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48Appealed: denied → Zoning permit issued: 7Appealed: denied → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 60Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Zoning permit issued: 2Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 82Appealed: awaiting decision → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 186Zoning permit issued →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yet: 322By right5,550 (82%)Refused, no appeal found83 (1%)Appealed: granted821 (12%)Appealed: denied67 (1%)Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed84 (1%)Appealed: awaiting decision186 (3%)Zoning permit issued6,262 (92%)Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled)529 (8%)Building permit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Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed84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 24 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
571
Under construction
688
Stalled

Projects at: Appeal pending

Most recent 40 of 103
  • 843 N 42ND ST
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-10-15
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2709 LATONA ST
    2 units · District 2 · last activity 2026-10-15
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3737 N 15TH ST
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-10-14
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 18 W EVERGREEN AVE
    1 unit · District 8 · last activity 2026-10-08
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1300 MARKET ST
    622 units · last activity 2026-10-07
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 9547 BUSTLETON AVE
    4 units · District 10 · last activity 2026-10-07
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1616-22 MCKEAN ST
    District 2 · last activity 2026-10-07
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2015 FRANKFORD AVE
    10 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-10-07
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2851 DISSTON ST
    3 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-10-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2638 E CLEARFIELD ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-10-05
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3813 FOLSOM ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-09-29
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 510-28 S 8TH ST
    20 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-09-29
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 910 W HUNTINGDON ST
    3 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-09-28
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2104 N 20TH ST
    3 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-09-21
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1608-34 SANSOM ST
    District 2 · last activity 2026-09-10
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 6327 LANCASTER AVE
    1 unit · District 4 · last activity 2026-08-25
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1260 N DOVER ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-08-21
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 213-19 POPLAR ST
    38 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-08-18
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 4283 VIOLA ST
    18 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-08-17
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 811 N 42ND ST
    3 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-08-12
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2005 S 4TH ST
    6 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-08-11
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 801 S 9TH ST
    55 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-08-11
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3451 WELLINGTON ST
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-08-05
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 908 S 46TH ST
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-08-01
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 9249R E ROOSEVELT BLVD
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-07-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 867 N 50TH ST
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-07-18
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 6215R-23 GERMANTOWN AVE
    10 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-07-15
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 676 N 15TH ST
    3 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-07-14
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 331 E ROOSEVELT BLVD
    3 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-07-14
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 5728 FLORENCE AVE
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-07-13
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1221 W WINGOHOCKING ST
    5 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-07-10
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2230 SPRUCE ST
    District 2 · last activity 2026-07-10
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 842 N 4TH ST
    1 unit · District 5 · last activity 2026-07-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 6103 LANSDOWNE AVE
    2 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-07-03
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 7200 STATE RD
    3 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-06-30
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3725 N 16TH ST
    2 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-06-29
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 205-15 CUTHBERT ST
    29 units · last activity 2026-06-29
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1550 N 26TH ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-06-25
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 4841 FAIRMOUNT AVE
    2 units · District 3 · last activity 2026-06-24
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1013 MIFFLIN ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-06-23
    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.