Hapco Philadelphia has urged the City’s Land Bank for years to release vacant city-owned lots for development of affordable rental housing.

So has Philly developer, Mo Rushdy.

Our argument is a simple one:  Release unused parcels to developers in exchange for their agreement to build a certain percentage of low-to-moderate-income housing.

The problem has been City Council’s use of Councilmanic Prerogative, which has held up the release of those empty lots.

Mo Rushdy’s appointment to the Land Bank gives Hapco Philadelphia rental owners a sign of hope.