Big news, thoughts?... I have some feelings on this one, but will let others chime in first.
City Council voted to restrict redevelopment of West Philly subsidized townhouses
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/hou...iladelphia-university-city-20220311.html
"City Council on Thursday passed a bill that would suspend demolition of a subsidized housing complex in University City and drive future development there away from commercial use and toward residential. It’s a case that highlights the fragile position of subsidized housing as property values in the city climb, and federal housing contracts continuously come up for renewal."
"The legislation, sponsored by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, would restrict to the ground floor future nonresidential uses at the site and a neighboring housing complex with the goal of keeping and adding affordable housing there. The townhouses are within an area where City Council will require certain percentages of below market-rate housing units in new residential developments of 10 or more units. That ordinance takes effect in July."
"Gauthier envisions her legislation as a framework for zoning mixed-use developments in high-density and amenity-rich places “to encourage sustainable residential development” in areas throughout the city, according to the text of the bill."
"If Mayor Jim Kenney signs it, Gauthier’s bill would prevent demolition of any building within the boundaries of Market Street, 39th Street, Ludlow Street, and 40th Street — the block that contains the University City Townhomes — for 12 months, barring any dangerous conditions. Gauthier said the pause is meant to ensure thoughtful planning for the future of the site. A Kenney spokesperson said Thursday that the administration is reviewing the legislation."
"City Council passed the bill, 15-1. Councilmember Allan Domb was the lone dissenting vote, a rare defiance of the tradition known as councilmanic prerogative, in which land-use decisions are led by the member whose district includes the area in question and all other members fall in line."
"Domb said he opposed the bill because it violated the owners’ “property rights” by targeting one plot. This type of legislation could discourage future affordable housing development, he said, because other property owners may be reluctant to enter into 30- or 40-year affordability agreements if they come to believe that Council could punish them for transitioning to market-rate uses when the agreement expires."
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