by Jay Goldstein

  • Philadelphia’s Turn the Key program’s goals are to create energy efficient, affordable housing for city employees or income eligible first-time homebuyers. The first homes will be built on publicly owned land and hopefully mint hundreds of new homeowners. The City is focusing on Grays Ferry, Poplar, East Passyunk, and parts of North Philadelphia to launch the program which will hopefully start in the Fall.
  • Through the Turn the Key program, private developers will be selected through an RFP (Request for Proposal) process to build new homes on up to 1,000 city-owned parcels. The homes are to be priced to be affordable to middle income residents.
  • To maintain affordability, the City intends to offer the parcels for modest amounts, allowing private developers to derive a profit for each home sale. 
  • The City hopes Turn the Key will help stabilize and diversify neighborhoods, revive commercial corridors and offer families the opportunity to build generational wealth.

To learn more about Turn the Key, https://phdcphila.org/residents/homebuyers-and-renters/turn-the-key/