If you’re not sure of what rights you have as a property renter, you can learn more at this week’s Tenant Rights Workshop in West Philly. The workshop will take place at Blackwell Regional Library (52nd and Sansom) on Wednesday, Jan.24, beginning at 6 p.m. and will cover various issues related to landlords or rental properties, including:

• Threats of eviction
• Concerns about getting priced out of your rental unit
• Discrimination in finding housing
• Questions about your rights as a renter

The workshop is presented by the Tenant Union Representative Network (TURN) and The Enterprise Center (TEC). Their work in the area is supported with funding from the City of Philadelphia’s Division of Housing and Community Development.

For more information, check out the event Facebook page.

The Post Bros. have placed their zoning application for a 243-unit addition to Garden Court Plaza at 4701 Pine St. on hold following a public meeting last week, according to the Garden Court Community Association.

A large majority of the approximately 70 people in attendance opposed the plan, which requires special zoning approval from the city. Public comment is factored into that decision. Much of the opposition focused on the availability of affordable housing and parking.

“The Post Brothers have heard our voices loud and clear and want to work with the community to address the issues raised at the meeting,” reads a statement on the Garden Court Community Association website. “They do not intend to proceed with the project without community support. As a result, their zoning application has been put on hold. GCCA Zoning Committee will be working with the Post Brothers to meaningfully address our community’s concerns, especially with regards to housing affordability.”  Continue Reading

4508-10 Walnut Street (Google Street View image).

Residents are invited to get more information about development projects in Spruce Hill at a Spruce Hill Zoning Committee meeting, which will take place at the Spruce Hill Center (257 S. 45th St.) on Monday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m.. The committee will inform neighborhood residents about two proposals: Conversion of the three-unit building at 424 S. 45th St. to five units and an application to divide the current nine apartments at 4508-10 Walnut St. into smaller units (for a total of 18 units).

The 9,251 square feet building at 4508-10 Walnut St. is owned by Safdan Partners LLC. Eighteen units are proposed from partially on the first floor to the fourth floor of the building, which also houses two storefronts currently occupied by LULU Cafe and Hunter Gatherer Tattoo.

The meeting has been rescheduled from January 8.

SEPTA is reminding its customers who still use tokens that token sales at cashiers’ booths and vending machines at Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line stations will be phased out starting Monday, Jan. 22. The phase-out of sales at cashiers’ booths will continue through the first week of February. Then, starting Monday, Feb. 12 and continuing through the week of Feb. 28, all remaining vending machines will be removed.

The full schedule is now available online at www.septa.org.  Continue Reading

Post Bros. co-founder Mike Pestronk during presentation of the proposed addition to the Garden Court Plaza at 47th and Pine at last night’s Garden Court zoning committee meeting.

A crowd of about 70 people gathered to hear about a proposed 243-unit addition to the Garden Court Plaza complex on the 4700 block of Pine Street voted overwhelmingly against the plan.

Proposed building rendering (view from Pine Street).

Post Bros., the current owners of Garden Court Plaza, want to erect an adjacent building that would bring the total number of residential units of the complex at the corner of 47th and Pine to 389. The plan requires the city to issue variances for both building height and density. Current zoning for the site allows for a building with a maximum height of 38 feet. The proposal would double the density maximum for the site, currently set at 170 units.  Continue Reading

Pine Street between 46th and 47th has been closed to through traffic for days due to a water leak and a sinkhole. Residents reported the leak at the beginning of last week, and then a Water Department truck responding to the call fell in the sinkhole on Friday, Jan. 12.

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) reports a significant increase in customer service calls in January 2018, which is causing a growing backlog. A lot of the calls are reports of water main breaks in the city. For comparison, in January 2017, there was a total of 117 water main breaks for the month. In the first 15 days of January 2018, some 176 water main breaks were reported. As of January 17, the Department still had 170 leak investigations outstanding.

“We are doing our best to get those assigned and inspected,” reads a PWD statement. “We have crews working at an almost 24/7 pace right now, and we are attempting to address each issue brought to our attention as quickly as we can.”  Continue Reading