Lower Moyamensing Civic Association

Elections will be held at the Fumo Family Library on Wednesday, March 29th at 6:30pm.

President: Patti Tahan

Patti has been a homeowner in the the same house in South Philadelphia since 1989. She considered leaving the area once back in the 2003, but quickly rejected an offer on her house when she realized what she would be giving up. There is just too much to love when you live so close to historic Philadelphia, many great museums and performing arts venues, parks, restaurants, shops, quirky neighborhoods and public transportation. A graduate of Temple University, she has been teaching in Philadelphia since 1997. She is pursuing a Masters degree from UPenn in Liberal Arts with a focus on Urban Studies. She became a member of LoMo in its first year and has been Chair of the beautification committee and cleanups but most often in maintaining neighborhood gardens. She has also served as our Treasurer since 2016. She looks forward to the opportunity to be your president, taking a more active role in the civic association. She loves South Philadelphia and believes that the old and the new can exist together and become better working together.

Treasurer: Frances LaRosa

I moved to South Philly two years ago to take care of my new grandson. I love being near my kids. I sold my car and I really enjoy walking our neighborhood and using SEPTA. This is a wonderful area to live and enjoy the city. Prior to moving to Philadelphia, I was the treasurer of the Horsham Preservation and Historical Society for at least three years. Born and raised in the Fox Chase section of Northeast Philadelphia, I lived in Horsham, Montgomery County for 35 years where I was a High School Teacher of Computer Applications, Business Math and Accounting. Also, I spent 10 years working for Liberty Property Trust in Property Management.

I also worksfor the Phillies as part of the Game Day staff. I joined LoMo shortly after moving here. Things I have participated in include the Clean-up day, Tree Tending, Tree give aways, and the recent Junior Flower Show at F. S. Key Elementary School. I just joined the South Philly Food Co-op and am really excited to help with that goal.

Secretary: Rebecca Wanner

Rebecca Wanner grew up in the Beloit, Wisconsin, attended Smith College, and moved to Philadelphia in 2000.  Since 2006, she has lived with her partner in his childhood home on Wolf Street, which is now also home to their son and two cats.  Rebecca earned a Masters Degree in Education from UPenn and worked as a literacy specialist in schools and on the administrative side in nonprofits. She brings this experience to LoMo and the Friends of Mifflin Square, hoping to foster community to advocate for equity and support our neighborhood schools and families.

Board Member, At Large: Andrew Barbato

The Lower Moyamensing Civic Association has long supported the local community by working directly with residents in order to create a better living environment for all. For this reason, I am running for the At-Large Board Member position with the goal of contributing to the continued growth of our neighborhood. Originally a South Jersey native, I moved to Philadelphia in 2007 to attend Drexel University, graduated in 2012, and bought a home in LoMo in 2014. My family’s restaurant, Bomb Bomb, has also been a staple in LoMo for three generations, and in turn has exposed me to the intricacies and history of this tight knit community.

Professionally, I have worked in varying roles at city agencies and private companies alike, dealing with zoning, valuation and urban development issues. I currently work as an Information Analyst for the Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT) where I fulfill due diligence requests for acquisition/disposition purposes and also perform legal research regarding title, entity structure and contractual document issues. My past experiences have given me a unique perspective into ways we, as a community, can address the needs and concerns of our residents while promoting progress and sustainable growth. If elected to the board, I hope to focus on the Zoning Committee and the many complex issues facing the development of our neighborhood.

Board Member, At Large: Todd Schwartz

Todd has been active with LoMo since the inception and has served as president from 2013-2017. Todd has lived in Philadelphia since 1996 and is a native of Wilmington, Delaware. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he focused on city planning-urban studies.  Todd has served as a probation and parole officer for the City of Philadelphia, as well as a safety and security consultant for a private transportation consulting firm. Todd joined LoMo because he wanted to become involved in making our neighborhood an even better place to live and play; However, most importantly, he wanted to do something about the trash and the spot zoning in South Philly.  To him, they are related. He is very proud of his efforts over the years to organize cleanups in the neighborhood and also make our community more bicycle-friendly through the installation of numerous bicycle racks along Broad Street and Snyder Avenue.