On November 15th, 2021, PACDC submitted written testimony on City Council Resolution # 210633 in support of the creation of Mixed-income Neighborhoods Overlay Districts.
As we all know, Philadelphia currently has the highest poverty rate of any large city in the country. We have seen past planning and development policies, and events such as the pandemic, serve to deepen and reinforce segregation, disinvestment, displacement and inequity in our City. At the same time, we are seeing how some neighborhoods are quickly gentrifying and becoming unaffordable for those who may have lived there their whole lifetimes or who have been working hard to raise families in a stable place. The data shows that 40%, or over 500,000, Philadelphians cannot afford their monthly rent or mortgage. It’s past time to find an array of strategies to help repair the harm. There are now numerous studies showing that mixed-income neighborhoods create long term positive opportunities and impacts for residents. A Mixed Income Neighborhood Overlay District is one very important tool to build more equitable neighborhoods.