Philadelphia LandCare

Pairing basic landscaping and site improvements with maintenance services for the creation of public open spaces on otherwise vacant lots

https://phsonline.org/programs/landcare-program

Geography

Targeted within specific “transitional neighborhoods” in Philadelphia (see map)

Sponsoring Institution

Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) in contract with the City of Philadelphia

Key Milestones

1996

PHS launches its pilot of LandCare model in two neighborhoods in Philadelphia.

2003

LandCare pilot program concludes.

2004

PHS launches the citywide LandCare program.

2010

PHS pilots the Roots to Re-Entry project for formerly incarcerated residents.

2011

PHS pilots the Roots to Re-Entry project for formerly incarcerated residents.

2016

The city of Philadelphia increases its financial support for both LandCare and Roots to Re-Entry.

Financial Implications

Received $15.3 million in public investment between 2003 and 2012
Expanded Roots to Re-Entry with $500,000 in support from the city
Partnered with municipal Division of Housing and Community Development to pilot incentives for private and nonprofit landscape contractors to hire formerly incarcerated individuals

Select Models Goals

Improve quality of life
Redevelop and improve neighborhoods
Remediate blight

Implementation: Model Design

The treatment of vacant parcels establishes a citywide “brand” for a scattered-site community asset with a relatively novel form. The program’s trademark wooden post-and-rail fence marks the site as a community amenity and discourages dumping.
Contractors for the program clean, grade, and seed vacant lots.
The program operates on both public and privately owned land: The city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections grants PHS right of entry to abate nuisance on private property if the owner does not respond to a citation.
The City of Philadelphia contracts with the nonprofit PHS, which designed and operates the LandCare program with additional philanthropic support.
In 2010, the program grew to include the related Roots to Re-Entry reintegration initiative for formerly incarcerated Philadelphia residents. This has cut the recidivism rate of its participants, who, prior to release, complete a landscape training certificate program. Upon release, participants begin a six-week internship with PHS and receive additional job placement support, housing, and education.

Image courtesy of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society

Key Innovations

By addressing a shortage of green space in high-vacancy neighborhoods, the program repositions vacant properties from liabilities into community assets. Research has shown that the intervention is associated with reduced levels of stress for residents adjoining the intervention and with reduction of certain crimes—including gun assaults citywide. The intervention is temporary by design: While the program has improved more than 12,000 parcels, at least 1,600 have subsequently been developed for other uses.

Staffing and/or CapacityPHS contracts with local landscape contractors for work on most of the parcels and partners with approximately 18 community organizations who in turn contract with local residents.