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| | | Philly is trying to attract new residents, but some potential renters and homeowners are feeling priced out. Luxury homes in the city are selling like hotcakes, and affordability constraints are turning away moderate-income and first-time homebuyers. So how’s Philly supporting residents who want to stay in the city and afford their homes? | - Help Could Be on the Way for Hundreds of Renters. Mayor Parker’s administration is working on a plan to preserve affordable rental units in West and Southwest Philly. The property owner wants to sell his company’s portfolio and retire, and is asking the city to keep the housing affordable. Some tenants think the city should create a path for renters to eventually purchase their homes below market rate.
- Assistance Program for Homeowners. As part of her Housing Opportunities Made Easy initiative, Parker is developing a mortgage program to support potential homeowners who don’t qualify for a traditional loan from big banks. The mayor spoke about these priorities in a recent episode of City Cast Philly.
- A Home for Art and Artists. Rising housing costs, low pay, and unrecognized labor are among reasons why some artists consider ditching Philly for better opportunities. To counter these forces, Scout (the team behind Bok and the new Village of Industry and Art) is transforming UArts’ Furness Hall into an affordable housing complex for artists. The building includes workshop spaces, and the artist-residents will be connected to paid teaching gigs and commissions.
- Know Your Rights. If you’re a renter in the city, here’s how to spot red flags and here are organizations offering assistance.
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| What Philly's Talking About |
| Missing Women Likely Killed in Mysterious Olney Home | Philadelphia Police recovered digital materials that appear to depict the dead bodies of two women who had been reported missing several years ago. Hard drives with incriminating images were recovered at the home of Eugene Horsch, who is facing unrelated federal charges after a chance encounter at Independence Mall two months ago. His arrest unraveled a connection to missing women last seen at his home. [🎧 City Cast Philly] | | | Philly’s Gen Z Workforce Want More Opportunities | Gen Z adults like Philly for its vibrant social life, culture, and general affordability, but 58% of participants in a new Pew report say they’re likely to be living elsewhere in the next five to 10 years. Philly’s role as an anchor for eds and meds isn’t enough to keep residents looking for higher-paying jobs in other industries. [Philadelphia Citizen] | | What the AI Boom Means for Your Electric Bill | Data centers as large as Philadelphia International Airport are planned for development along the Schuylkill River. These hyperscale data centers need to guzzle a city’s worth of electricity in an hour to operate. Here’s how that cost could be reflected in your energy bill. [🎧 City Cast Philly, 🔒The Inquirer] | | Could Garrity’s Ambition Rival Shapiro’s? | Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity is hoping her rural roots, work ethic as state treasurer, and support from the president is enough to propel her uphill race. This profile takes a deep dive into her ambitions and experience. Her opponent, Gov. Shapiro, hopes Garrity’s MAGA ties work against her. [Spotlight PA] |
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| | | Every other Friday, we play a crossword puzzle that tests your knowledge of Philly trivia and news. Can you get all the answers right? | | If you want to keep playing, click the link below for past games. | | | |
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🛍️ ICYMI: This week’s Keep It Local dropped suggestions on where to do your back-to-school shopping. But you need something to carry your stuff in, right? If you sign up now for our membership program, you can get our exclusive “Neighbors Make Philly” tote bag. Not only will you look chic lugging your shopping, but you’re announcing what makes a real Philadelphian: being Neighborly. | | |
| — Siani Colón | This week’s newsletter was edited by Matt Katz. |
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