DEVELOPING ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS PHILADELPHIA

Transcription

1 DEVELOPING ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS PHILADELPHIA As Philadelphia s economy grows, the financial well- being of every Philadelphian must grow with it. That takes purposeful, targeted investments from city government. We are past the time when we can rely on a rising tide to lift all boats. - Jim Kenney Jim Kenney knows that Philadelphia s future economic vitality is dependent on what happens to the neighborhoods outside of Center City. In order for all Philadelphians to be included in our city s progress, every community must have access to quality and affordable housing, local employment opportunities, and vibrant businesses that generate jobs. Philadelphia is Pennsylvania s biggest city, five times larger than next largest, Pittsburgh. Northwest Philadelphia with 161,000 residents has a greater population than the third largest city in the Commonwealth. With this understanding, Jim will take a neighborhood- by- neighborhood approach to economic development, investing directly in neighborhood businesses and the communities that surround them. Commercial Corridors as Gateways to Improvement Neighborhood businesses or commercial corridors can either be the catalysts and connectors for the community or a drag where crime and vacancy take place. These corridors require both private investment from entrepreneurs and business owners, and a public investment in time, money and resources from government or nonprofit organizations. Jim has experience in this exact kind of neighborhood investment through his efforts redeveloping East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia. Working alongside then Councilman Frank DiCicco, Kenney helped transform a commercial strip that was floundering. East Passyunk Avenue had a high number of vacant storefronts and properties in need of investment and repair. Kenney, working with government and nonprofit partners, was able to turn East Passyunk into a vibrant community center that was recently ranked one of the top 10 foodie streets in the country by Food and Wine Magazine. For too long Philadelphia has been reliant on this one- off approach to neighborhood corridor development, instead of developing a holistic strategic approach. The Kenney administration will develop this strategic plan because he knows Philadelphia can and should be doing more to support commercial corridor development. As Mayor, Jim will: 1

2 End Scattershot Approach to Development. Under the direction of the Managing Director and Commerce Director, Jim Kenney will ensure that his Administration is working together under one plan to assist communities and entrepreneurs in developing commercial corridors. A 2009 report from Econsult found Philadelphia lagging behind because of this scattershot approach to corridor development, something that was echoed in previous reports by Econsult in 2003 and the William Penn Foundation in Yet, in 2015, Philadelphia is still without a genuine strategic plan. By the end of his first year in office, Jim Kenney s administration will create, adopt, and begin implementation of a strategic plan for true commercial corridor redevelopment. Use CDCs and Land Bank to Facilitate Business Development. One of the keys to developing East Passyunk Avenue was a nonprofit organization gaining ownership of multiple and strategic properties on the corridor and then helping subsidize start- up businesses through lower rents or sales. Through partnerships between the Land Bank, the City, and Community Development Corporations, this model can be used on a larger scale. The Kenney administration will use resources through PIDC to lend to CDC s who may find financing difficult when purchasing mixed- use or commercial properties. Jim will also direct the Land Bank to take ownership of commercial and mixed- use properties along corridors to ensure that they are not held by speculators waiting for the next possible boom. Expand CLIP to Attack and Eliminate Blight. The City must also penalize speculators and negligent property owners by fully enforcing the Doors and Windows Ordinance, a program championed by Jim when he was in City Council. The Department of Licenses and Inspections is already stretched thin, and would be better focused on enforcing the Building Code and ensuring that building and construction in Philadelphia are being conducted safely. Instead, Philadelphia s Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP) should take over regulating this ordinance as well as the Property Maintenance Code. In 2013, CLIP cleaned over 35,000 vacant lots and picked up over five thousand tons of trash. 2 As Mayor, Jim will expand CLIP to assist commercial corridor development groups, whether CDC s, Business Improvement Districts (BID), or others by helping clean and maintain the streets, while also enforcing code violations and punishing property speculators. Use Tax Incentive Districts to Further Development. Philadelphia government has supported the use of Tax Increment Financing Districts (TIF) for various one- off projects or developments. Most of these developments have been in or around Center City, and at the request of major developers looking to reduce the costs of a major construction project. However, other cities like Chicago have leveraged these districts to create development opportunities for more people, and specifically in neighborhoods outside of the downtown core. 1 Econsult Solutions. Commercial Corridors: A Strategic Investment Framework for Philadelphia. March City of Philadelphia. Community Life Improvement Programs. Fiscal Year 2013 Statistics. 2

