By Vanessa Raymond-Garcia, RHLS Policy Analyst
Philadelphia is reckoning with a multitude of challenges, including crime, education, healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, and climate change – with housing arguably being at the core of these interconnected issues. The city’s current housing landscape is marked by a precarious imbalance, with increasing rent prices, stagnating incomes, low available housing stock, and a scarcity of affordable housing options. The housing squeeze is especially dire for low-income, non-white residents in the city. For these marginalized communities, the struggle to secure affordable housing is not merely a matter of economics – it is a daily battle against systemic disparities. Philadelphia remains one of the most segregated cities in the country due to redlining in the 1930s (Philadelphia’s racial segregation in housing remains high, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2021.). The history of redlining in the city continues to negatively affect these communities with less access to important amenities such as parks, hospitals, and high-quality education. The confluence of these pressing issues requires immediate attention and comprehensive solutions.
The incoming mayor holds a pivotal role in addressing the city’s pressing housing needs. Their administration should prioritize affordable housing as a central tenet of their time in office to promote a more thriving and vibrant city for all residents. Collaborative efforts with nonprofit organizations and community stakeholders can provide valuable insights into the specific needs of different neighborhoods and ensure equitable development practices.
Understanding the Crisis
Philadelphia has not built as many new homes as it has needed to keep up with housing demand. Additionally, housing stock in many pockets of the city is in desperate need of repair and rehabilitation. A large swath of the city’s residents are low-income and often struggle to keep a roof over their families’ heads, keep the lights on, and keep food on their table. Homeownership numbers in the city have dropped as a result of increased home sale prices and homeownership costs, leading to more renters in the city than at any time in recent memory.
To stay stably housed, people need to have the income to afford housing expenses every month. According to the most recent Census data, in Philadelphia, the annual median household income is $52, 649.r. However, these statistics are hiding racial and ethnic disparities, with the city’s Black and Latino/Hispanic residents reporting median household incomes of $39,353 and $38,812, respectively. While the cost of living in Philadelphia continues to rise, wages have not risen proportionately. This dissonance between earnings and living expenses places a significant burden on individuals and families, especially households of color, making it increasingly challenging to secure affordable housing without compromising other essential needs.
While preserving and constructing new housing are vital to the strength of the city, it is important for current residents to be included in this process to keep them in their neighborhoods and away from housing instability. Gentrification has deeply impacted Philadelphia over the last decade, with median rents in the city currently sitting near $2,000 a month. Redevelopment projects and the construction of upscale housing options have altered the fabric of neighborhoods, often leading to the of existing
communities and diminishing the availability of affordable housing units. The displacement or disruption of residents from their long-established neighborhoods has and will continue to lead to a loss of community cohesion and cultural identity, creating tension between new arrivals and long-term residents.
What the Mayoral Candidates Are Saying
Throughout the mayoral primary campaigns, many candidates emphasized the need to simultaneously preserve existing and increase the supply of affordable housing units in Philadelphia. They proposed various strategies, including allocating public funds to support the construction of low-income housing, incentivizing developers to include affordable units in their projects, and repurposing vacant City-owned properties for affordable housing. Candidates recognized the importance of assisting low-income homeowners to prevent foreclosures and property loss, allowing individuals and families to remain in their homes. There was strong emphasis on ensuring equitable development policies by involving local communities in the planning processes, ensuring that new developments serve the needs of existing residents, and mitigating the negative impacts of gentrification. Some championed climate-resilient housing initiatives that not only address the housing crisis but also promote sustainability and resilience in the face of environmental challenges. The diversity of proposals reflects the complexity of the housing crisis in Philadelphia and the need for a multifaceted approach.
The charge for the next mayor of Philadelphia in the housing landscape is a large and daunting one, but can be accomplished with help from City Council, local community partnerships, and state legislators. The hope is that many of the issues discussed by all mayoral candidates will be considered by the next mayor to make a significant impact on the future of housing stability in the city.
Recommendations
The following affordable housing issues were presented as priorities from Philadelphia citizens during an affordable housing mayoral forum that took place prior to the primary election: redevelop City-owned vacant properties/lots; provide rent subsidies; provide homeowners with resources to repair their properties; phase out the 10-year property tax abatement; support land banks and community land trusts; stabilize rents; create higher paying jobs; encourage non-single family zoning; map out federal affordability roll-offs; financial partners for city-wide affordability plan; extend affordability contracts; help homeowners clear tangled titles; provide more housing counseling; and clear civil debt.
From this list we recommend prioritizing:
Homeowner resources – continue to provide, as well as expand, relief for sharp increases in property tax assessments and funding for individuals and small landlords to maintain and make repairs on their homes will help people stay housed and build wealth.
Incentivize higher paying jobs and transit-oriented development –Many Philadelphians would benefit from higher paying jobs in parts of the city where transportation is abundant compared to the surrounding suburbs. Encouraging affordable housing development near transportation would allow more low-income residents to access jobs. An increase of workforce development programs could support the increase in housing construction and home repairs.
Increased tenant protections – The City has passed key ordinances in the last few years to help solidify some protections tenants have historically lacked. These protections, which include ZIP-code specific free legal representation (“right to counsel”), eviction diversion, and tenant screening guidelines provide a safety net for vulnerable renters. However, countless residents of the city are still falling through the cracks. The tenant screening ordinance lacks an enforcement mechanism, residents need free legal representation beyond the zip codes currently served, and tenants should not be disempowered by any cause evictions. By safeguarding tenants from arbitrary evictions and homelessness, this tessellation of strengthened policies can empower renters to report substandard living conditions without fear of retaliation, fostering healthier and safer rental environments.
Philadelphia Land Bank– The City’s land bank should streamline the process for transferring to developers and organizations dedicated to affordable housing. This can involve simplifying regulations, expediting approvals, and providing financial incentives. However, if community residents are using vacant lots for community gardens and the like, these parcels should no longer be deemed vacant and should have an established interested party listed as owner. Partnerships between the City, nonprofit organizations, and community groups can ensure that the development of these properties aligns with the specific needs and preferences of each neighborhood, preserving their character while providing affordable housing options. Innovative solutions to funding mechanisms should be explored, including leveraging grants and low-interest loans, to support the conversion of these properties into thriving, inclusive communities.
Addressing Philadelphia’s housing problems will make it easier to improve health and educational outcomes, reduce crime, and make the city a more attractive place to live and work. It is imperative that the next Mayor of Philadelphia target the housing crisis as one of their administration’s top priorities.
Vanessa Raymond-Garcia, Policy Analyst at Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS) analyzing and advancing equitable policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic, affordable housing, and community development. Vanessa is a two-time graduate of Rutgers University, where she earned a B.A. in Women’s and Gender Studies and an MPP from the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
Regional Housing Legal Services (RHLS) is a nonprofit law firm with unique expertise in affordable, sustainable housing and its related components — community and economic development, utility matters and preservation of home ownership. RHLS provides innovative project and policy solutions that help create sustainable communities offering decent, safe and affordable housing for lower-income Pennsylvanians.
The Next Philadelphia Mayor Needs to Prioritize Affordable Housing
