The Philadelphia Fed's new study on gentrification made a big splash recently with the finding that between 2000 and 2014, the city lost one-fifth of its affordable rental units--23,628 in total.   

(RCO map | Philadelphia City Planning Commission)

Most new Special Day proclamations are a waste of time, but one local holiday proclamation that could make a real difference in local politics is RCO Election Day.

While we haven't always agreed with Council President Darrell Clarke's politics in the past, we strongly agree with his sentiment that Philadelphia city government should look to use our existing resources better if we're expecting a hostile urban policy environment under the Trump administration and a conservative supermajority in the Pennsylvania legislature.

Back in 2007, city voters approved a ballot initiative establishing a Zoning Code Commission that would review and make changes to Philly's 1950's-era zoning code with the aim of making development more predictable, and less political.

(Original photo by Kyle Huff, Sumopaint by Jon Geeting)

Philadelphia broke ground on the first section of the Rail Park yesterday, after closing most of the funding gap for the project's first-phase with a $3.5 million Redevelopment Capital Assistance Program grant from the state. This is exciting news for Philly not just because we're getting a great new public space, but also because the state's investment will attract lots of follow-on private investment in the area. It's a near-perfect example of how state economic development spending should work. 

As part of our ZBA Draft campaign to elevate the conversation about Mayor Kenney's next Zoning Board appointment, we reached out to a few Philadelphians with deep practical knowledge of zoning to answer some questions about the Zoning Board's role in Philly development and planning. 

Last month, we kicked off a ZBA Draft effort to bring some more public attention to Jim Kenney's upcoming choice of the next Zoning Board chair. 

Earlier this week, Dave Davies broke the news that Jim Moylan, chair the powerful Zoning Board of Adjustment, had announced his resignation.

This followed on the news, initially reported in the Inquirer, that Moylan--who is Johnny Doc's chiropractor--was being investigated by the FBI as part of their probe of Doc and IBEW Local 98.  

3rd District Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell introduced a bill in City Council on Friday that would double mandatory minimum parking requirements for apartment buildings--a regressive policy change that would hike rents on low-income and middle-class renters across the city.