Fresh lumber and new foundations are replacing weeds and trash on the 1600 block of West Venango Street, where the city has broken ground on 22 Turn The Key homes in Tioga. The project, the first Turn The Key development inside City Council’s 8th District, is turning long-vacant lots into three-bedroom houses for first-time buyers. Construction crews started work in April, and neighbors joined city officials Monday to toss a little ceremonial dirt and mark the start of the build.
The homes are being built by Civetta Property Group on city-owned parcels that the Philadelphia Land Bank transferred to the developer, filling gaps that had sat empty for decades and were sometimes used for illegal dumping. Work began in April, and the kickoff event drew Councilmember Cindy Bass and Mayor Cherelle Parker, according to WHYY.
What buyers will pay
Turn The Key combines discounted city land with subsidies so income-qualified first-time buyers can afford new construction. Eligible purchasers can receive up to $75,000 in mortgage buydown assistance and may also tap the Philly First Home grant of up to $10,000 for closing costs. Program materials list a baseline sale price of about $280,000 for a Turn The Key home before subsidies, with an average monthly payment of roughly $1,353 for a three-bedroom after assistance.
To qualify, buyers must complete PHDC-approved housing counseling and have incomes at or below 100 percent of area median income, with a stated preference for city employees. Full requirements and benefit details are posted by PHDC and in a program flyer from PHDC.
Where the land came from and the program’s scale
Turn The Key launched under City Council’s Neighborhood Preservation Initiative and now sits inside Mayor Parker’s H.O.M.E. housing agenda, a $2 billion plan to create and preserve 30,000 homes across Philadelphia. According to the Philadelphia Land Bank’s board packet and meeting minutes, the agency transferred the West Venango parcels to Civetta after community meetings where some residents questioned parking impacts and whether the roughly $280,000 price tag lines up with North Philly incomes.
As outlined in the public records of the Philadelphia Land Bank, the Turn The Key approach relies on public land to cut development costs and speed construction of owner-occupied homes, a strategy city leaders describe as a core piece of the H.O.M.E. initiative.
Neighbors and electeds respond
At the groundbreaking, Mayor Parker pushed back on critics who argue Turn The Key homes are out of reach, saying, “Turn the Key is not for rich people,” and pointing to an average participant income of about $54,000 a year. Councilmember Cindy Bass praised the effort but acknowledged that for some North Philly residents it “can feel out of reach,” calling for a closer look at how subsidies are targeted.
Neighbors who spoke at the event said watching long-overgrown, trash-strewn lots give way to new houses feels like a real change after decades of blight on the block, according to WHYY.
How to learn more or apply
Prospective buyers can find program brochures, prequalification steps and housing counseling information through the city’s housing portal and Turn The Key resources. For the single-front-door application and other H.O.M.E. materials, residents are directed to the city’s online housing portal or to contact PHDC’s Turn The Key team. For links and next steps, visit the portal operated by the City of Philadelphia.
