While other factors beyond councilmanic prerogative play a role, the practice stands out as an impediment to Philadelphia's economic growth that is entirely self-inflicted.
15.01.2026 19:03
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While other factors beyond councilmanic prerogative play a role, the practice stands out as an impediment to Philadelphia's economic growth that is entirely self-inflicted.
![Excerpt reads: "Prioritize your neighborhood
Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think.
When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.”
That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list."](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreicapfknasylzk2lqzaxxeb5mchgnru75obggn45dusda6j5zogvuu)
Excerpt reads: "Prioritize your neighborhood Neighborhoods drive our happiness (or unhappiness) more than we think. When Lina Martinez, director of POLIS, the Center for Wellbeing Studies at Universidad Icesi in Colombia, studied the happiness of households in the city of Cali, she couldn’t find much difference between poorer and richer areas. “Their happiness is pretty much the same,” she said. But that changed when she isolated neighborhood conditions, such as access to transit, health care and parks. “The conditions of the neighborhood affect happiness,” she said. “I can’t link that to the space where [people] live.” That aligns with findings from a 2023 study of the Vancouver metro area: Researchers found no significant differences in well-being between people living in single detached homes, duplexes, townhouses, laneway houses and apartment buildings (basement units smaller than 300 square feet were the only negative exception). What did people say they missed most in their neighborhood? Affordability, proximity to family and friends, and a sense of community. Home design was eighth on the list."
A Washington Post article suggests that, beyond a certain threshold, larger homes don't make people happier. Instead, well-being is correlated with affordable housing in walkable neighborhoods where they feel socially connected.
www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...
There has been a lot of talk about the power of judges across the political spectrum and I think it's a good discussion to have. If the buck always stops with a judge or court, then we have a kritocracy. A judge overruling the ZBA which the City has delegated the zoning decisions to is absurd.
i've been weirdly invested in this dog's sweater alteration
IG roodabeguh
This might sound heartless or ignorant, but I'm starting to believe that we put too much pressure on the City to fill in for the policy failures of state governments and because of that we don't have enough money to invest in the vital services to keep the city clean.
I agree with your sentiment towards the CCRA, however for the sake of getting the facts right, the article says that it's not a revenue issue. It's that post-pandemic, the CCD can no longer give the CCRA a discounted rate.
PA's housing preemption legislation slate is now on the House floor! Includes everything from statewide ADUs, multiplexes, TOD upzoning, and a permit shot clock. This has been a long time coming and will need significant support.
Two photos. The first shows a dog next to some pull out cabinets. One of the drawers reveals a dog food bowl. The other shows some space underneath some cabinets, so the food bowls can stay out of the way for humans but be accessible for a pet.
Two photos. One shows a room divider that rolls out to separate two rooms, while neatly tucking into a wall when not in use. Another shows a crate the same color as a desk, shelf, and wall, where a dog can sleep.
Two photos. Both show wash areas specifically built for pets. A dog is peeking out of a tub in one photo.
Two photos. One shows a glass door with a small windowpane that can open for a pet to pass through. Another shows a door, where one of the panel swings open for a pet.
i like these home details designed for pets
IG meredithsterninteriors
Not enough people show how business tax reform in Philadelphia could lead to meaningful improvements for all incomes and demographics, especially with federal cuts to all levels, and Philly Mag has done a great job at it with this piece
The progressives seem hell bent on helping the poor at the expense of everyone else. When the city takes out 800 million in debt, the beneficiaries cannot just be the poor; everyone must benefit. A thriving local economy will do more for the poor than throwing debt fueled money at them.
It is amazing how much the Philly progressive agenda on helping low-income folks means housing only (and owner-occupied at that). No wage tax reduction, expansion of free transit, UBI pilot, LIHEAP expansion. I wonder if they've forgotten what it's like to be poor
I wonder if it would be possible for someone or some organization to lead a public-private partnership to renovate all the stations.
Cities that don't understand this and continue to forego ridehailing fees will suffer the consequence
If Shapiro can get invest in nuclear energy and make sure the Commonwealth receives a significant portion of money made from the drilling of natural gas and oil, then I would be okay with this. However, I don't think that is going to happen.
Get in loser, we're bringing brick expressionism back to the US
you don't have to put on blackface to get social media attention. you can simply develop mild depression, join a menswear forum, spend the next 15 years arguing about pants, and then weaponize the knowledge against your enemies on social media.
Reviewbrah of Report of the Week is in a thrift store. He's wearing a gray suit with a white shirt and light green tie. The trousers hang pin straight without a pucker or ripple.
look how beautifully these trousers hang
I do wonder why the city clings onto BIRT and wage tax for dear life. My biggest gripe with this administration and city council is how performative they are and how they want to build Rube Goldberg solutions to simple problems.
As much as this administration claims otherwise, it is unable to scale up city services quickly or directly to meaningfully improve everyday lives in the face of a surplus. Or even a faster wage tax reduction
Just asking for clarification, do you mean 1.2B in surplus as city revenue minus city expenses or 1.2B in the bank like a savings account?
Interesting concept, but I'm not a fan of it aesthetically. It seems like it's trying to be hidden, but it isn't hidden well enough so it actually draws the eye.
people playing music/videos on their phone speakers in public is more than just mildly annoying and is instead a leading indicator of the decline of community and empath
I feel like a crazy person in a tin foil hat when I start going on about how things like this, rampant red-light running, etc are all signs of the deterioration of the social contract and how bad that is
Vine Street Traffic Safety We heard that the community is most concerned with roadway safety around the cap area. Community feedback prioritized reducing aggressive driving and creating safer bike lanes. People also wanted safety for people walking and shorter crossings across Vine Street. The new design will make local Vine Street two lanes in each direction. There will be wider sidewalks and new crosswalks. There will also be separated bike lanes and speed cushions. All these changes will make Vine Street safer for everyone who uses it. The community preferred that Vine Street become one lane eastbound. PennDOT would not approve the change. Vine Street is an alternate route for the expressway, and PennDOT says it needs to stay at least two lanes.
"The community preferred that Vine Street become one lane eastbound. PennDOT would not approve the change. Vine Street is an alternate route for the expressway, and PennDOT says it needs to stay at least two lanes."
PennDOT puts Philly's highways over Philly itself.
www.phila.gov/2025-10-17-c...
The Pope tweets: "The poor are not there by chance or by blind and cruel fate. Nor, for most of them, is poverty a choice. Yet, there are those who still presume to make this claim, thus revealing their own blindness and cruelty. #DilexiTe" Someone replies: "I was so hopeful I could be a Catholic again after the disaster that Francis was, guess we just get Francis 2.0 now and I am heartbroken. How do I stay a Catholic now...I don't want to lose faith but I am. You belong to someone else, not God."
heartbroken to learn the pope sympathizes with the poor. how can i continue to believe in god
SEPTA Police will stop you and give you a ticket if you smoke 🚬 Great job SEPTA Police!
Why not both? Hollow out the concrete and plant flowers.
SEPTA riders say Regional Rail trains catching fire "is what decades of disinvestment looks like."
🔗 www.inquirer.com/transportati...
It is WILD how many big city mayors think the point of their city is for suburban drivers to crash through them as fast and callously as possible. What a breath of fresh air to imagine a mayor who actually likes their city and the people who live there.
It's truly disgusting and disheartening how much fast fashion has skewed our perception of what clothes should cost.
