Background Information: Philadelphia

State of Housing in Philadelphia

• From 1950-1980, the population of Philadelphia has declined 23%; from a population of 2, 071,605 to 1,585,577.  From 1970-1980, the decline was 13.4% alone.
• In the 1950-1980 period, population loss has been greatest in Lower North Philadelphia (-60%), South Philadelphia (-45%) and West Philadelphia (33%).
• The number of households in the city, the basis of housing demand, declined by 3.5% from 1970-1980.
• As of 1980, 72% of the city's housing units were built before 1949; over 58% were built prior to 1939.
• Overall vacancy rates increased from 4.6% in 1970 to 9.5% in 1980 and to 10.64% in 1990.
• The overall vacancy rate is a result of decline in both  the number of households in the city (-3.5% from 1970-1980) and an increase in the number of housing units overall.
• As of 1992, long-term residential structures, basically abandoned, totaled 26,916 and long-term vacant lots totaled 15,825.
• Between 1970 and 1990, a total of 21,437 abandoned residential structures had been demolished.

Sources:

“Vacant Land in Philadelphia.”  Philadelphia City Planning Commission Report, 1995.

"Demolition / Vacant House Treatment Study" Philadelphia City Planning Commission report, 1984.