The local councilmember is seeking a rezoning from commercial to residential in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, but local community members say the development will be priced out of their range.

Catalina Jaramillo reports from Philadelphia, where a proposal "to build 40 two-family rowhouses on vacant South Kensington lots and redevelop a former scrap yard into a luxury condo building has suffered a new setback."
"The proposal for the North American Street corridor is part of a set of two rezoning bills introduced by Councilmember María Quiñones-Sánchez in June. The second bill creates an overlay on the street between Oxford Street and Lehigh Avenue to allow residential use in what’s currently an industrial corridor designed to be a job center," explains Jamarrilo of the cause of an ongoing development controversy.
The proposal has run into opposition from long-time Black and Latino residents of the area, who argue that "they won’t be able to afford the housing promised by the projects, and that they will lose job opportunities and open space in the area."
That opposition led to a vote by the Philadelphia Planning Commission in August that only approved the portion of the project: "On Tuesday, commissioners approved the bill that would allow multi-family residential units on the N. American Street industrial corridor, but unanimously rejected the measure to use vacant lots currently in the hands of the Land Bank to create mixed-income housing and a condo in the former scrap yard."
As noted in the article, the Philadelphia Planning Commission serves an advisory role, like most planning commissions in the United States, so elected officials could yet ignore the commission's decision and proceed with the development and rezoning as proposed.
FULL STORY: City Planning Commission rejects plans for affordable housing on ‘very small lots’

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.

Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.

Portland Council Tentatively Approves Sidewalk Repair Plan
The proposal would address sidewalk needs in Portland’s District 1 and District 4.

Expanding Access to Design Education at Honolulu Community College
Honolulu Community College’s Architecture, Engineering & Construction Technologies program highlights the role of community colleges in preparing nontraditional students for careers in architectural and construction technologies.

Integrating Human Rights Into Energy and Extractive Sector Transitions
Why just transition efforts must move beyond economic considerations by embedding human rights principles into business practices to ensure equitable, transparent, and accountable outcomes for affected communities and workers.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
Tyler Technologies
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions