Philadelphia wants residents’ input to shape the city’s future

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A new campaign is asking Philadelphia residents to share their “hopes and dreams” for the city.

The public survey is the first phase of a broader effort to update the city’s comprehensive plan — a blueprint that will guide physical development over the next 25 years.

“We work with communities, we work with other departments and we think about the broad goals and direction of the city and how we can get there through planning, zoning, investments and other tools,” said Martine Decamp, deputy director for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, the agency behind the campaign.

The survey will inform how the commission proceeds with updating the comprehensive plan, a requirement under the city’s home rule charter. It centers on nine open-ended questions rooted in the future of Philadelphia.

They are:

• What is your vision for the future of Philadelphia?
• What is your vision for the future of your neighborhood?
• What does access to opportunity look like for you?
• What does a healthy and safe Philadelphia mean to you?
• Imagine a thriving neighborhood. What does it include?
• What housing options would you like to see in Philadelphia?
• Which parts of your culture and tradition would you like to see celebrated more?
• How are you impacted by Philadelphia’s hotter summers, flooding, and more extreme weather?
• Are you satisfied with how you get around Philadelphia and beyond? Why or why not?

“It’s important for us to hear that so that we know we’re on the right track and that we’re actually prioritizing the issues that residents want us to prioritize,” Decamp said. “It’s also helpful to us because we’ll know that if we’re moving forward with some recommendations for investments that there’s buy-in from the public before we go any further with it.”

Residents can submit their responses online or fill out a vision card in person at one of 25 stations located throughout the city.

The form is available in 12 languages.

The survey period ends Jan. 30, 2026.

The planning commission will host a pair of virtual information sessions about Philadelphia2050: Planning Together. The first meeting will be held at noon Dec. 12. The second will be at 6 p.m. Dec. 18.

Philadelphia wrapped up work on its last comprehensive plan nearly a decade ago. The two-phase effort resulted in the creation of a citywide vision, which was then applied geographically to 18 districts.

This latest effort will focus on different topic areas, including climate change and transportation.