3 Chicago has 163 TIF Districts, covering nearly 30% of the City. A targeted approach to Chicago s Uptown neighborhood allowed the City to protect many historic properties, improve storefronts and allow for further increased investment. 3 There has been recent criticism of Chicago s TIF use, and rightly so considering the expanse of the program and its lack of transparency until recent years. A targeted use of tax districts like this, in Northwest or West Philadelphia for instance, could capitalize on existing development, and spur increased investment. As Mayor, Jim will learn from Chicago s successes and shortcomings, and explore the use of TIF districts on commercial corridors. Jim will also explore the viability of Neighborhood Improvement Zones in Philadelphia. First authorized by the Commonwealth in Allentown, these zones allow for state bond funds to be used for development, and then repay those funds with increased tax revenue. Through the first five years of the program, Allentown has large- scale development in its downtown zone, with a new sports arena and the redevelopment of a long- closed brewery. 4 Currently, only Allentown, Bethlehem and Lancaster are permitted to use this program. Ensure City- Business Cooperation. It is an understatement to say that opening and operating a business in Philadelphia is difficult and all too often demoralizing for an entrepreneur. This difficulty is due in large part to the failure of agencies to coordinate their services and actions on commercial corridors. As outlined in a previous policy paper, Jim will appoint a strong Managing Director to break down interdepartmental silos that hurt governmental productivity and heighten citizen displeasure with government. Licenses and Inspections is the government agency most encountered by many business owners and the experience must be improved. Through strategic investments, reorganization of L&I s permitting and licensing systems, and the full implementation of the Project eclipse I.T. improvements, L&I s business enforcement will work much better. Specifically pertaining to commercial corridors, L&I will provide better communication to corridor managers when new business or construction permits are issued for properties in their service area. Also, L&I and CLIP will work proactively to address longstanding property violation, and share information with corridor managers so they can alert businesses that the City is working to fix the problem. Additional City Departments must also be involved. Jim will direct his Police Commissioner to provide enhanced service on commercial corridors through foot patrols and business interaction. Additional and better lighting has been crucial to improving Center City and, over his term, Jim will work with corridor managers to increase the frequency and quality of corridor lighting. Jim will also work to expand the use of CCTV and security cameras owned by both the City and private businesses. Jim will work with City Council to expand the tax incentive program 3 Council of Development Finance Agencies. Tax Increment Finance Best Practice Guide Marielle Segarra. What is a Neighborhood Improvement Zone?. Keystone Crossroads. WHYY. October 7,

4 for businesses to install security cameras on the exterior of their property and enroll in the Philly SafeCam program with the Police Department. Support Immigrant Entrepreneurs. From , 18% of small business growth, and 96% of main street, or commercial corridors business growth has been from immigrant entrepreneurs. 5 Immigrants make up 10% of the Philadelphia population, but 14% of all business owners, and 28% of main street business owners. 6 During his time on City Council, Jim consistently advocated for the rights and interests of recent immigrants and new Philadelphians, and his efforts paid off. Philadelphia has sustained its first population growth in decades due to an influx of foreign born and 1st generation americans. The 7th Street and 9th Street corridors in South Philadelphia, and the 52nd Street and Baltimore Avenue corridors in West Philadelphia have been revived through the hard work of these new Philadelphians. Jim believes the City can and should be doing more to support these entrepreneurs. As Mayor, Jim will make additional government resources available in more languages so non- native english speakers can get the services they need. Kenney s Commerce Department will also have dedicated multilingual staff in order to provide a high level of service to these business owners who need it. Use Commercial Corridors as Housing Opportunities. Commercial corridors are only successful when the surrounding neighborhood is desirable and diverse. Far too many Philadelphians are living in unsafe and unhealthy housing. Many commercial corridors in Philadelphia also have high levels of vacancy in their 2nd and 3rd floor units. Renovating and restoring these units into affordable housing presents a perfect situation to create density on the corridors, and a central business base for both employment and business patronage. Current City programs to support corridor development, such as the Storefront Improvement Program (SIP), only allow expense reimbursement for certain projects, and federal rules make the program virtually unusable for many property owners. As Mayor, Jim will invest City General Fund dollars, and Housing Trust Fund dollars, to enhance the impact of commercial corridors development and reduce vacancy on all floors of these crucial properties. Jim is dedicated to replacing the federal Community Development Block Grant funding for the SIP to make the facilitation of the program easier, and doubling it s funding level over his first term. High- Quality and Affordable Housing Jim Kenney knows that improving Philadelphia s neighborhoods will require improvements and additions to Philadelphia s housing stock. Built for a City of 2.5 million people, Philadelphia s aging 5 Americas Society/Council of the Americas. Bringing Vitality to Main Street: How Immigrant Small Businesses Help Local Economies Grow. January Id. 4

