Builders’ trail of destruction | Morning Newsletter
And Mayor Kenney’s bright spot
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The Morning Newsletter
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We’re halfway through the week.
The sun will be out today but it won’t be warm. The high will only reach the low 40s.
Today’s lead story is the latest in Crumbling City, an Inquirer series about how Philadelphia’s surging housing redevelopment has led to safety issues in a city with the nation’s most rowhouses and some of the oldest housing stock.
Several Philly contractors have repeatedly seen homes next door crack or collapse. The Inquirer uncovers why these builders aren’t held accountable.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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V2 properties markets itself as Philly’s largest single-family home-builders and one of the most principled with more than 100 properties across the city.
V2 is also among a group of developers, contractors, architects, and engineers that have been repeatedly sued by neighbors or cited by Philadelphia’s Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I). That includes:
A demolition contractor sued by neighbors at seven job sites;
An architect who worked on at least five projects that L&I or neighbors said damaged adjacent buildings;
An engineer sued five times by neighbors who said projects he worked on caused their properties to be damaged or demolished.
None has had its license revoked by the city or state oversight agencies.
Continue reading to hear from the residents who are left to deal with the destruction and its impact.
Although Mayor Jim Kenney’s tenure will be remembered as a time of crisis, the city budget has largely been a success story during his administration.
The city’s credit ratings are up, the pension system’s unfunded liability is down, and annual budgets finally include adequate cash reserves, finance experts say.
Meanwhile, the city has managed to incrementally cut the wage and business taxes while increasing its contribution to the school district.
Read more to meet the man behind Kenney’s budgets.
What you should know today
Jurors in John Dougherty’s embezzlement trial ended its first day of deliberations on Tuesday without a verdict.
The new Democrat-controlled Central Bucks school board authorized a legal challenge of the former superintendent’s $700,000 payout. Also, the president of the board, Karen Smith, was sworn in Monday night on a stack of frequently banned books.
The security guard stabbed to death at Macy’s in Center City has been identified by family and police records as 27-year-old Eric Harrison. Police have arrested Tyrone Tunnell, 30, who remains in custody.
Philadelphia Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker unveiled her advisory board made up of top Democrats from Philly, Harrisburg, and Washington D.C.
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman used a George Santos Cameo video to troll indicted New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez.
Celebrity baker Buddy Valastro of Cake Boss fame closed his Carlo’s Bake Shop location in Philadelphia.
Meet Tiffani Dean, a North Philly artist who makes custom dolls to reflect the Philly she knows.
🧠 Trivia time
What was the most-viewed Wikipedia article in 2023 about?
A) ChatGPT
B) Taylor Swift
C) 2023 Cricket World Cup
D) None of the above
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
👀Watching: Spotify is laying off 17% of its global workforce in the music streaming service’s third round this year.
🎤Anticipating: Pink is coming to the Lincoln Financial Field next year.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Former Phillies star
CALL INKED
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Brandon Lausch, who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Shady Maple Smorgasbord.
Photo of the day
Thanks for hanging out this morning. There will be even more news in your inbox tomorrow morning, bright and early. ☀️