Wednesday, December 4 at 6:00 P.M.

6:15 P.M.             A Philadelphia Land Bank: An Approach to Addressing Vacant Property … Jill Feldstein, Organizing and Advocacy Coordinator, Women’s Community Revitalization Project

A land bank is a public authority created to efficiently handle acquisition, maintenance, and sale of vacant properties. Land banks are a best practice that more than 75 governments have adopted, including Cleveland, Louisville, and Atlanta. The creation of a land bank authority is currently being discussed in Philadelphia; on October 28, the Public Property and Public Works Committee of Philadelphia City Council held a hearing on the Philadelphia Land Bank legislation. The Committee voted to give the bill a favorable recommendation meaning that it can now move to the full Council. Ms. Feldstein, one of the authors of the Philadelphia land bank legislation, will discuss issues surrounding land banks and next steps for Philadelphia.

6:45 P.M.             The Urban Garden Initiative… Aissia Richardson, Vice President of Operations, Uptown Entertainment & Development Corp

The Urban Garden Initiative transformed a vacant lot with rampant dumping, prostitution, and drug dealing to a meeting space for Philadelphia’s Broad Street community. Ms. Richardson will present the history, challenges, and issues surrounding the revitalization of this formerly vacant lot on North Broad Street.

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