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denied → Zoning permit issued: 129Appealed: denied → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 896Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Zoning permit issued: 272Appealed: withdrawn or dismissed → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 2,597Appealed: awaiting decision → Not issued (denied, expired or cancelled): 1,650Zoning permit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yet: 1,441Appealed: granted11,841 units (68%) · 1,343 permitsAppealed: denied1,025 units (6%) · 144 permitsAppealed: withdrawn or dismissed2,869 units (17%) · 169 permitsAppealed: awaiting decision1,650 units (9%) · 158 permitsZoning permit issued11,496 units (66%) · 1,300 permitsNot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 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
104
Appeal pending
113
Building permit
571
Under construction
689
Stalled

Projects at: Zoning review

Most recent 40 of 339
  • 2712 N 16TH ST
    2 units · District 8 · last activity 2026-10-19
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2037 N CARLISLE ST
    3 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-10-16
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 645 W VENANGO ST
    1 unit · District 7 · last activity 2026-10-16
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3401 TAMPA ST
    2 units · District 7 · 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
  • 2922R-24 S FELTON 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
  • 2318 S BROAD ST
    5 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
  • 541 E WISTER ST
    47 units · District 8 · 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
  • 1724 ARLINGTON ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-10-13
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1402 WHARTON ST
    3 units · District 2 · last activity 2026-10-13
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 559 N 63RD ST
    3 units · District 4 · last activity 2026-10-12
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3001 HELLERMAN ST
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-10-11
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1306 CALLOWHILL ST
    District 1 · last activity 2026-10-09
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2441 ASPEN ST
    2 units · District 5 · last activity 2026-10-09
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1151 S 19TH ST
    1 unit · District 2 · 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
  • 163 CONARROE ST
    20 units · District 4 · 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
  • 4175 MANTUA AVE
    3 units · District 3 · 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
  • 2725 W BERKS ST
    1 unit · District 5 · 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
  • 2244 MARGARET ST
    2 units · District 6 · 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
  • 9545 BUSTLETON AVE
    3 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
  • 4419 BAKER ST
    3 units · District 4 · 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
  • 521 W SUSQUEHANNA AVE
    33 units · District 7 · 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
  • 1801 RITNER ST
    2 units · District 2 · 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
  • 3804 N 18TH ST
    2 units · District 8 · 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
  • 2450 N 29TH ST
    2 units · District 5 · 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
  • 2609 E ALLEGHENY AVE
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-10-04
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2027 S 5TH ST
    2 units · District 1 · last activity 2026-10-02
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 4623 N FRONT ST
    2 units · District 7 · last activity 2026-10-02
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 3252 MILLER ST
    2 units · District 6 · last activity 2026-10-02
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2225 MASCHER ST
    29 units · District 7 · last activity 2026-10-01
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 2255 S HEMBERGER ST
    2 units · District 2 · last activity 2026-10-01
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1827 KINSEY ST
    5 units · District 7 · last activity 2026-10-01
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 1021 W HORTTER ST
    1 unit · District 4 · last activity 2026-09-30
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 7315 W PASSYUNK AVE
    1 unit · District 2 · last activity 2026-09-30
    1. Zoning: reached
    2. Appeal: reached
    3. Building permit: no record
    4. Construction: no record
    5. C.O.: no record
  • 905 S SCHELL ST
    1 unit · 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
  • 423-27 E ASHMEAD ST
    1 unit · District 8 · 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
  • 6100 WISSAHICKON AVE
    16 units · District 4, 8 · 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
  • 2313 N 11TH ST
    20 units · 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
  • 1122 MCCLELLAN ST
    1 unit · 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
  • 1330 W ROCKLAND ST
    8 units · District 8 · 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
  • 1802 KENDRICK ST
    2 units · District 10 · 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

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