Preserve, Prevent, Build: Strategies for an Equitable Residential Future

Why This Matters: Philadelphia stands at a critical juncture: while housing costs soar and displacement pressures mount, the city has committed to building and preserving 30,000 affordable homes in just four years, a bold and urgent goal. Yet without strategic preservation of existing affordable units, new production alone won’t be enough to meet demand or protect vulnerable residents. At the same time, rising construction costs, labor shortages, and aging infrastructure demand new approaches to how affordable housing gets built. This summit brings together city leaders, developers, financiers, and community advocates to confront these intertwined challenges head-on. It’s about learning what works, avoiding past mistakes, and scaling up innovations that can deliver faster, fairer housing outcomes. Achieving an equitable future for Philadelphia means both saving what we have and building smarter.

What You Will Learn:

• How realistic is Mayor Cherelle Parker’s pledge to build or preserve 30,000 affordable homes in her first term, and what steps are being taken to jump-start this effort?
• How are rising interest rates and construction costs impacting affordable housing development in Philadelphia, and what strategies are developers using to overcome these financial challenges?
• How large is Philadelphia’s affordable housing preservation challenge and which subsidized and naturally affordable properties are most vulnerable to being lost without immediate action?
• What are the key opportunities and challenges for converting vacant office buildings, schools, and underused properties into new housing, and how can Philadelphia adapt its policies to accelerate adaptive reuse?
• What design and construction practices are helping developers deliver high-quality, cost-efficient, and sustainable affordable housing projects, and how do these approaches improve outcomes for residents?
• What visionary ideas and emerging trends could shape the next decade of affordable housing development in Philadelphia, and what steps must stakeholders take now to prepare for the future?