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Amending Chapter 9-3900 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Property Licenses and Owner Accountability," to clarify licensing requirements, authorize the Department to create a Proactive Inspection program, require public reporting related to Code compliance, and establish remedies, damages, and protections for tenants, all under certain terms and conditions.
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THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Legislative Findings. Council finds that:
(1) A safe, habitable, and well-maintained home is a fundamental necessity for health, stability, and economic mobility. Yet, too many rental properties in Philadelphia fail to meet basic standards of habitability. Approximately 40% of Philadelphia rental homes need repairs and 30-45% of rental units operate without proper licensing, exposing tenants to unsafe, unfit, and imminently dangerous conditions.
(2) Philadelphia is trending toward a majority-renter city, with approximately half of all households currently renting their homes. More than half of these renters are cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward rent, limiting their ability to absorb additional housing instability or pursue legal remedies when conditions deteriorate.
(3) Existing enforcement mechanisms rely heavily on tenant complaints, placing the burden on tenants to identify, report, and pursue remedies for violations, often at personal risk. This reactive system allows serious code violations to persist undetected and unaddressed for extended periods. Furthermore, tenants consistently face retaliation for speaking out about unsafe conditions.
(4) A majority of tenants lack access to legal representation or the financial means to enforce their rights, resulting in widespread under-enforcement of existing housing standards and allowing non-compliant landlords to continue collecting rent despite failing to maintain habitable properties. In eviction court, 80...
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