HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS

Philadelphia has long been known as a “City of Neighborhoods.” We are a city of block parties, play streets and potlucks. We sit together on stoops and porches, we watch the Eagles and Phillies at the bar down the street, and we know each other’s children. Generations have put down roots here, buying homes and becoming part of the community.

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But in too many neighborhoods today, that dream of owning a home or even finding an affordable rental is slipping away – today only 52% of homes are owner-occupied, down from 60% in 2009. And homeownership among Black residents fell to 47% in 2019 from a high of 55% in 1990.   

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Many factors have contributed to this decrease in home ownership.  Gentrification has led to increases in property taxes and rents, pushing long-term residents out. New housing construction has not kept pace with Philadelphia’s growth in population by 78,000 people since 2010.   And Black residents continue to be denied mortgages at higher rates than whites.  

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Private equity firms and corporations are also buying up owner-occupied homes at alarming rates – in 2021, more than 40% of houses sold in some North Philadelphia and West Philadelphia neighborhoods were bought by corporations. These out-of-town buyers are converting many of these homes into rental properties. According to HUD, large corporate owners are 68% more likely to evict tenants than smaller landlords. 

 

Decreases in homeownership undermine Philadelphia’s stability and strong community fabric. They also limit residents’ ability to accumulate wealth over time.

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The limited supply of housing also drives up rental costs.  Today, the average monthly rent in Philadelphia is $1900 and only 7% of rents fall between $700 and $1000.  As the Pennsylvania Economy League reported last year, “an individual earning the average income in Greater Philadelphia (roughly $67,400) was considered rent-burdened.”  48% of renters in Philadelphia pay more than 30% of their income in rent (Economy League). 

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As the burdens of high rent have become overwhelming for many Philadelphians, more people face housing insecurity–some for a few days while they search for a new home and some more long-term.  On the night of the 2022 Point In Time Count, Philadelphia sheltered 1,269 family members in transitional or emergency shelters, including 783 children.  An additional 2,432 single adults were living in transitional, emergency, or safe haven shelters.  788 people were living on the streets. Evictions are trending upward in Philadelphia and the amount of money owed by tenants averages more than $4000.

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These evictions have ripple effects throughout the city: the evictions force children to switch schools throughout the year, parents to spend time and resources to find new homes, and other family needs go unmet.  Many of us see the toll that the lack of affordable housing has on our neighbors every day. 

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Rebecca wants to strengthen our neighborhoods so that Philadelphia remains the City of Neighborhoods. She wants every community to thrive. A Rhynhart Administration believes that all of us deserve safe, affordable housing and neighborhoods where we can build our lives and livelihoods with dignity. Housing provides stability for people and communities. 

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Racist government policies of the past, such as redlining in Philadelphia, intentionally kept Black and Brown residents from buying homes and systemic racism continues to make it more difficult for Black and Brown families to secure mortgages. Rebecca will use her platform to advocate for ending the systemic racist policies that still exist in our nation's banking policies and laws today. To right this wrong, we must be intentional and creative. 

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Mayor Rhynhart will confront the city’s lack of affordable housing on multiple fronts.