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Spatial Analysis Project:

Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative was born in 2001 as an effort to renew neighborhoods by targeting public investments in order to stimulate private development. Now that ten years have passed since NTI started, what does the legacy of NTI look like?

This project seeks to visualize the measurable outcomes of Philadelphia’s Neighborhood Transformation Initiative on property vacancy, use, and values. Where are did NTI interventions lead to private investment and new community assets? How did NTI shape Philadelphia’s current portfolio of vacant property?

Data available:

On hand/available:

• Current L&I data (permits, inspections, vacancy) via License to Inspect API
• RDA (PRA) vacancy data [http://planphilly.com/abandoned-city]
• Department of Public Property Data (Public Property, RDA) (http://www.phila.gov/pdfs/propertyinventory.pdf)
• Public Property Listings (http://www.phila.gov/publicproperty/listings/)
• Water Department (Properties classified as “Vacant lot” by PWD)

Possible sources:

• PHS “Clean and Green” c. 2010 (via PennPraxis’ Green 2015 planning)
• BRT data on publicly owned property
• Community garden and survey (UPenn)
• NTI-related data sets from RDA, OHCD, The Reinvestment Fund, and PIDC

Maps and Reports that will be created:

1. A comprehensive spreadsheet of properties directly touched by NTI clearance, assembly, and/or acquisition, and the property’s current use/status.
2. We hope the analysis could result in the following maps:
   • Comparison maps of total vacancy with city-owned vacant property c. 2001, c.2006, c. 2011 / detail maps of six NTI acquisition zones
   • Map of the ~ 10,000 city-owned vacant parcels showing which were acquired/cleared as part of NTI
   • Map showing current use of parcels where NTI acquired or cleared land. Current uses could be: vacant, developed, development permits pulled, areas turned into community assets like parks/gardens, etc.
   • Map showing building permits for properties near NTI cleared/cleaned/greened parcels.
   • NOTE: These maps could be narrowed down to treat one or two of the 6 acquisition zones identified by NTI.

How the maps and reports will be used:

PlanPhilly and Eyes on the Street will use the maps and data generated in this analysis to inform coverage created as part of our ongoing special series about vacant property, tax-delinquency and blight in Philadelphia. This analysis will help readers visualize the legacy of NTI - the city’s most recent, ambitious effort to address blight - as Philadelphia debates new strategies for dealing with its vacant property.