5 housing stock has seen decades of vacancy and disinvestment. With 42% of Philadelphians currently struggling to maintain their housing, Philadelphia must truly tackle this issue now. 7 As Mayor, Jim will: Coordinate Housing Agencies for Maximum Efficiency and Effect. Philadelphia is home to many alphabet soup housing and development agencies, and far too often these groups are not all coordinated in their approaches. Recent efforts to create the Philadelphia Land Bank have tried to break down these barriers and move forward, but there remains a risk that this will just add an additional bureaucracy into an already bureaucratic process. Jim Kenney knows that in order for Philadelphia to move forward, all agencies need to be communicating and working in concert with each other. Among others, Jim will bring together the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority (PRA), Philadelphia Housing Development Corporation (PHDC), Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) and the Philadelphia Land Bank into one Affordable Housing Council. This Council will meet regularly to ensure agencies are coordinating effectively and efficiently. Coordinate Housing Repair and Counseling Programs. Repairing and preserving Philadelphia s current housing stock is significantly less expensive than demolishing and building brand new homes. Keeping up with needed repairs for many Philadelphians barely making mortgage or rent payments has led to a housing stock in need of a fair amount of work. Unfortunately, due to cuts to the City s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, Philadelphia only spends $10 million a year on its Basic Systems Repair Program, and the program wait- list is nearly four years long. In total, the Year 41 Consolidated Plan only accounts $20 million a year for Housing Preservation. 8 Jim knows that more funding is necessary, but he also believes the current funding can and should be spent more efficiently. As with the overall housing agencies, repair and preservation programs must be coordinated. There is no sense in making someone wait years for needed electrical repairs to then have them wait on the same list again for plumbing repairs that could have been done when the walls were open the first time. As Mayor, Jim will work to ensure that every dollar spent in these programs is spent wisely. Each repair request will be considered along with an overall housing assessment which will determine other needed repairs. In addition, each request will include housing counseling, so that if repairs are either too costly or too extensive, the constituent can receive advice and guidance on other housing opportunities. Developing New Affordable Housing. Repairing and preserving Philadelphia s aging building stock is only one answer to providing quality, affordable housing. New affordable units can and 7 Office of Housing and Community Development. Consolidated Plan. Fiscal Year Office of Housing and Community Development. Year 41 Consolidated Plan. Fiscal Year

6 should be developed, and partnerships with the private sector will be key in this endeavor. As Mayor, Jim will: Expand Incentives for Private Development of Affordable Housing. Jim Kenney was instrumental in the adoption of the new Philadelphia Zoning Code in 2012 after several years of development. Kenney, along with former Councilman Frank DiCicco, introduced the first legislation to begin the Zoning Code Commission in One important recent addition to the new Code is an inclusionary zoning provision, allowing additional units in a building that includes units for moderate income individuals who earn 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), $63,050 for a family of four in Philadelphia. 9 Developers can also receive this bonus for making a contribution of the Housing Trust Fund (HTF), which allows the City to build and maintain additional affordable housing. Developers have not shown a desire to seek these additional bonuses yet however, with few projects building new affordable units. Jim will work with housing advocates to revise these incentives. In addition to more units, Jim is dedicated to requiring developers pay a higher amount to the HTF in return for receiving these special zoning considerations. Through increased fees and investments like these, Jim is committed to the doubling the funding for the Housing Trust Fund over the next five years. As Mayor, Jim will work with City Council to amend the Code to further incentivize affordable development, and also amend the AMI requirements so more low- to- moderate income development is created. Mayor Bill de Blasio in New York City has called for mixed- income requirements on their inclusionary zoning policies. A yearly income of $63,050 and charged rent accordingly will still be too high for a struggling family in many parts of Philadelphia. Reducing this amount to 60% ($47,280) or 50% ($39,400) will allow for more individuals to access this housing. 10 Jim would also move to make this housing stay at affordable rates longer. The Code current only requires this housing remain at affordable rates for 15 years. Jim will work to extend this limit to 25 years or longer depending on the project. Some Mayoral candidates have called for the mandatory inclusion of a certain number of affordable housing units in every multi- unit development project, but this isn t currently a practical solution for Philadelphia. Cities that have done this successfully, like San Francisco, have very robust and strong housing markets. Groups like Philadelphia Association of Community Development Associations have argued that doubling the Housing Trust Fund is a better and more achievable goal for Philadelphia. While the 9 Office of Housing and Community Development. Median Income Reference Table Id. 6

