Expanding Affordable Housing Supply for First-Time Homebuyers

The City of Philadelphia is working to expand equitable first-time homeownership opportunities and increase housing supply through multiple innovative housing programs such as Turn the Key Neighborhoods Program, which transforms vacant, city-owned lots into affordable homes. The FUSE Executive Fellow will work with a team of content experts to develop strategic recommendations and pilot solutions to strengthen and scale up city operations and programs, addressing land acquisition and disposition challenges, permitting and zoning barriers, and developer capacity. This will support Philadelphia's broader strategy to deliver 30,000 affordable housing units by 2030, increasing the supply of affordable housing, reducing racial disparities in homeownership, and promoting long-term neighborhood stability and economic mobility in historically underserved communities.

Fellowship Dates: April 28, 2025 - April 24, 2026

Salary: Executive Fellows are FUSE employees and receive an annual base salary of $80,000. Fellows can also access various health, dental, and vision insurance benefits. Compensation for this year of public service is not intended to represent market-rate compensation for the experienced professionals in our program.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit working to expand social and economic opportunities, particularly for communities that have been limited by a history of systemic and institutionalized racism. FUSE partners with local governments and communities to more effectively address pressing challenges by placing experienced professionals within city and county agencies. These FUSE Executive Fellows lead strategic projects designed to advance racial equity and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 250 projects in 40 governments across 20 states, impacting the lives of 25 million people.

When designing each fellowship project, FUSE works closely with government partners and local stakeholders to define a scope of work that will achieve substantive progress toward regional priorities. FUSE then conducts an individualized search for each project to ensure that the selected candidate has at least 15 years of professional experience, the required competencies for the role, and deep connections to the communities being served. They are data-driven and results-oriented and able to effectively manage complex projects by developing actionable roadmaps and monitoring progress to completion.

Executive Fellows are hired as FUSE employees and embedded in government agencies for at least one year of full-time work. Throughout their fellowships, they receive training, coaching, and professional support from FUSE to help achieve their project goals. FUSE Executive Fellows bring diverse perspectives and new approaches to their projects. They build strong relationships with diverse arrays of stakeholders, foster alignment within.

PROJECT CONTEXT

Philadelphia faces a significant challenge in housing affordability, which disproportionately affects low- to moderate-income residents, especially families and communities of color. Historic factors, including redlining, discriminatory lending practices, and disinvestment, have contributed to lower homeownership rates in these communities compared to white households, limiting opportunities for generational wealth-building. Addressing these disparities through targeted interventions is essential to preventing further displacement, increasing neighborhood stability, and narrowing the racial wealth gap. The City's continued efforts toward expanding affordable housing present a vital opportunity to work together on solutions that will help secure long-term economic mobility for all residents.

The City of Philadelphia has taken several steps to address these disparities through a combination of housing initiatives and policy reforms aimed at promoting affordable homeownership and neighborhood revitalization. As part of the city's efforts, the Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development ("DPD") will embark on a strategic and analytical planning process in order to develop a three-year uniform strategic plan and performance report. The three-year uniform strategic plan will assist DPD, The Philadelphia Land Bank, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, and the Department of Public Property with the acquisition, maintenance, and disposition of properties. The Plan shall inform the acquisition, maintenance, and disposition of surplus property for the following three-year period.

The DPD, the Philadelphia Land Bank, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, and the Department of Public Property offer opportunities to redevelop vacant properties, improve the quality of life in the City's neighborhoods, help preserve community assets, create new amenities, and support affordable housing, urban gardening, and economic development. This plan will inform the city's broader goal of stabilizing neighborhoods and providing pathways to economic mobility and creating 30,000 affordable housing units by 2030.

The city faces challenges related to land acquisition and disposition, navigating complex zoning and permitting regulations, and developer knowledge and participation, which have limited the impact of the city's efforts and slowed the pace of home development.

PROJECT SUMMARY

Beginning in April 2025, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work closely with the DPD, the Philadelphia Land Bank, the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, third-party consultants, and the Department of Public Property to expand equitable affordable homeownership opportunities in Philadelphia. This will help with Philadelphia's broader strategy to achieve 30,000 affordable housing units by 2030, thereby reducing racial disparities in homeownership and promoting economic stability for all residents.

