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1301 N 2nd St
Philadelphia, PA, 19122
United States

215-427-3463

Neighborhood help desk and catalyst for community engagement & action in the South Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia

The SKCP Blog

The Actual Value Initiative (AVI)

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*Updated 3/12/13 The Actual Value Initiative (AVI) is an attempt to solve what has been years of broken and inaccurate property value assessment in the city of Philadelphia.  A campaign originally created under the Office of Property Assessment (OPA), AVI seeks to re-examine the market values of properties based on the following criteria: size, age, location, condition and usage.

The week of February 15th, the OPA sent out Notices of Proposed Valuation to property owners across Philadelphia. Be warned – this is NOT a tax bill. When a tax rate is decided by Philadelphia City Council and the Mayor's Office, it will be used to calculate the 2014 tax bills, along with the new assessment values. Property owners will receive their 2014 tax bill in December 2013.

Haven't received your Assessment yet? OPA is still sending out Assessment  letters; the next letters will go out on March 14th and March 18th. Although the deadline to appeal your assessment is March 31st for those who received their letters in the first round, those who receive them later will have one (1) month from the date their letter is received to appeal.

You can view the proposed reassessments for the entire city on this map from Axis Philly. 

The OPA has the entire data sets for Property Value 2013 and Property Value 2014 on their website.

Unsure of what AVI means for your property and tax future, or feel that your property value projection is incorrect? Click here for SKCP's Resource Guide to AVI. 

Click here for additional resources and programs available for low-income and/or senior citizens to assist with real estate taxes.

A request from SKCP: Although there is a lot of information circulating about AVI, it can be confusing, and often geared towards those with access to the internet. SKCP always tries to provide the most comprehensive and accurate information to our neighborhood. In return, you can help spread this information among neighbors, family and friends who may not have access to online materials. We want to be sure that everyone is both informed and able to take advantage of relief efforts which are/become available to them. And as always, please refer neighbors with questions or assistance needs to SKCP. 

Call (215) 427-3463 to set-up an appointment, or stop in, 1301 N. 2nd Street,  Monday-Friday, 9AM-5:30PM. 

Community Zoning Meeting, August 15th

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Community Zoning MeetingWednesday, August 15th

6:30pm 1206 N 4th St. (VOTE) General Variance Review: Legalization of ground floor residential use in C-2 zoning; recent renovations completed to convert from previous commercial use. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote.  Click here for eligibility map and list of eligible addresses.

7:00pm 1320-22 N 5th St. (VOTE) General Variance Review: Legalization of recent conversion of former industrial building to commercial spaces and caretaker's residence in G-2 zoning. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and list of eligible addresses.

7:30pm 120 W Oxford St. (VOTE) General Variance Review: 84-space parking lot to serve previously approved mixed use development project at 100 W Oxford [the Pieri buildings]. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and list of eligible addresses.

8:00pm 1248-50 N Front St. (VOTE) This is not a zoning variance review process. The owners of Kung Fu Necktie are seeking community support for their application to establish bike parking racks within an on-street parking space on Thompson Street. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and list of eligible addresses.

ALL voters must bring proof of residence. Community Zoning Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month and are the forum for residents to hear a presentation from the applicant, ask questions about the requested variance, have a private discussion between the residents, the Zoning Committee, and the Design Review Committee, and cast a vote on the variance requested. The CZM is the forum where residents who are eligible to vote, vote on projects.

To review SKCP's Zoning Variance Review Procedures, click here.

Community Zoning Meeting, July 18th

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Community Zoning MeetingWednesday, July 18th

6:30   1854 Germantown  (VOTE)   GENERAL VARIANCE REVIEW:  Legalization of 4 existing apartments on 2nd and 3rd floors and establishment of new daycare business on 1st floor. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and addresses. 

7:00  1216 Palethorp (VOTE) GENERAL VARIANCE REVIEW: New construction single family home. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/4 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and addresses.

7:30  1710 N. 5th St. (VOTE) HIGH IMPACT PROCESS: Establishment of a micro brewery/30-seat brewpub in existing building with on site sales and consumption. Residents, business owners, and property owners within 1/2 mile are eligible to vote. Click here for eligibility map and addresses. ALL voters must bring proof of residence.

Community Zoning Meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month and are the forum for residents to hear a presentation from the applicant, ask questions about the requested variance, have a private discussion between the residents, the Zoning Committee, and the Design Review Committee, and cast a vote on the variance requested. The CZM is the forum where residents who are eligible to vote, vote on projects.

Gardens for Good - Vote for Your Local Farm!

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South Kensington's network of community gardens in the neighborhood - La Finquita, Cohocksink, and Tillmon - are up for a $15,000 grant from Nature's Path Organic Food. The money would be used for infrastructural support, programs for youth and adolescents, and neighborhood-wide workshops and events.

Here's the catch: It is a vote-based grant, which means if you are reading this, and can get on facebook, drop everything and vote. Then call your friends to tell them to vote, and to tell their friends..etc...Then repeat once a day until June 30th. The link to vote can be found here.

LA FINQUITA FARM STAND, THIS SUNDAY MAY 27TH!!

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La Finquita is having our FIRST produce stand, THIS SUNDAY, 5/27, at the farm (corner of Master and Lawrence Streets)!Farm Stand: 10:00am-1:00pm BBQ/Potluck: 1:30pm-5:00pm

We have a healthy harvest of GREENS: arugula, salad greens, baby spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, snow peas and more, which will be sold REAL CHEAP!

Come meet the Finquita gang, hang out with your neighbors and friends, make some new friends, and enjoy a potluck bbq lunch. Just bring something that you can throw on a grill or on a plate!