City Council's First Hearing on Land Bank Bill

Join the Philly Land Bank Alliance at City Council on Monday, October 28th at 10am.

The Philly Land Bank Alliance is a partnership comprised of a diverse group of city-wide allies that are coming together to "support the creation of an effective land bank in Philadelphia." A land bank is a public authority created to efficiently handle acquisition, maintenance, and sale of vacant properties. The Alliance is working to get legislation passed that will create a Land Bank in Philadelphia. According to the Alliance's website, "We believe a Land Bank will help the City to eliminate blight, reduce crime, rebuiled neighborhoods, raise millions annually for city services and schools and begin to recoup the $3.6 billion in equity now being lost by homeowners citywide due to declining home values."

We have come across countless articles about individuals and organizations wishing to revitalize vacant lots - whether it's by way of a community garden, a farmers' market, a new playground, or a space for art installations (just to name a few of the MANY ways in which a vacant lot can be transformed). The Alliance knows that vacant lots create several negative issues throughout the city, and they are encouraging citizens to share their stories about how they are affected by abandoned areas in their neighborhoods.

City Council is holding the first hearing on the Land Bank Bill on Monday, October 28th at 10am in Room 400 of City Hall. You can RSVP to attend the hearing and show your support. You can also take action through the Philly Land Bank Alliance. To find out more about how a Land Bank can positively impact our city, be sure to follow the Alliance on Facebook and Twitter.

The work of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance is made possible through the generous support of committed individuals and institutions.