(Paseo Verde, Philly's most celebrated transit-oriented development project | Photo: Urban Land Institute)

City Council passed an important piece of legislation at the end of their Spring session that didn't get much media attention, but has the potential to be a really big deal if Councilmembers decide to use it as intended. 

(South Philly home prices keep growing. Image: Lindy Institute)

Melissa Romero reports that Philly has a record low inventory of homes on the market, according to the most recent Q2 housing report from the Lindy Institute.

(Large construction projects like the Science Center expansion will enjoy more local support if Philadelphians get the jobs)

The various efforts over the years to integrate Philadelphia's historically segregated building trades, most recently through the Rebuild initiative, is a noble cause on the merits, but it's also an important piece of creating a more pro-growth politics in the city.

(Map of proposed rezoning in Bella Vista. Image: Philadelphia City Planning Commission)

Jake Blumgart reports that five years after Philadelphia passed a landmark zoning reform bill, only about half of the city has been remapped, and some zoning watchers say City Council foot-dragging is part of the reason.

(Parking permit blocks. Image: Parkadelphia)

Council President Darrell Clarke is pushing a really damaging bill that would double mandatory minimum parking requirements for certain zoning categories.

Lots of people like to complain about the price of new construction apartments, and say they want to see developers producing less costly housing. Developer Allan Nadav agrees, and he is proposing a new 49-unit building at 1613-27 Germantown Avenue in Olde Kensington whose 440-square foot studio apartments would rent for just $750 a month.

(The City is forgoing $3,208,000 to subsidize parking on E. Passyunk Avenue)

Philadelphia owns more vacant property than any of our peer cities, and in recent times, politicians have been trying to inventory what we have, and offload some of it. 

(Home First Development in Portland creates inexpensive housing)

Philadelphia has an above-average supply of low-cost housing, but we also have a very high population of people who earn so little money that they can't afford even the most inexpensive housing.

Council President Darrell Clarke is a guy who brags about driving to the corner store, so it's no surprise that his vision for the 5th Council District looks a lot more like the suburban sprawl of Phoenix or Atlanta than the rowhouse neighborhoods of Philadelphia.

(500 Walnut under construction | Photo: Jon Geeting)

My friend Jake Blumgart is a guy with a pretty unimpeachable set of lefty credentials, so it was a lot of fun to read his unlikely apologia for ultra-luxury housing in PlanPhilly this week.