After fighting lawsuits filed by developers irked by their decisions, the Old City Civic Association announced it has disbanded its development and liquor committees because it no longer could afford skyrocketing liability insurance. "This is a national phenomenon, really a rather despicable, purposeful strategy for developers to use their economic power to shut up people who are just community-minded and have a different view about the effects of development," said Professor David Kairys of Temple’s Beasley School of Law.