Philly School District Considers Offloading More Vacant Property For Housing Despite Pushback

Mayor Cherelle Parker wants to see vacant public schools transformed into housing, and The School District of Philadelphia’s leadership is open to that possibility.

The Philadelphia Board of Education voted 6-2 Thursday in favor of a resolution ordering the district to explore transferring ownership of vacant and excess properties to the city, potentially free of charge. The district hasn't identified which properties might be offloaded.

“By responsibly evaluating how to put these unused properties back into productive use, the District can stay focused on educating children while supporting broader City efforts that ultimately aim to strengthen neighborhoods,” Superintendent Tony Watlington said in a statement following the vote.

Board members and community members voiced concerns at the meeting, including about the lack of clarity around which school buildings would be offloaded and the prospect of the properties leaving the district’s portfolio for little or nothing as it faces a $300M deficit.

Board Member Chau Wing Lam, who voted against the measure, said the district’s portfolio of vacant buildings has been appraised at $80M.

“Can we sell it to the city for market value and not something nominal?” former Board Member Cecelia Thompson asked during the public testimony.

The district identified a series of properties it wanted to offload in 2013, some of which were purchased by developers and converted into housing. It is also identifying more schools to close through a facilities planning process, which will continue next year.

“Before any recommendations, I ask that our decision is informed by the completion of the facilities plan,” said Board Member Wanda Novales, who ultimately voted in favor of the measure.

Parker says the vacant schools can further her Housing Opportunities Made Easy Initiative, which aims to build or preserve 30,000 housing units before the end of her first term in 2028.

“It’s unconscionable to me, that we are in the middle of a housing crisis and we have government buildings sitting vacant for years or even decades,” the mayor said in a statement.

“We need to put this land to its highest and best use,” she added.

Her celebration of the board’s Thursday vote came as funding for the HOME Initiative has become a contentious topic in the city council.

A vote on funding for the first bond issuance has been kicked to January as Parker and lawmakers butt heads over the details, including how much should be allocated to initiatives focused on the poorest Philadelphians.

Council Member and Education Committee Chair Isaiah Thomas was supportive of the district’s move but has concerns about a “lack of communication and transparency” around the decision, his legislative aide Zach McGrath said on his behalf during Thursday's meeting. 

“It should not be the responsibility of the district to manage developable properties for the city,” McGrath said.

The aide also said Thomas was upset that he learned about the resolution discussed Thursday from news outlets instead of the district. And he shared grievances about the apartment project underway at Germantown High School, which was sold to a partnership between Jack Azran and Eli Alon in 2017.

McGrath said the “neighborhood school was all but abandoned, left derelict and developed into apartments that few in the surrounding community wanted.”

The lack of clarity around which properties might be offloaded was also a common concern raised during Thursday’s public testimony.

“The board must release the entire list of buildings they intend to give away and their estimated values,” retired Philadelphia teacher Lisa Haver said.

One property discussed at the meeting as potentially being on the list was the Ada Lewis Middle School in East Germantown. The building, which has sat vacant since 2008, fielded renewed attention this year when the body of 23-year-old murder victim Kada Scott was found there in October.

Advocates of the nearby West Oak Lane Charter School want the property to be transferred to their institution, an effort supported by the neighborhood’s council member, Cindy Bass.

“Our current space is limited,” said Angela Case, who works at the school. “Ada Lewis would give our students safe classrooms, outdoor areas and strong enrichment programs.”