PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Board of Education has approved a resolution that would explore turning over its vacant school buildings to the city for the mayor’s housing initiative.
The school board approved the measure 6-2. Mayor Cherelle Parker has expressed a desire to use vacant school buildings in her plan to create 30,000 housing units.
Former board member Cecelia Thompson, during the public portion of Thursday night’s meeting, said she didn’t want to see the properties just given away.
“Can we sell it to the city for market value and not a dollar or something nominal?” she asked.
Board member ChauWing Lam voted against the measure, saying it would preclude other options for the cash-strapped district’s vacant schools, worth an estimated $80 million.
“I have a concern that in adopting such a resolution, we would be forgoing and limiting our consideration of other viable uses and offers for these properties,” she said.
Board member Crystal Cubbage also voted against it, saying there should be alternatives: “It limits us to exploring conveyance of our school buildings to the city without financial compensation.”
Board President Reginald Streater, however, pointed out that no property changes hands under the resolution; it only directs the district to look into transferring vacant schools to the city.