Philadelphia City Council has declined to pass a proactive rental inspection program aimed at protecting tenant health, despite mounting evidence linking poor housing conditions to severe health risks. While one relocation-focused bill passed, two others stalled, including a key measure known as the Right to Repairs.
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Major Housing Plan Debated
As part of Mayor Cherelle Parker’s $2 billion housing strategy, the Philadelphia City Council debated the Safe Healthy Homes Act in June 2025. The three-bill package, introduced by at-large councilmember Nicolas O’Rourke of the Working Families Party, aimed to transform tenant protections. Only one bill, which creates a relocation fund for tenants displaced due to building condemnations, was approved. The remaining proposals, including a bill to enforce proactive inspections, did not pass.
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Tenants Left Vulnerable
Currently, Philadelphia renters must alert landlords about unsafe conditions such as mold, pests, or structural issues. The law gives landlords 30 days to fix the problem, but tenants risk eviction if they complain. Legal routes like reporting to city inspectors or filing lawsuits exist, but they come with risks and require legal knowledge, something most tenants lack. “Invoking your warranty rights as a tenant can therefore be tricky. You have to know your rights, document repair requests in writing, and be willing to take your landlord to task legally,” the article notes. Adding to this imbalance, 90% of landlords in housing court have legal representation, compared to just 10% of tenants. A 2018 report revealed that over 2,000 eviction cases were filed soon after tenants raised habitability concerns…