7 City s housing market has improved markedly, it has not yet reached the level necessary to sustain a mandate of this order. Effectively Use and Fund the Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund. In 2005, Jim was proud to support the creation of the Philadelphia Housing Trust Fund (HTF) as a recurring source of funds to ensure the development and maintenance of affordable housing in Philadelphia. Revenue for the Fund is provided by fees on mortgage and deed recording and by contributions from developers and other entities. 11 The Funds resources were depleted during the financial recession, but by FY 2013, the Fund had nearly regained its prior footing at $12.7 million. This level is too low still however for the Fund to reach its potential. As Mayor, Jim will support a small increase of $25 for each fee, which will provide an additional $5 million a year for the Fund. Jim also supports Council President Clarke s initiative to create an additional 2,000 affordable housing units in Philadelphia. This plans calls for an investment of HTF funds to leverage additional grant funding of up to $200 million from the federal and state government. The Kenney administration will partner with City Council, the Building Trades and other groups to move this plan forward. Develop Workforce Housing Opportunities. Philadelphia s development boom has led to increasing rent and development, specifically in Center City. Jim Kenney believes that more of a focus can and should be made on developing affordable options in neighborhoods. In 2014, the completion of the Oxford Mills development marked a watershed moment for Philadelphia s affordable housing scene. This 114 unit development in an old dye- factory included 60 percent of its units as reduced rent reserved for teachers. 12 Additionally, a new project in the East Poplar neighborhood which is part of Council President Clarke s plan will include new homes for purchase at reduced rates. 13 Here, the City sold the vacant land at a reduced rate for the assurance of certain units being developed for affordable workforce housing. As Mayor, Jim will expand on this concept. The Kenney administration will work with employers located in Philadelphia, and those looking to locate in Philadelphia, to partner and develop housing that is safe and affordable. This will expand the tax base for new Philadelphians, and give current Philadelphians job opportunities, along with opportunities to purchase or rent a safe and affordable place to live and raise their family. Develop Sustainable Affordable Housing. Jim Kenney consistently supported sustainable development opportunities during his time on City Council. From the first 11 City Council Bill Signed July 8, New York Times. With an Old Factory, Philadelphia Is Hoping to Draw New Teachers. Jon Hurdle. May 4, Plan Philly. Blighted East Poplar block to be built out with 'workforce housing'. Jared Brey. March 25,

8 Green Roof Tax Credit program to reflective roof requirements and building benchmarking and LEED certified construction, Jim has been a leader or sustainable development. 14 As Mayor, Jim will continue this work. One specific project that should be a model for future development is the Paseo Verde project in North Philadelphia. This $48 million transit- oriented development was the first LEED Platinum certified Neighborhood Development project in the country. 15 With 120 units available for people from 20 percent to 80 percent of AMI, this project was both affordable and neighborhood centered. 16 Jim will work to develop additional projects like Paseo Verde that take advantage of Philadelphia s available vacant land to create environmentally friendly and affordable housing. Cultivating and Supporting Small Businesses Improving Philadelphia s economic situation must include improving conditions for small businesses looking to open and operate in Philadelphia. Jim Kenney has consistently supported efforts to cut government red- tape and improve interactions with small businesses. In 2011, Jim sponsored legislation to exempt new businesses from paying license fees and certain businesses taxes within the first two years of operation so long as they hired at least six Philadelphia workers. 17 Jim has also sponsored legislation to create tax credits for sustainable businesses who are good environmental actors and give back to their community. 18 Building on these efforts, Jim will: Support Small Banks and Credit Unions in Philadelphia. Jim believes that for far too long the City of Philadelphia has been doing big business with big banks that do not represent Philadelphia s interests. Kenney led an effort in 2012 to shed light on the tens of millions of dollars lost by the City and School District due to fraud and collusion on behalf of large banks. 19 As a result of Jim s efforts the City filed suit against these banks for their actions, and just before leaving Council to run for Mayor, Jim introduced legislation to strip two of the worst actors, Bank of America and Citibank as City Depositories, or holders of the City s money. 20 The right to hold and lend off of the City s funds should be earned, and not just assumed because of a bank s connections or size. While financial implications require the City to maintain relationships with larger banks, Jim Kenney believes that Philadelphia should also be doing more to invest in local banks and credit unions who are actually investing in our communities and small business owners. 14 City Council Bills , A, Building America, Community Development Entity. Paseo Verde. May Id. 17 City Council Bill A 18 City Council Bill Catherine Lucey. Kenney wants to limit city s use of exotic debt swaps. October 24, City Council Bill

