A developer’s rapid rise in Philly politics | Morning Newsletter

It’s Tuesday, folks. Heavy snow is possible this morning, with wind gusts to 30 mph. Forecasters say snow accumulations could vary — from nothing south and east of Philly to several inches in neighboring counties.

It’s unusual for mid-level developers in Philly to be visibly political, but Mo Rushdy has had something of a meteoric rise. While he views his work as “business activism,” others see it as a troubling example of developers’ growing influence in Philadelphia. Our lead story takes a look at Rushdy’s vision for housing, what he’s accomplished so far, and what could be next.

— Erin Reynolds (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Developer Mohamed “Mo” Rushdy has enjoyed a rapid rise in Philadelphia politics.

Last spring, with the help of conservative billionaire Jeffrey Yass, Rushdy launched a controversial super PAC attacking progressives running for mayor and Council. He’s also the new head of the Building Industry Association, which represents residential developers, and landed a spot on the Land Bank board and Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s transition team.

He calls himself a “neighborhood developer” — advocating for homeownership for working class residents and against policies like mandated affordable housing and rent regulation.

That vision closely aligns with Parker, who campaigned on uplifting middle neighborhoods and getting more residents on a “path to self-sufficiency.”

Rushdy’s company, the Riverwards Group, has developed hundreds of homes, many of them on vacant lots in Kensington and Port Richmond. To keep prices down, the business has depended on low interest rates, the 10-year property tax abatement, and cheap land.

But critics fear Rushdy’s rise is an example of the development industry’s influence growing at the expense of Philadelphia’s lowest-income residents.

Keep reading to learn why some community groups say his vision could monopolize scarce resources and crowd out rental housing.

Heather Honey, a Pennsylvania-based “election integrity” investigator, is one of the most effective advocates for right-wing election talking points.

Time after time, her research has fed viral allegations about election integrity, even as her conclusions are often misleading or based on incomplete information.

Take, for example, her latest piece of research: a 29-page report on the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, which became the subject of right-wing fury in 2022.

Honey’s report appears to have influenced the decision of several member states to withdraw from ERIC, an interstate program that election officials widely regard as the nation’s best tool to keep voter rolls up-to-date.

But an analysis by Votebeat and Spotlight PA found that the report’s conclusions are false — largely based on out-of-context examples and full of sweeping generalizations that are not backed by the data.

That approach, experts say, is a hallmark of those who spread misinformation. Read the full investigation into Honey’s origin story, and unpack the flaws and omissions in her ERIC report, here.

Of course Tyrese Maxey is the latest, but the Sixers have had 27 All-Stars in team history. Who took the title in 2013?

A) Jrue Holiday

B) Andre Iguodala

C) Theo Ratliff

D) Dikembe Mutombo

Think you know? Check your answer.

📺 Watching: Let love light up your screen this Valentine’s Day with Pennsylvania’s favorite rom-coms.

🍽 Reviewing: Craig LaBan calls the tasting menu dinners at Honeysuckle Provisions an inventive and delightful extension of the cafe.

🏡 Touring: This 1900s mansion in Glenside is on the market for $1.8 million.

😍 Loving: Samia Bouzid’s purple sled spent years packed away in her parents’ garage. That was until it found its perfect home when she moved to West Philly in 2019.

Hint: This historic building in the heart of Center City has one of the highest vacancy rates in Philadelphia.

ARMENIA BULK WADING

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Albert M. Tantala who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Terrell Owens.

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