PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Mayor Cherelle Parker plans to launch an affordable housing program she’s calling “Mission 30,000” next week. On Wednesday she disclosed the plan at the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia’s annual Mayoral Luncheon.
The mayor reviewed accomplishments of her first year, reporting progress in getting the city ready for 2026 and all of its events. And she revisited the Sixers arena saga, calling the ultimate decision a win-win-win.
“If we had it to do all over again, nothing about that decision-making would change.”
She says last year’s negotiations will “inform” talks about the South Philly arena and the Market Street revitalization.
She said, in her second year, housing would be her focus.
“Sometimes folks say, ‘What do you think about when you’re sleeping?’ I’m thinking about, at all times, Mission 30,000. Day and night,” Parker said to the room of 2,000 executives, business owners and civic leaders.
The mayor pledged during her campaign to create 30,000 units of housing. Now in her second year in office, she still hasn’t announced how she plans to do that.
“Meeting Mission 30,000 requires us to make it faster, easier and less expensive to construct, preserve and repair housing units in Philadelphia. Do you all agree?” she said, to applause.
Thus, she said, she’ll sign an executive order next week creating an advisory group that, in 30 days, will identify barriers to housing development and recommend solutions to streamline the process.
“They are also going to provide recommendations that are data-driven with clear cost estimates.”
She said she’d be recommending a “significant” funding commitment and would send City Council bills to increase density and ease new housing construction.
“Mission 30,000 units of housing. That is the spirit of ‘One Philly,’ and people will definitely be able to feel that when they see the results of our work.”