The Building Industry Association of Philadelphia joined the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations and the Asociacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha to push City Council and Mayor Nutter to make a Philadelphia Land Bank a reality in the next four weeks. Read Before recess, pass land bank bill.

The negative impacts and tremendous costs of vacant land in Philadelphia are well known and understood. At the BIA’s 11th Annual Housing Conference, a panel presented information on current efforts by the Nutter Administration, City Council, and community leaders to carry out a comprehensive vacant land strategy to bring properties back into productive use. Speakers included Councilwoman María D. Quiñones-Sánchez,  John Carpenter of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, Jill Feldstein of the Women’s Community Revitalization Project and Take Back Vacant Land, and Philadelphia’s Deputy Managing Director Bridget Collins-Greenwald.

Ms. Collins-Greenwald described the city’s policy for disposition, acquisition, code enforcement, and inventory and data. She said the policies were developed with significant stakeholder input and based on guiding principles for revitalizing neighborhoods, strengthening the tax base, and providing an efficient and transparent process. “We solicited a great deal of external feedback,” Collins-Greenwald said. “We met with City Council every other week, community development corporations, the BIA Government Affairs/FixItPhilly Coalition, urban agriculture folks, and others.”

John Carpenter of the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) introduced a new website that allows developers and interested buyers to search for available city properties using an interactive map and submit an expression of interest. The searchable database provides details on which city agency owns the property, applicable zoning, and upfront pricing. When asked if the listed price is actual or suggested, Mr. Carpenter said that “we want it to be actual.” However, Carpenter went on to explain a process for proposing another price, but said the new price would need to be posted publicly before a sale could be finalized. In the three and a half months since the site has been active, about 1,000 requests have come in, although half of those needed to be filtered out. A question about how long does the process takes raised some concern. “The shortest timeline is about 90 days,” he said. “If a request is complex, I could take significantly longer – perhaps a year – but we try to have the terms of the deal within 30 days.”

Councilwoman Sanchez focused on the land bank legislation she has proposed that would build on the city’s efforts by adding tools needed to work with the development community, streamline processes, and support neighborhood redevelopment plans. “Vacant land is a problem,” Sanchez said, “but we want to reframe the discussion so that it is viewed as a precious resource.” Her goal is to be more proactive by helping to create markets in districts with the most vacant land and leverage resources. “We need to get these properties generating revenue.”

Jill Feldstein of Take Back Vacant Land agrees. The campaign was formed around support for the state enabling legislation for land banks, which the city needs to move forward. “We think a land bank would give all of us the tools to acquire the land we need,” Feldstein said. The purpose of the campaign is to highlight the issue and build support.

RDA Available Properties Map

Policies for the Sale and Reuse of City-Owned Property

That’s what Councilwoman María Quiñones Sánchez called Philadelphia’s 40,000 plus parcels of vacant property at a PlanPhilly event June 12. The panel discussion explored the city’s vacant land reform efforts and pending land bank legislation introduced by Sanchez.

Sandy Salzman, Director of the New Kensington Community Development Corporation, described how redevelopment transformed her neighborhood, but acquiring vacant property in Philadelphia isn’t easy. “A great piece of land may have five or six owners,” Building Industry Association Vice President Anne Fadullon said, “and each agency or entity involved has a different process. It can take an enormous amount of effort to get a half block.”

According to Bridget Collins-Greenwald, the city’s next Property Commissioner, that’s beginning to change. “The mayor heard your concerns,” she said. In May, the city released a disposition policy and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA) introduced a new website that allows developers and interested buyers to search for available city properties using an interactive map and to submit an expression of interest online.

While everyone agreed the administration made a huge step forward, Philadelphia still lacks a common vision. “The city needs to articulate a long-term strategy for redevelopment,” Councilwoman Sanchez said. “We need to more deliberate and the land bank is an opportunity to do that.” Sanchez believes her land bank legislation will allow the city to coordinate the release of land with city and community planning efforts and avoid spotty development.

But critics say the proposed bill gives City Council too much power by allowing it to pull a project at any time. “Talking to neighbors and getting community buy-in often leads to better projects,” Fadullon said, “however, this uncertainty to the end holds Philadelphia back.”

For more on this panel discussion, including video coverage, visit http://planphilly.com/public-officials-private-citizens-discuss-vacant-land-reform-second-behind-planphilly-event.

• Maria D. Quiñones-Sánchez, City Councilwoman and land bank bill co-sponsor
• Bridget Collins-Greenwald, the City’s soon-to-be-named new Property Commissioner
• Sandy Salzman, Executive Director, New Kensington Community Development Corporation
• Anne Fadullon, Vice President, Building Industry Association of Philadelphia.

Click here for more details and registration information.

The city policy is based on guiding principles for revitalizing neighborhoods, strengthening the tax base, and providing an efficient and transparent process. See the full policy paper here. The new searchable database provides details on zoning and which city agency owns the property. Upfront pricing will be made available as an on-going value assessment is completed. Visit the PRA website for details on buying property and to browse the interactive map.

On February 20, 2012 the Pennsylvania House passed HB 1682, a bill that would allow counties and municipalities in Pennsylvania to create land banks. On February 22, 2012, Senator Argall introduced SB 1414 to provide state authorization for cities to establish a land bank. If this legislation passes the Senate and is signed by the Governor it will give Philadelphia new abilities to clear title and obtain control of tax delinquent properties if the city creates a land bank.

The Mayor has charged the Managing Director’s Office with forming a Vacant Property Working Group to analyze the city’s current vacant land management policies and develop recommendations for reform. Since the release of Vacant Land Management in Philadelphia, a new report that identifies and calculates the costs imposed by vacant land on the city, the working group has been meeting with City Council members, agency staff, and other stakeholders to gather input on what the goals of new city policies on disposition, acquisition, maintenance, and data management should be. Draft recommendations are expected to be released by mid-February 2011.