Curtis J. Jones Jr.

In September 2021, Jones's son died awaiting an organ transplant. He said his son's care was delayed because the intensive care unit was at capacity with COVID-19 patients.

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

As of September 2020, he lives in the Overbrook Farms neighborhood.

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

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

Jones is a co-chair of the Philadelphia City Council Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform. 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."

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

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, who was mayor during the 1985 MOVE bombing. Jones didn't speak to anyone in his district before introducing this resolution and refused to withdraw the resolution when met with community opposition. In 2020, several groups protested to remove the honorary street renaming.

In 2017 he introduced a "just cause" eviction bill to prevent landlords from evicting a tenant when a lease expires. 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." In 2018 he introduced amendments to this bill that would restrict its application to leases that are less than one year.

Jones was born and raised in West Philadelphia. At age 15 he was in the 54th and Berks Street gang, but credits Falaka Fattah and the House of Umoja for his reformation saying, "I can literally say that Sister Falaka and the House of Umoja saved my life. They taught a lot of people that we don't all have to go to college, but we can all be part of our community, and that's what is important.''

In 2015 Jones introduced legislation to strengthen Philadelphia's Ban the Box law, which prohibits employers from asking an applicant about their criminal record. 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.

Jones was re-elected in 2011, 2015, and 2019. During his tenure on City Council, Jones has pursued criminal justice reforms such as ban-the-box and abolishing cash bail. He served as the council's Democratic majority leader from 2012 to 2016, and has been majority whip since 2020.

Curtis J. Jones Jr is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Philadelphia City Council. In 2007, he was elected to represent the 4th District, which covers parts of North, Northwest, and West Philadelphia. He has served as Majority Leader (2012-2016) and Majority Whip since 2020.

In 2007 Jones ran for Philadelphia City Council's 4th Council District seat. He and real estate lawyer Matt McClure ran against incumbent Carol Ann Campbell. Jones was endorsed by the Philadelphia Daily News and won the Democratic nomination by 446 votes. Jones received 35% of the vote, Carol Ann Campbell received 33% and McClure received 32%. In the general election he defeated Republican Melvin C. Johnakin Jr., winning 86% of votes cast.

In 1992 he became president and CEO of the Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation where he served for 15 years before until resigning to run for City Council in 2007.

In January 1987, he announced he would again run for City Commissioner after Marian B. Tasco announced she would resign to run for City Council. He ended this campaign in March at the urging of Mayor Wilson Goode and became the staff director and deputy finance director of the Minority Business Enterprise Council. In 1991 he left MBEC to manage the unsuccessful mayoral campaign of Lucien Blackwell.

In 1979 at age 22, he and Chaka Fattah ran as a team for Philadelphia City Commissioner in the Democratic primary, receiving the endorsement of the Black United Front. He lost that race, coming in seventh in a field of twenty two candidates. He was appointed to a citizen's committee run by the Greater Philadelphia Partnership on researching and improving the office of Philadelphia City Commissioner.