City Council approves transfer of dozens of vacant sites to ‘Turn the Key’ affordable housing program

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia City Council Thursday approved the transfer of dozens of vacant properties to the affordable housing program, “Turn the Key.”

Councilmember Jaime Gauthier sponsored resolutions turning 66 properties over to the city’s Turn the Key program, to provide sites for 90 affordable houses for first-time buyers or city employees. She says the program achieves multiple positive impacts.

“We are opening access to affordable home ownership in a neighborhood that has been calling out for it,” she said. “We are building the capacity of nine Black and Brown developers who understand our communities and want to do well by them and we’re using the city’s vacant land and resources for good.”

That includes eliminating vacant, often blighted land to improve access to housing, and increasing the capacity of minority-owned contractors who’ll be building the units.

More units are in the offing, as members introduced transfers for three dozen more sites to the program.

Council also approved a hearing in the Special Committee on Kensington to explore improving outreach to those with substance abuse disorder, sponsored by District 7 Councilmember Quetcy Lozada.

“I believe in creating a system that provides the fast, robust recovery system that the people we see suffering on our streets need,” she said.