Empty Lots
Empty lots—parcels of property with no housing or other structure—are often a sign of urban neighborhoods in decline, without sufficient economic resources to sustain them. In many poor neighborhoods, empty lots become places where illegal activity can take place, trash gets disposed of, and in other ways is an eyesore for the neighborhood.
Homelessness and Shelters
Homeless shelters are temporary residences for homeless people. Homeless shelters are usually open to anyone, without regard to the reason for need. Some shelters limit their clientele by gender or age. In the United States, most homeless shelters expect clients to stay elsewhere during the day, returning only to sleep, or if the shelter also provides meals, to eat. In Philadelphia, the Office of Supportive Housing (OSH) mission is to assist/prepare adults and families for self-sufficiency and independent living. OSH offers a network of shelters, boarding homes, and refers families, couples and single individuals to available housing resources. Living in a homeless shelter for several months to a year is often the only way that low-income families in need of affordable housing can get into limited subsidized and public housing in Philadelphia.
Licenses and Inspections
Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections administers and enforces the City's code requirements for the enhancement of public safety, including building, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, fire, property maintenance, business, and zoning regulations. The department is empowered to take lawful actions necessary to correct dangerous and unlawful conditions, including making necessary emergency repairs to properties, cleaning and sealing abandoned buildings, and demolishing vacant buildings that pose a threat to public safety.
Taxes
The city and the school district of Philadelphia impose a tax on all real estate in the city. The Board of Revision of Taxes determines the value of the property on which the taxes must be paid. Real Estate Tax bills are sent out annually in December for the following year. Real estate tax payments are due and payable on March 31. The Department of Revenue offers two special payment plans covering current year tax for low income households. Many low income families in Philadelphia who own their homes are lucky to not have to pay rent, but they often face a heavy tax burden that is difficult to pay. Often back taxes are owed if the home was gifted from a relative, and the foreclosure notices that accompany such a debt eliminate the sense of housing security that owning a home should provide.
Empty lots, Homelessness and Shelters, Licenses and Inspections, Repair Programs, Taxes