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 2021, new construction and additions only.

2,226
Appealed permits
81%
…with a unit count
17,385
Units in those projects
2,342
Units where a C.O. is recorded

These are units in the projects at each step, as the permit or appeal describes them. They are not net new homes: a duplex conversion counts as two. Only appealed permits are shown, because the unit count comes from the appeal and is missing for most other zoning permits. A few large projects hold a big share of the units, so read the permit count beside each total.

ZONING PATHPERMITBUILDING PERMITCERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCYAppealed: granted → Zoning permit issued: 11,095Appealed: granted → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 746Appealed: denied → Zoning permit issued: 129Appealed: denied → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 896Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Zoning permit issued: 272Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 2,597Appealed: awaiting decision → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 1,650Zoning permit issued → Building permit (confirmed): 4,679Zoning permit issued → Building permit (inferred): 1,918Zoning permit issued → No linked record: 4,899Building permit (confirmed) → C.O. recorded: 1,865Building permit (confirmed) → No C.O. recorded yet: 2,814Building permit (inferred) → C.O. recorded: 477Building permit (inferred) → No C.O. recorded yet: 1,441Appealed: granted11,841 units (68%) · 1,343 permitsAppealed: denied1,025 units (6%) · 144 permitsAppealed: withdrawn or dismissed2,869 units (17%) · 169 permitsAppealed: awaiting decision1,650 units (9%) · 158 permitsZoning permit issued11,496 units (66%) · 1,300 permitsNot issued (denied, expired or cancelled)5,889 units (34%) · 514 permitsBuilding permit (confirmed)4,679 units (27%) · 675 permitsBuilding permit (inferred)1,918 units (11%) · 131 permitsNo linked record4,899 units (28%) · 494 permitsC.O. recorded2,342 units (13%) · 322 permitsNo C.O. recorded yet4,255 units (24%) · 484 permits
Units in projects at each step
Appealed: granted11841 units, 1343 permits
Appealed: denied1025 units, 144 permits
Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed2869 units, 169 permits
Appealed: awaiting decision1650 units, 158 permits
Zoning permit issued11496 units, 1300 permits
Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled)5889 units, 514 permits
Building permit (confirmed)4679 units, 675 permits
Building permit (inferred)1918 units, 131 permits
No linked record4899 units, 494 permits
C.O. recorded2342 units, 322 permits
No C.O. recorded yet4255 units, 484 permits

Census: where housing projects with an appeal sit now

Housing projects with a ZBA appeal on record and activity in the last 5 years, 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
104
Appeal pending
113
Building permit
571
Under construction
1,277
Stalled

Projects at: Stalled

Most recent 40 of 1,277
  • 1624 JEFFERSON ST
    7 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-04-20
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1441 N 17TH ST
    6 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-04-20
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 4063 N 6TH ST
    3 units · District 7 · last activity 2026-04-18
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2620 FRANKFORD AVE
    24 units · last activity 2026-04-17
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 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
  • 1325 W LIPPINCOTT ST
    1 unit · District 5 · last activity 2026-04-15
    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
  • 1332 E HUNTING PARK AVE
    3 units · District 7 · 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
  • 2041 CASTOR AVE
    2 units · District 6 · 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
  • 1409 N 17TH ST
    7 units · District 5 · 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
  • 4601 MARPLE ST
    2 units · District 6 · 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
  • 436-40 E WYOMING AVE
    5 units · District 7 · 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
  • 231 LEVICK ST
    2 units · District 9 · 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
  • 735 S 10TH ST
    1 unit · District 2 · 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
  • 2019 N VAN PELT ST
    2 units · District 5 · 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
  • 2601 N 12TH ST
    2 units · District 5 · 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
  • 1903 N 52ND ST
    2 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-04-08
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 5622 W GIRARD AVE
    4 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-04-08
    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
  • 549 SELMA ST
    1 unit · District 10 · 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
  • 1014 N 64TH ST
    District 4 · last activity 2026-04-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 4400 ALDINE ST
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-04-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 828 RITNER ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-04-06
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 9966 SANDY RD
    1 unit · District 10 · last activity 2026-04-05
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 6122 LANCASTER AVE
    District 4 · last activity 2026-04-01
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1302 W HUNTING PARK AVE
    1 unit · District 5 · last activity 2026-03-31
    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
  • 2040 N CARLISLE 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
  • 5122 ARCH ST
    3 units · District 3 · 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
  • 4622 MERION AVE
    3 units · District 3 · 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
  • 2116 N 20TH ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-03-27
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 6249 HAVERFORD AVE
    4 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-03-27
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 7311-17 OXFORD AVE
    1 unit · District 10 · last activity 2026-03-27
    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.
Permit Pipeline | ZBA Watch