Outdated zoning codes and land use policies severely restrict the number of available homes in the city. Overuse of single-family zoning districts across the city is mismatched to the current needs of residents and is driving the costs of new housing out of reach for the majority of Philadelphians. 

Options like Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Single Room Occupancies (SROs) or multiplexes are lower-cost, flexible housing types that allow residents to choose options that work for them, but due to zoning restrictions, are disallowed in much of the city. The exclusionary history of most residential zoning is unsuitable for a Philadelphia that is welcoming to all, and our city's most vibrant neighborhoods have a rich variety of housing types and sizes that zoning changes could allow everywhere in the city. Building abundant and dense housing in all neighborhoods reduces demand for existing housing and stabilizes housing prices for both renters and homeowners.

The City Council’s deference to local councilmember preference elevates the concerns of outspoken, well-connected neighbors while neglecting the needs of other residents, potential new neighbors, and our city’s overall need to grow our housing supply. 

It is past time for councilmembers to surrender parcel-by-parcel control over land use approvals. More uniform zoning and housing development processes will allow more people to live in areas of opportunity in Philadelphia and reduce costs by eliminating red-tape and long, uncertain development timelines. It will also help the city put blighted properties and the large number of vacant lots in the city back into productive use

We support eliminating minimum parking requirements for all of Philadelphia’s zoning categories. Parking requirements for residential, office, and mixed-use developments are a regressive hidden tax on non-drivers and homebuilders that makes housing more expensive, incentivizes driving and congestion, and results in increased traffic and more cars in the surrounding neighborhood.

The 2025 SEPTA funding crisis has brought to our attention the critical lack of reliable transit funding in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. The two-year stopgap funding solution identified in the fall of 2025 is not a long-term solution. The raiding of capital funds for operational expenses has resulted in infrastructure literally catching fire, with no plan or ability to replace it. 

Accessibility in transit has broad and diverse meanings. We believe Philadelphians should have transit service in their neighborhood, within a reasonable distance, at frequent and reliable intervals. This means transit must be affordable to our most vulnerable neighbors. Access should go beyond ADA guidelines to serve those who experience disability (whether physical or cognitive, permanent or temporary) in whatever mode best suits their travel needs.