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City Council Proposes Property Swap Option for Surplus Land Disposition Amid Affordable Housing Push

Official:Amending Chapter 16-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Surplus Properties,” by adding methodology for disposition by property exchange, and making other technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Gauthier

Introduced: April 30, 2026

Signed: June 11, 2026

: Committee on Public Property and Public Works

zoningaffordable housingcommunity development

Plain-Language Summary

This bill updates how the City of Philadelphia disposes of surplus properties by adding a new method called 'property exchange', which allows for exchanging one property for another to achieve community benefits such as preserving open space or developing affordable housing.

What This Bill Does

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

Adds a new method for disposing of surplus properties: property exchange. This allows the City to exchange one property for another to achieve community benefits, such as preserving open space or developing affordable housing.
Defines property exchange: it is the conveyance, sale, transfer, or grant of fee title to real property from the City to a private party, in exchange for the acquisition of real property by the City for the purpose of furthering its mission.
Requires surplus properties to be disposed of by an Agency using one of three methods: competitive process, non-competitive process, or property exchange. 4.

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