The Executive Fellow is expected to work closely with and participate in regular meetings with the DPD, Land Bank, the Redevelopment Authority, and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission ("PCPC").

The Executive Fellow will engage in a collaborative, data-driven process, that seeks to leverage and align the work of the DPD with the City's affordable housing plan and other plans including, the City's Assessment of Fair Housing, the City's Housing Action Plan, the City's Urban Agriculture Strategic Plan, PCPC's Citywide Vision, the Philadelphia 2035 Plan and, where available, district plans, and a number of other data resources as requested by DPD.

The Executive Fellow will assist in organizing a kickoff meeting that proposes a detailed work plan, sets meeting and deadline schedules, and confirms project milestones.

Strategic Plan Elements

The Executive Fellow will assist with the development of key elements of the Strategic Plan: (A) Analysis of Market Conditions, (B) Inventory and Mapping Analysis to Create Vacancy Typologies, and (C) Annual Recommendations for Disposition & Reuse, Acquisition and Maintenance. A more detailed description of these elements follows.

1. Analysis of Market Conditions

   An analysis to determine market conditions and trends in neighborhoods where the agencies hold or are likely to hold property, according to census tract or grouping of census tracts as determined by the DPD to have similar characteristics.

   To the extent feasible, this analysis shall specifically evaluate the relative need and availability for affordable or mixed-income housing; economic development that creates jobs for community residents; community facilities that provide needed services to residents; side and rear yards; food-producing urban agriculture; community open space; and any additional core beneficial land uses that may be identified by DPD.

   This analysis will leverage and align with the City's affordable housing and other plans including, without limitation, the City's Assessment of Fair Housing, the City's Housing Action Plan, the City's Urban Agriculture Strategic Plan, PCPC's Citywide Vision, the Philadelphia 2035 Plan and, where available, district plans and any other plans or studies as requested by DPD.

2. Inventory and Mapping Analysis to Create Vacancy Typologies

   The Executive Fellow will assist with generating a series of maps and tables of the City's vacant property inventory in each census tract or grouping of census tracts including properties that are owned by the City of Philadelphia, Land Bank, Redevelopment Authority and properties that are privately owned and delinquent as to municipal taxes or claims. The Executive Fellow will assist with determining geographic typologies.

   These typologies are an important element of the Strategic Plan, and the Executive Fellow will use their expertise and judgment in the development of them, working closely with the DPD and PCPC staff.

3. Annual Recommendations for Disposition & Reuse, Acquisitions, and Maintenance

   Once typologies are determined, the Executive Fellow, working with DPD, the agencies, and PCPC staff, will assist in proposing defined annual targets for Disposition & Reuse, Acquisition, and Maintenance for geographic groupings.

Community Outreach Meetings and Public Hearings

The Executive Fellow will utilize their expertise to assist in the planning and hosting of several community outreach meetings. The purpose of these meetings is to obtain input on the Strategic Plan from residents, community groups, and non-profit organizations and to inform the public about real estate development and financing and ways to obtain property from the Land Bank. Community outreach meetings will be conducted both prior to and after completion of the first draft of the Strategic

PROJECT DELIVERABLES

By April 2026, the Executive Fellow will have produced the following:

• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework: Established a robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track plan outcomes, assess developer and participant satisfaction, and provide data-driven insights to inform continuous improvement and long-term sustainability of the Strategic Plan to expand opportunities for affordable home ownership.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

• Executive Sponsor - John Mondlak, Chief of Staff, City of Philadelphia
• Project Supervisor - Mark Dodds, Interim Deputy Director, Division of Housing and Community Development, City of Philadelphia

QUALIFICATIONS

• Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action-oriented implementation plans.
• Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans.
• Generates innovative, data-driven, and result-oriented solutions to complex challenges.
• Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes.
• Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing.
• Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision-making.
• Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community-based relationships.
• Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground.
• Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations.

FUSE is an equal-opportunity employer with core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply for this position.