WHEREAS, In December 2012, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania enacted the Pennsylvania Land Bank Legislation, Act 153 of 2012, authorizing, among other things, the creation of “land banks” by municipalities; and
WHEREAS, In December 2013, the City of Philadelphia enacted legislation creating the City’s first land bank, with its stated mission being “to return vacant property to productive status using a unified, predictable, and transparent process, thereby revitalizing neighborhoods, creating socially and economically diverse communities, and strengthening the City’s tax base”; and
WHEREAS, Section 16-704 of the Code of the City of Philadelphia requires that five members of the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Land Bank shall be appointed by majority vote of all the members of City Council; and
WHEREAS, Blane Stoddart was appointed to the Land Bank via a resolution adopted November 2, 2017, but has resigned effective upon the appointment of a replacement; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby appoints Joshu Harris to the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Land Bank.
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