At a recent city council hearing, community gardeners described a feeling of insecurity at being able to continue working the land they have tended for years, citing obstructionist land policies and a lack of financial resources. “With rising land values, the city’s community gardens are under threat,” said City Councilmember Kendra Brooks. As poor neighborhoods became victims of decades of disinvestment and abandoned buildings were left to crumble, community members stepped in and quietly became stewards of forgotten city lots. But, legally, they were squatters. One in three Philadelphia growing spaces is located in gentrifying areas, where the lots were once nearly worthless but have become valuable to real estate developers. Brooks said there will be a city council hearing on Wednesday, May 22, on legislation allowing the Philadelphia Land Bank the priority bid to acquire community gardens and ultimately transfer them to community gardeners. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/10/2024