ZBA Watch

From zoning application to certificate of occupancy.

Where zoning permits go: refused or not, whether the ZBA hears an appeal, and how many reach a building permit and a certificate of occupancy.

Measure
PermitsUnits (appealed only)
Units are known only for appealed permits.
Cohort: year applied
2020 on2021 on2023 on
Building-permit links barely exist before 2020.
Permit type
New constructionAll zoning permits
Change-of-use permits never need a building permit.
Pipeline activity (hop tiles)
12 months24 months5 years

Flow: where a group of permits ended up

Permits applied for since 2023, new construction and additions only.

6,791
Zoning permit applications
18%
Refused at first review
1,158
Appealed to the ZBA
84%
Appeals granted (of decided)
67%
Issued permits with a confirmed or inferred building permit
ZONING PATHPERMITBUILDING PERMITCERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCYBy right → Zoning permit issued: 5,460By right → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 90Refused, no appeal found → Zoning permit issued: 20Refused, no appeal found → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 63Appealed: granted → Zoning permit issued: 773Appealed: granted → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 48Appealed: denied → Zoning permit issued: 7Appealed: denied → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 60Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Zoning permit issued: 2Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 82Appealed: awaiting decision → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 186Zoning permit issued → Building permit (confirmed): 3,762Zoning permit issued → Building permit (inferred): 432Zoning permit issued → No linked record: 2,068Building permit (confirmed) → C.O. recorded: 973Building permit (confirmed) → No C.O. recorded yet: 2,789Building permit (inferred) → C.O. recorded: 110Building permit (inferred) → No C.O. recorded yet: 322By right5,550 (82%)Refused, no appeal found83 (1%)Appealed: granted821 (12%)Appealed: denied67 (1%)Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed84 (1%)Appealed: awaiting decision186 (3%)Zoning permit issued6,262 (92%)Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled)529 (8%)Building permit (confirmed)3,762 (55%)Building permit (inferred)432 (6%)No linked record2,068 (30%)C.O. recorded1,083 (16%)No C.O. recorded yet3,111 (46%)
Permit counts at each step
By right5550
Refused, no appeal found83
Appealed: granted821
Appealed: denied67
Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed84
Appealed: awaiting decision186
Zoning permit issued6262
Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled)529
Building permit (confirmed)3762
Building permit (inferred)432
No linked record2068
C.O. recorded1083
No C.O. recorded yet3111

Census: where housing projects with an appeal sit now

Housing projects with a ZBA appeal on record and activity in the last 12 months, counted at the furthest hop they have reached. This is a snapshot, not a share of the group above, so don't read it as attrition.

339
Zoning review
103
Appeal pending
113
Building permit
570
Under construction
270
Stalled

Projects at: Stalled

Most recent 40 of 270
  • 736 CHURCH LN
    2 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-04-16
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3916 BROWN ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-04-16
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 216 W RITTENHOUSE ST
    1 unit · last activity 2026-04-14
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 11201 ACADEMY RD
    48 units · last activity 2026-04-13
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 119 S 31ST ST
    98 units · last activity 2026-04-10
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2444 N 30TH ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-04-10
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3954 PARRISH ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-04-09
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1501 MASTER ST
    8 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-04-07
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2208 N 29TH ST
    3 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-03-30
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2537 E DAKOTA ST
    1 unit · District 1 · last activity 2026-03-30
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1733 W BUTLER ST
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-29
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 109 HILLTOP RD
    1 unit · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-26
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1715 68TH AVE
    District 9 · last activity 2026-03-26
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 907 N 43RD ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-03-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 59 E CLAPIER ST
    2 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 61 E CLAPIER ST
    2 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3922 MELON ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-03-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2842-44 SALMON ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-03-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 335 POPLAR ST
    1 unit · District 1 · last activity 2026-03-23
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 918 N 43RD ST
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-03-23
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1341 E OXFORD ST
    1 unit · District 5 · last activity 2026-03-23
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2068 E ANN ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-03-20
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2825 AMBER ST
    3 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-03-19
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1520 N LAWRENCE ST
    2 units · District 7 · last activity 2026-03-17
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 5046 GERMANTOWN AVE
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-12
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1018 BRANDYWINE ST
    1 unit · District 5 · last activity 2026-03-09
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 5425 HUNTER ST
    2 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-03-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 47-49 W HIGHLAND AVE
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-04
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1416 W ALLEGHENY AVE
    4 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-03-03
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3617 MELON ST
    1 unit · District 3 · last activity 2026-03-02
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1110 N 39TH ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-03-02
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 21 E CLAPIER ST
    1 unit · District 8 · last activity 2026-02-27
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 23 E CLAPIER ST
    1 unit · District 8 · last activity 2026-02-27
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 16 E SPRINGER ST
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-02-25
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1838 S 10TH ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-02-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2468 FRANKFORD AVE
    4 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-02-21
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1635 CHURCH LN
    42 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-02-20
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1525 W ERIE AVE
    4 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-02-17
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1206 ANNIN ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-02-16
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 851 RED LION RD
    District 10 · last activity 2026-02-14
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record

Filled dot: reached. Open ring: no record found, which is not the same as a project failing.

How we read these numbers

  • Confirmed building permits name the zoning permit's job directly. Inferred ones are a later new-construction permit on the same parcel. No linked record means we found neither. It does not mean the project failed.
  • Appeals are matched to the permit they contest. Permits are counted once, even when recorded on more than one parcel.
  • Cohorts start in 2020 because links from zoning permits to building permits barely exist before then.
  • Counts by council district use the appeal's district where there is one, otherwise the parcel's.