Know of a vacant lot or building in your neighborhood? After months of anticipation (and one brief official meeting), the powers behind the Philadelphia Land Bank teamed up with Interface Studios to come up with a plan to successfully reintroduce these properties into good use. So, what kind of work do land bankers have in store for them? Let's just say it's a lot.
The numbers are rather sobering. According to PlanPhilly, there are 32,000 potential Land Bank properties — 24,000 are vacant, tax delinquent and privately owned. The remaining 8,000 properties are publicly owned by the city with no current plans for development. Hey, are you looking for a side yard? There's hope! The report also states the 2,100 vacant lots sit next to homes that are up to date on their taxes.
Be on the lookout for a public meeting regarding these plans sometime in mid-October After which, a final draft of the plan will be completed and submitted for approval to City Council.
· Philadelphia Land Bank releases plan to tackle vacancy [PlanPhilly]