🏘️ Reshaped Philly neighborhoods | Morning Newsletter
And seven more Philly cops are benched.
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Few policies have done more to transform Philadelphia than the controversial 10-year tax abatement for residential development.
From 2000 through 2021, the policy exempted the value of significant real estate improvements from property taxes for a decade. Owners of newly constructed homes only needed to pay for the assessed value of the land their home sits on.
Our lead story shows where the property tax break was used over its two-decade lifespan.
Also, Happy Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re taking that special someone out for dinner or hanging out with friends, I hope you get showered with love today.
We’re in for another sunny day with a high of 54.
If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The Inquirer mapped out two decades of Philadelphia’s 10-year tax abatement for residential development to see where the policy was put to use and what neighborhoods were left out.
What we found: Reinvestment trends tend to advance along geographically contiguous and predictable lines.
Contrary to popular perceptions of gentrification, new development dollars and new city residents are more likely to be concentrated in white working class or demographically mixed neighborhoods.
Majority Black neighborhoods are less likely to see investment, even with a policy like the 10-year tax abatement in place.
Important note: There are exceptional cases where such communities see heavy abatement use, but they are always next door to areas where reinvestment is already booming.
Reminder: About twenty years after it was implemented, City Council dramatically reduced the abatement’s value after criticism that it robbed the city of needed tax dollars and accelerated development in areas in the city that were already on the track to succeed.
Keep reading to check out the interactive maps and to see what’s next for the controversial policy. 🔑
Seven Philadelphia police officers have been placed on restricted duty and stripped of their service weapons after an Inquirer report revealed that the officers improperly received thousands of dollars in city antiviolence grant money.
The alleged misuse of funds: Together, with a police captain who resigned last week, they took more than $75,000 from a $392,000 city grant that was supposed to go to a program called Guns Down Gloves Up. Also, children and relatives of police officers collected more than $5,000 in prepaid debit cards, records obtained by The Inquirer show.
Important note: City employees are not allowed to get paid from such grants. Several officers at the 22nd District said the misuse of grant funds was an open secret, and that those who were paid had ample notice that it was not permissible.
Keep reading to find out what’s next in the probe that now includes an FBI investigation.
What you should know today
A Philly jury awarded $43.5 million to former Eagles captain Chris Maragos, who sued his doctors over a career-ending knee injury.
Republican David Oh resigned from City Council to run for mayor of Philadelphia.
Pennsylvania can take lessons from New Jersey’s Abbott v. Burke rulings to fix its school funding. 🔑
New plans for a short-term rental building would demolish the Painted Bride’s signature mural in Old City.
Amid a nationwide “sex recession,” some are swearing off sex in the City of Brotherly Love. Take a look inside Philly’s intentionally celibate dating scene.
Wedding photographer Anthony Page says he can tell if a couple can make it or are bound to break up.
In his new video series, Love, he conducts person-on-the-street interviews with locals about relationships. He started the project this year to branch out with his photography and videography. Questions range from “who should pay for the first date?” to “what do you love about your partner?”
So far, Page has published about a dozen segments to his Instagram page, @antpagephoto. His goal is to make 100 episodes before the end of the year.
Some of his lessons:
Relationships need monthly maintenance.
When you find your person, don’t hesitate.
Everyone wants to be loved.
Keep reading for more takeaways Page has gathered from talking to strangers about love.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
The Boot & Saddle neon sign in South Philly now has historic protection.
Who was the original designer?
A. Angelo Colavita
B. Frank Del Borello
C. Pete Del Borello
D. None of the above
Find out if you know the answer.
What we’re...
📱Creating: The perfect dating profile with the help of Philly matchmakers.🔑
🦅 Mourning: The Eagles loss in the Superbowl. The heartbreak will last awhile.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: “Hurt Me So Good”
ALIZA JINNSVELUM
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Jack Stephens, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Bud Grant. Email us if you know the answer.
Photo of the day
And that’s everything you should need to start your day. I’m starting my day with last-minute gift wrapping for Valentine’s Day 🎁. Make the day count and I’ll see you here at the same tomorrow.