Tenants ask City Hall for $36 million to keep 925 West and Southwest Philly homes affordable

Tenants and two councilmembers rallied Tuesday in West Philadelphia to ask Mayor Cherelle L. Parker's administration for a $36 million commitment to keep about 925 homes affordable, the Philadelphia Tribune reported. They want the money committed before the end of the year.

The homes are owned by Neighborhood Restorations and are spread across West and Southwest Philadelphia. Their long-term affordability protections are ending as federal tax credits expire, the Tribune reported. Organizers said 225 homes have already lost their federal affordability subsidies, and more will reach that point over the next decade. For tenants, that can mean higher rents or having to move.

Who is asking, and what officials said

The campaign is led by West/Southwest Rising, a chapter of the statewide group One Pennsylvania, and has run for more than a year, according to the Tribune. The rally was held outside a Neighborhood Restorations complex in West Philadelphia.

• 3rd District Councilmember Jamie Gauthier said the mayor needs to "firmly commit those funds by the end of the year," the Tribune reported. She said the money could help keep roughly 3,000 residents in their homes.
• At-large Councilmember Rue Landau told tenants, "We don't want to replace you."
• State Reps. Rick Krajewski and Morgan Cephas also backed the effort.
• Councilmembers Curtis Jones Jr., Jim Harrity and Kendra Brooks have also said they support preserving the properties, the paper reported.

The Parker administration didn't respond to the Tribune's request for comment before publication.

How it connects to the city's housing money

Supporters say the request fits the goals of Parker's Housing Opportunities Made Easy plan, which includes preserving affordable housing. Gauthier pointed to the $800 million in bond funding Council approved for housing. The Tribune didn't report whether the city has said any of that money could go to these homes.

On the same day, the Inquirer reported on a review by City Controller Christy Brady that found the city had spent about $38 million of $278 million budgeted for the plan's first phase as of Sept. 30. Only 4 of 29 approved programs had spent money, the paper said. Our story on the controller's report.

What our records add

The housing plan's borrowing came through two Council votes:

• Bill 250568, passed 16-0 on June 12, 2025. It approved the financing agreement with the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority. The bill lists "housing production and preservation" first among the plan's uses, along with renter assistance and blight reduction (bill page).
• Bill 251065, passed 17-0 on Jan. 22, 2026. Gauthier was its co-sponsor with Council President Kenyatta Johnson (bill page). WHYY reported in January that Council had given final approval to the $800 million borrowing for the plan.

What's next

• The deadline the tenants set is the end of 2026.
• H.O.M.E. spending. The city has until June 30, 2027, to spend the rest of the first-phase money, the Inquirer reported.
• Budget season. Council's spring budget hearings are another public setting where members can ask the administration about preservation spending. Council next meets Oct. 29 and Nov. 12.