Curtis J. Jones Jr.

As of February 2021, Jones is a member of the following committees:[23]

• Commerce And Economic Development
• Finance
• Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless (vice chair)
• Legislative Oversight (chair)
• Licenses and Inspections
• Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
• Public Property and Public Works
• Public Safety (chair)
• Rules
• Transportation And Public Utilities

Jones is a member of the Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention.[24] Speaking on his frustration of the lack of attention toward Philadelphia's gun violence epidemic, he said "If 200 whales washed up on the shores of New Jersey, every scientist and biologist would come to find out why this was happening. But when it comes to 200 urban kids dying, nobody cares. It’s a new normal, and it’s not acceptable."[25]

In 2018 he introduced legislation to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a threat to themselves or the public.[26]

Jones is a co-chair of the Philadelphia City Council Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform.[27] Describing City Council members' attitude toward justice system reform in 2018 he said, "I’ve got two kinds of colleagues on the council: tree-hugging, thug-loving liberals who want to save souls and fiscal conservatives who want to save budgets."[28]

In 2018, Jones played a part in closing Philadelphia's House of Correction, a dilapidated facility that had been in continuous operation since 1927.[29]

In 2020 he sponsored the legislation that will create a ballot referendum on creating a Citizens Police Oversight Commission.[30] During testimony on this legislation, City Council learned of the police killing of Walter Wallace, Jr.[31]

Jones is vice-chair of the Housing, Neighborhood Development, and the Homeless committee.[23]

In 2017 he introduced a "just cause" eviction bill to prevent landlords from evicting a tenant when a lease expires.[32] The legislation was inspired by the sale of the Penn Wynn Manor apartments, where the purchasing company told tenants their leases would not be renewed. Jones said "You have a right to be a capitalist, but when you wholesale exploit people’s ignorance and poverty, then it is government’s responsibility to step up to the plate and provide protections, and that’s what I intend to do."[33] In 2018 he introduced amendments to this bill that would restrict its application to leases that are less than one year.[34]

In response to housing issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, a package of six bills were proposed as the Emergency Housing Protection Act. Only five advanced from City Council's housing committee, with the rent stabilization bill failing to advance.[35] Jones did not vote for or against this bill in committee.[36]

Jones does not support rent control.[37]

In 2015 Jones introduced legislation to strengthen Philadelphia's Ban the Box law, which prohibits employers from asking an applicant about their criminal record.[38] The strengthened provisions removed some exemptions for employers, required employers to be more transparent, and limited the time period on convictions an employer can consider to seven years prior.[39]

On June 14, 2018, Jones introduced a resolution to rename the 2400 block of N. 59th St. "W. Wilson Goode Sr. Way" in honor of former Philadelphia mayor Wilson Goode,[40] who was mayor during the 1985 MOVE bombing. Jones didn't speak to anyone in his district before introducing this resolution[41] and refused to withdraw the resolution when met with community opposition.[42] In 2020, several groups protested to remove the honorary street renaming.[43]

After neighbors near to Wissahickon Valley Park complained about the increased, unauthorized use of Devil's Pool for swimming, Jones proposed filling the pool with rocks.[44]