Phila Land Bank Strategic Plan and Public Hearing

Posted by City of Philadelphia on October 13, 2014

After years of advocacy by organizations and individuals frustrated with Philadelphia’s broken vacant property systems, the Philadelphia Land Bank is one step closer to operating with today’s release of a draft Strategic Plan for public comment. The Land Bank, created as a result of a successful campaign to pass an ordinance championed by Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez through City Council late last year, aims to make it easier to get vacant properties back into productive re-use as homes, businesses, community space or green space.

http://www.philadelphialandbank.org/

For too long, Philadelphians have been saddled with vacant lots and buildings that drag down our neighborhoods and languish for years. That’s why PACDC was part of the Philly Land Bank Alliance, a diverse coalition that pushed for an effective, accountable, transparent and equitable Land Bank. This Land Bank Strategic Plan establishes a vision for how it will turn vacant spaces into vibrant places.

Over the last few months, the Nutter Administration and the consultant team it hired, led by Interface Studio, analyzed numerous data sets, and held a series of meetings with Land Bank stakeholders that have been deeply involved in advocating for the Land Bank. Using that data and the input from those stakeholder meetings, Interface Studio drafted a Strategic Plan for the public to consider. Key to giving Philadelphians the Land Bank they deserve is public input on this draft Strategic Plan. PACDC strongly encourages those who care about ending blight and vacancy in Philadelphia to submit their thoughts about this Plan.

PACDC strongly supports the parts of the Plan that balance the need for equitable development including affordable homes, market rate investment, access to green and garden space, and more vibrant neighborhood commercial corridors. We also strongly support the Plan’s goals of respecting existing community plans developed at the neighborhood level with resident input.

We’ll analyze the draft Strategic Plan in more depth and provide detailed comments at a public hearing on Wednesday, October 15th beginning at 3:00 p.m. at 1234 Market Street, 17th Floor. Additional details, including how to sign up, will soon be announced on http://www.philadelphialandbank.org.

After the public hearings, the Nutter Administration will incorporate feedback it heard from the public into the draft Strategic Plan that will be transmitted to City Council in early November. Council must approve the Plan and related policies. In separate ordinances, Council must approve the transfer of public properties into the Land Bank.

From the Nutter Administration, to City Council, developers and neighborhood residents: We all have a role in making the Philadelphia Land Bank a success. This Strategic Plan is a critical opportunity to help define what a successful Land Bank can do.

Read press coverage off the Strategic Plan release here.

http://planphilly.com/articles/2014/10/01/philadelphia-land-bank-releases-plan-to-tackle-vacancy