Why many of Philadelphia’s community gardens are at risk
As Philly's vacant land becomes more valuable to buyers, growers who claimed abandoned lots for community gardens are at risk of losing these beloved spaces.
Listen 9:43
Shazana Goff (left) operates the La Finquita farm stand in July of 2014. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY, file)
As of 2016, Philadelphia had more than 500 community gardens on reclaimed vacant land. But as that vacant land has become increasingly more valuable and attractive to buyers, the growers who claimed the abandoned lots they didn’t own are at risk of losing these beloved spaces. On this episode of The Why, Catalina Jaramillo, a reporter for WHYY’s PlanPhilly, explains why there’s no clear pathway for permanent ownership — yet.
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