9 Large banks have a poor record of loaning funds to small businesses. In 2010, Citibank had $800 billion in deposits, but only loaned $62 million through the Small Business Administration s programming,.0078% of their deposits. 21 A local community bank, Valley Green, uses about 35% of their deposits to make small business loans. 22 Jim has a history of supporting these smaller community banks. In 1992, his first year in office, Jim supported the listing of United Bank of Philadelphia as a City Depository. United Bank was the first African- American controlled and managed bank to be listed as a depository for City funds. As Mayor, Jim will work to add more local, community- based banks so that the City s cash reserves can be used to support local businesses, instead of corporate profit or CEO bonuses. Provide Better Small Business Support. Philadelphia s nonprofit and higher education institutions provide great supports for small business owners, but the City government does not do a good enough job connecting these resources with business owners. Groups like Penn and Temple s Small Business Development Centers, along with the Women s Small Business Development Center provide great service for business owners and entrepreneurs, but Jim Kenney believes government has a responsibility to be a hub for these resources. As Mayor, Jim will partner with these groups to develop a Philadelphia Small Business Resource Center as suggested by the National League of Cities. 23 Kansas City s KC Bizcare program will be the model for a small business development office in city government under a Kenney administration. This program utilizes ambassadors that personally walk small business owners through the regulatory process, provides public access to city databases for zoning and permitting and, overall makes government more friendly and cooperative to business. 24 As Mayor, Jim will direct his Managing Director to develop a similar program by taking existing personnel who interact with small business owners in L&I, Revenue, Health, and Streets into one office for a one- stop- shop experience for our city s entrepreneurs. Additionally, Jim will implement programs similar to New York City s Business Express and Business Acceleration programs which streamline the regulatory and permitting processes for established industries. 25 This allows both government and business to coordinate better, and several departments can interact with a business owner at the same time, reducing wait times and increasing bureaucratic efficiency. Implement MyPhila.gov Government Interaction Portal. Small business owners should not have to spend valuable time and effort to wade through government bureaucracies. The 21 Janean Chun. More Small Businesses Are Pulling Their Accounts Out Of Big Banks. Huffington Post. May 22, Id. 23 National League of Cities. Big Ideas for Small Business. May Id. 25 Id. 9

10 concourse at the Municipal Service Building, while important, should not be the only place to access government services, especially in this digital era. Jim Kenney will implement MyPhila.gov, which will be a personalized portal that will track and recognize a citizen or business owners interaction with government. A business owner who has applied for a permit from L&I or the Health Department will be able to track the various stages of approval, and make payments to the City online. A contractor will be able to schedule a worksite inspection online, and track the status of permit requests. Additionally, other government departments will be able to track and understand the interactions the business owner or citizen has had with government, and ensure that steps are not repeated, and redundancies become a thing of the past. Philadelphia must take a giant leap forward in the next four years in order to become a 21st century government. Jim Kenney has the passion and knowledge to get this done. Develop Anchor Institution Procurement System. As mentioned in a previous policy paper, Jim Kenney will bring together Philadelphia s largest purchasers of goods and services to ensure that they are using their money to support Philadelphia based businesses and employers through an anchor institution procurement network. The University of Pennsylvania for instance spent 11% or $85.7 million of their procurement budget on goods and services from local businesses last year. Jim will increase this spending by using the model developed in Chicago which analyzes the product and service needs of the City and large institutions, and then matches those needs with local small and medium sized businesses. This business- to- business network allows businesses to increase their volume, grow their capacity and access a larger client pool. A report from the City Controller found that by increasing spending by local large Philadelphia institutions by 12%, Philadelphia business revenue can increase by $640 million, create 4,400 new jobs, and provide an additional $14 million in tax revenue. 26 Support Benefit (B) Corporations. Jim Kenney has recognized and understood the importance and advantages of Public Benefit, or B Corporations for years. B Corporations are for- profit entities whose purpose also includes providing a public benefit. These businesses have the advantage of the access to capital of a purely private company, and also provide environmental or social benefits. Jim sponsored and passed a landmark Sustainable Business Tax Credit, which incentivized more businesses to become certified as B Corporations, and in 2012 the Commonwealth followed his lead in recognizing these businesses at the state level. Two Philadelphia- based B Corporations, Homecare Associates and Re:Vision Architecture were recognized as two of the best B Corporations in the world. 27 As Mayor, Jim will expand the tax credit so more businesses can participate. Jim will also bring together the City s B Corporations so that their social benefits are known and coordinated for maximum effect. 26 Office of the City Controller. SURVEY OF THE CURRENT AND POTENTIAL IMPACT OF LOCAL PROCUREMENT BY PHILADELPHIA ANCHOR INSTITUTIONS. January Kristen Gillette. Generocity.org. TWO PHILADELPHIA BUSINESSES MAKE B CORP S BEST FOR THE WORLD LIST. 10

