PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Board of Education this week will consider turning over some of its vacant school buildings to the city for Mayor Cherelle Parker’s affordable housing initiative.
The only item on the agenda at Thursday’s school board meeting is a resolution directing Superintendent Tony Watlington to explore a deal that would convey about 20 vacant School District of Philadelphia buildings to the city. Parker has a goal of using surplus district property for her goal of creating 30,000 housing units. Watlington, in an interview, said he supports the plan.
“Certainly if it’s the Board of Education’s prerogative, I think it makes a lot of sense — a great deal of sense — to align with our mayor’s aggressive vision,” he said…