Council approves Land Bank transfers amid public calls to streamline process and protect seniors

Philadelphia City Council on Jan. 23 approved two resolutions directing the commissioner of public property to convey fee simple title of multiple properties to the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, with authority for the Redevelopment Authority to transfer the properties to the Philadelphia Land Bank.

Resolution 250014 authorized disposal of 3862 and 3864 Pensgrove Street and 1118 North 30 Ninth Street in the Third Councilmatic District. Councilmember Jamie Gauthier called for adoption; the resolution passed by voice vote.

Resolution 250019 authorized conveyance of a large block of properties in the Fourth Councilmatic District to the Redevelopment Authority for transfer to the Land Bank under section 14‑405 of the Philadelphia Code; Councilmember Jannie Blackwell? No — the motion was offered by Councilmember Derek Green? (see minutes). Councilmember K. Jones moved the adoption; the resolution passed by voice vote.

Public commenters used the Land Bank items to highlight local barriers to affordable housing and to urge protections for older homeowners. Jeremy Blatstein, a developer and housing advocate, described the Land Bank application process and said the time and cost to secure Land Bank property can derail small affordable‑housing projects. "If we're going to solve this affordable housing problem in Philadelphia, we need to get serious about streamlining this process," Blatstein told council, describing the multi‑step application, community meeting and board approval process and the months required to move a parcel from the Land Bank to a developer.

Wanda Walker — who identified herself as a Republican and a community member — urged the council to consider programs to help seniors retain homes that have gone to the Land Bank and to protect generational wealth. Walker said many calls to council relate to seniors losing homes and proposed exploring property tax relief or other mechanisms so families could keep homes out of the Land Bank pipeline.

Council members who moved the two resolutions emphasized affordable housing goals and used routine voice votes to adopt the measures. The adopted resolutions instruct city departments to convey the listed properties to the Redevelopment Authority, which will in turn transfer title to the Land Bank per existing code sections cited in the titles.

The resolutions do not by themselves change Land Bank procedures or district prerogative; public speakers and some council members asked for further administrative and legislative work to reduce delays in the Land Bank process and to consider programs for senior homeowners.

Details on next steps — including redevelopment plans for each parcel, timelines, and any community meetings scheduled under Land Bank rules — were not specified in the meeting record and will be determined by the Redevelopment Authority and Land Bank processes.