11 More Opportunities for Minority, Women, Veteran and Disabled Owned Business Enterprises (M/ W/ DSBEs). The Office of Economic Opportunity has done much better in recent years at ensuring that the Philadelphia Code s requirements for Economic Opportunity plans are met and reviewed and their work has garnered results. The Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Participation Report and Economic Opportunity Plan (EOP) Review shows that $266.5 million of City and Quasi- Public Agency contracts were awarded to M/W/DSBEs, representing a 29.4% participation rate. 28 The Nutter Administration had set a 25% participation rate for FY14, so they exceeded this goal, and have raised the goal to 30% for FY15. However, as Councilman W. Wilson Goode, Jr. has spoken of on several occasions, there are a number of City contracts that are excluded from this participatory goal due to complexity or a lack of these business enterprises being involved in certain industries. As Mayor, Jim will work to reduce the number of excluded contracts by fostering the development of more M/W/DSBEs in industries where the City lacks them now, and developing more of these enterprises across the board. Jim is dedicated to raising the number of certified qualifying firms by 50% in his first term, and raising the participatory goal to at least 35%. Efficient and Effective City Planning In 2007, with the help of former Councilman Frank DiCicco, Jim Kenney helped establish the Zoning Code Commission that rewrote the Zoning Code. 29 The new code is now nearly up to 21 st century standards, allows for greater input from community groups, and creates a clearer set of rules of regulations for developers to follow. Along with this new code, the Planning Commission is currently undergoing a district by district review of the City known as Philadelphia While there are three district plans underway, and seven completed, eight more district plans have yet to begin. Philadelphia can and should be doing better. As Mayor, Jim will: Speed- up and Implement District Plan Process. The district by district planning process underway for the Philadelphia 2035 plan is vital to implementing the new zoning code and ensuring that future development isn t hampered. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC) staff has done great work in finishing and implementing the district plans finished so far, but there is a need for additional resources. The Commission had its budget cut during the economic recession, and has fewer than 35 full- time staff members. 30 With a small investment of $1 million a year over three years, PCPC can significantly speed- up the remapping process. Jim will provide this money by instituting a reverse auctioning system and Zero- Based Budgeting, which will ultimately generate $145 million in savings. While $90 million of that revenue would be allocated to public schools, $3 million will go towards remapping. 28 Office of Economic Opportunity. Fiscal Year 2014 Annual Report. 29 City Council Bill and Resolution A 30 PCPC FY2015 Budget Testimony 11

12 Finishing the process of remapping and accepting community input is one step in the process however. In order to fully implement these plans the next Mayor must work with City Council, and specifically District Councilmembers, to introduce and pass necessary zoning legislation. If the next Mayor is unable to effectively work with City Council, this entire Philadelphia 2035 planning process will be ineffective. Jim Kenney, after working in City Council with these members on a daily basis, can get this done. Appoint Qualified and Experienced Individuals to the Zoning Board of Adjustment. The new zoning code should have made the job of the Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) easier, but the failure to quickly and efficiently remap City properties into correct zoning and use classifications has led to more and more requests for variances and special exceptions. The City Paper reported last year that the Philadelphia ZBA was scheduled to hear more variance requests than their counterparts in much larger New York City. 31 Jim Kenney will begin to fix this system through quicker and more efficient remapping as described above, but he also believes that the appointees to the board can make a difference. As Mayor, Jim will only appoint professional and qualified individuals with experience in development. This will include architects, community development specialists, and business community members who are experts in development and zoning matters. Our neighborhood economies will only thrive if we invest directly in the neighborhood and its business owners. It s not a complicated concept, but it s been too infrequently applied, with politicians preferring to help out wealthy corporations and promising that money will trickle down. As mayor, I m going to invest directly in Philadelphia s neighborhoods. - Jim Kenney 31 Ryan Briggs. Why Philly's zoning board is still so dysfunctional. City Paper. July 10,