In a special session of City Council dedicated to housing held on March 24, 2025, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announced her proposed Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) Plan to build, restore, and preserve 30,000 homes in the City of Philadelphia. Mayor Parker emphasized that input from City Council, the H.O.M.E. Advisory Board, and other stakeholders would continue to shape and improve the plan.
Key components of the proposed plan include:
Unprecedented $2 Billion Public Investment:
The plan proposes $2 billion in public sector funding, encompassing $800 million in bonds; local, state, and federal funding streams; and $1 billion in publicly owned land. To expedite implementation of the plan, the first $400 million in bonds will be issued in FY26.
Ambitious Production & Preservation Goals:
Reaching the Mayor’s 30,000 homes goal entails producing 13,500 new housing units and preserving 16,500 homes, for both renters and homeowners.
New Programs & Initiatives:
Among the innovative housing solutions proposed in the plan are the ONE Philly Mortgage to make mortgages more widely available and less expensive, a Home Service Clearinghouse and Conciergeto protect residents from unscrupulous contractors, and a Curbside Appeal Program of matching grants for beautifying residential blocks.
Investing in What Works:
The H.O.M.E. Plan also calls for maintaining and expanding the many successful housing programs that already exist in Philadelphia, several of which are national models.
Streamlining Land Bank Processes:
A multipronged strategy detailed in the plan will enable the Land Bank to bring more land, more quickly, to productive use for housing. This includes exercising the Land Bank’s priority bid option at Sheriff’s sales; a new, user-friendly website; a Land Bank Acquisition Fund; a comprehensive review of operations; and close collaboration with district council members to expedite small projects on public land.
“Beyond public safety, there is no more pressing issue for Philadelphia than access to housing,” stated Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. “We are ready now [to move forward] as One Philly, A United City!”
