Yesterday, a City Council committee charged with studying the prospect of a land bank in Philly presented their conclusion that a land bank should be formed. The Nutter administration also threw its weight behind the bill.
Though approval by a City Council committee doesn't mean that the bill is law, Councilwoman Maria Quinonez Sanchez, who has advocated for a Philly land bank for quite some time now says that she's looking to get the bill passed by the end of the year.
At the same hearing, a representative from a watchdog group suggested that the city do away with "Councilmanic Privilege," which is the ability of City Council members to put a hold on city-owned properties in their districts, and keep them from being sold. Earlier this year, Philadelinquency took a look at holds placed by City Council members and found that City Council President Darrell Clarke had the most holds (50) on properties.
· Land Bank Proposal Moves Forward in City Council [CBS Philly]
· Darrell Clarke Is Holding Back More Property Than Any Other City Councilmember [Philadelinquency]