Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive161059

City Council Revamps Affordable Housing Zone Rules Allowing Public Land Sales for Low-Cost Development Sites

Official:Amending Chapter 16-900 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Philadelphia Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones," by modifying the definitions; all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Council President Clarke

Introduced: December 1, 2016

: Committee on Housing, Neighborhood Development and The Homeless

housing zoning

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2016–2019 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill amends the definition of 'Affordable Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones' in the Philadelphia Code, allowing for public property in designated zones to be sold at a low price for development into affordable housing.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

The definition of "Affordable Workforce Housing" is modified to include both homeownership and rental housing that is affordable to households with incomes between 80% and 120% of the Area Median Income as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Publicly-owned properties in designated Philadelphia Affordable Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones are made available for disposition for nominal consideration for the development of Affordable Workforce Housing.
The zones where this provision applies are designated as "Philadelphia Affordable Workforce Housing Opportunity Zones".
This ordinance takes effect immediately.