurate information out to the community. A number of people from both organizations reviewed this fact sheet and have agreed that this fairly and accurately addresses the issues that have been raised."

Murray says that while the letter was written in response to the two unsigned fliers, Verna's office has been working diligently with SOSNA and Universal to ensure the project becomes a success.

"There's always a fringe element in every situation," she says. "But if everyone can work together, then everyone can win. I think that's what SOSNA and Universal are hoping for. These organizations have no interest in fighting. Are there competing goals between the two? There may be. But at the core, they both want the same things: A safe, clean, decent neighborhood."

The four-page document is comprised of 25 questions and answers. It addresses a variety of subjects, including Universal's ability to acquire blighted property in an area adjacent to Center City that is steadily on the rise. Questions about condemnations and the role of the Redevelopment Authority (RDA) are also highlighted. For those residents who've complained about exclusion from the details of the project, the fact sheet offers assurances that Universal intends to work in concert with the community and will be regulated by strict guidelines.

The Q&A also addresses private properties already owned by Kenneth Gamble, president of Universal. The document promises residents that, "Any properties owned by Mr. Gamble not developed now will be developed very soon. This will significantly diminish Mr. Gamble's inventory."

While the fact sheet instructs concerned residents to reach out to Marla Davis at Universal with additional questions, Davis is on vacation until early August. However Davis' assistant, Amin Nathari, says that the sheet was a combined effort on the part of Universal and SOSNA, designed to quell the hostilities generated by the fliers. It also was intended to address newspaper articles that focused on the troubles along with questions posed at community meetings and various statements that Council had asked Universal to address.

"We exchanged notes based on a lot of conversations and Universal provided the responses," Nathari explains. "We went through two exchanges before coming up with a document that everyone was comfortable with."

A SOSNA meeting, originally slated for earlier this month so residents could vet their grievances, was rescheduled for yesterday evening. Eve Lewis, SOSNA Neighborhood Advisory Council director, says the data was provided to give residents the information necessary to guarantee a productive session. Representatives from Universal were expected to attend, as well as officials from Verna's office and the RDA.

"The fact sheet was merely to be informational, so that when people came to the meeting, they'd have something to base their questions on," Lewis says. "The meeting was postponed [from July 9] because certain things needed to be addressed -- like the literature that was circulating throughout the neighborhood. We needed an opportunity to handle that. There were questions and now there are answers. I'm certain we'll have an informed audience."