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MUNI-PHILADELPHIA COUNTYlocal legislationIN MAYOR'S OFFICE

Proposed Changes to Philadelphia's Surplus Property Rules

Original title: Amending Chapter 16-400 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled “Surplus Properties,” by adding methodology for disposition by property exchange, and making other technical changes, all under certain terms and conditions.

June 11, 2026

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The Frame

What this does

The bill creates a new legal pathway for the city to trade surplus real estate, which could change how city-owned land is transferred or acquired.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Philadelphia Property Owners

Property owners may be affected if the city begins trading land near their properties.

City of Philadelphia

The city government gains a new administrative tool for managing its real estate portfolio.

What changed

Last recorded activity June 11, 2026.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This bill proposes updates to Chapter 16-400 of the Philadelphia Code, which governs how the city handles surplus properties. It introduces a new process for exchanging properties and includes technical updates to existing regulations.

Key Facts

  • The bill amends Chapter 16-400 of the Philadelphia Code regarding 'Surplus Properties'.
  • It adds a new methodology for the disposition of surplus property through property exchange.
  • The bill includes various technical changes to the existing code.
  • The legislation is currently pending in the Mayor's Office.
  • The bill was introduced on April 30, 2026.
  • The bill was reviewed by the Committee on Public Property and Public Works.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a 'surplus property' in this context?
refers to real estate owned by the city that is no longer needed for municipal operations.
What does 'disposition by property exchange' mean?
It means the city would have a legal framework to trade city-owned land for other properties, rather than just selling it through traditional auction or sale methods.

Why It Matters

The bill creates a new legal pathway for the city to trade surplus real estate, which could change how city-owned land is transferred or acquired.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

New Land Management Tool

The city is moving from a primary focus on selling surplus property to including property exchange as a formal disposition method.

Connected Entities

otherPhiladelphia CodeThe legal code being amended.Map →
organizationCommittee on Public Property and Public WorksThe committee responsible for reviewing the bill.Map →

Sources

Open source document

webapi.legistar.com

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance45
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy10
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz15
    Current news / social attention level

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