Open Space as Redevelopment Strategy Beyond Interim Use Jennifer Kates Philadelphia Land Bank, Board Office of Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez

Traditional approach: housing as “highest and best use”  Every vacant lot was viewed as a potential future building  Open space, like gardens and side yards, were just temporary placeholders  No consistent disposition options or extended lease terms were available for open space

Shifting the paradigm through data  2010 Econsult study for the Phila Redevelopment Authority

Rewriting policies, opening minds  2012 comprehensive rewrite of the city’s disposition policies created an opening  New algorithmic pricing took into account broad market condition data, not merely comparative sales  Nominal dispositions extended beyond solely affordable housing  Side/rear yard program resurrected and updated

Legislating a Land Bank, institutionalizing reforms  Used City code to ensure continuity between mayoral administrations  Included substantive commitment to support diverse categories of uses  The Land Bank may offer properties at less than fair market value where the Land Bank finds that the proposed use would create beneficial community impact, such as affordable or mixed-income housing that is accessible or visitable; economic development that creates jobs for community residents; community facilities that provide needed services to residents; side and rear-yards; innovation in design and sustainability; urban agriculture; community open space; and any goals established under §  Established formal procedures to adopt and update policies, with public comment

A Strategic Plan to guide decisionmaking  Land Bank mandated to adopt and annually update a Strategic Plan  Inventory of public surplus properties, and private delinquent ones  Analysis of relative need and availability for each use category, as well as market conditions  Use recommendations  Targets for acquisition and disposition, by geography and use category, considering available funding

Analyzing open space pp

Applying data to decisions

Unlocking data to empower purchasers

Up next: tools to connect interest and opportunity  First city-wide photographic vacancy inventory, inspections  Creating online tools to unlock data and allow complex search parameters  PhillyLandWorks.org to be updated in 2016  Improving systems for review and processing of EOIs  Adopting and implementing open data policies  Navigating data-sharing barriers

2016: the Land Bank goes live. Jennifer Kates Philadelphia Land Bank Office of Maria Quinones