Democratic Primary Mayoral Candidates Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development

By Martin Sakansong

Martin is the Program and Administrative Associate at PACDC

Leading up to the Democratic Mayoral Primary, Philadelphia residents and community members were able to attend various public candidates’ forums across the city. On Wednesday, April 19th, the Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC) and their partners held a Democratic Primary Mayoral Candidates Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development. The event was co-hosted by Ceiba, Regional Housing Legal Service, LISC Philadelphia, Urban Affairs Coalition, and Urban League of Philadelphia, at Broad Street Ministry.  

The candidates who attended were James Deleon, Allen Domb, Helen Gym, and Rebecca Rhynhart. Partner-drafted questions focused on recommendations from PACDC’s Equitable Development Policy Platform to address disparities experienced by Black, Latino, Indigenous and other People of Color in the city, both between individuals and between neighborhoods, and to advance equity.

Additional questions from the audience explored the candidates' ideas of preserving and growing affordable housing in the current fight of inevitable development and gentrification in the city. The candidates also touched on plans to boost commercial corridors. Through the duration of the two-hour forum, the candidates went back and forth on their take of what they would focus on regarding the reuse of vacant property and their take on opportunities for longtime residents to become homeowners.

The Platform and Forum are part of an effort to ensure that the next Mayor of Philadelphia puts affordable housing and community development as a top priority on their list for the City of Philadelphia.