Record-breaking landlord deal | Real Estate Newsletter
And Temple plans to restore a mansion.
Last year, a group of tenants in West Oak Lane filed a class-action lawsuit against one of Philly’s biggest landlords.
This week, a judge signed off on an agreement that gives rent forgiveness and refunds to the renters. The settlement is the largest known per-tenant award of its kind.
Keep scrolling for that story and more in this week’s edition:
Reviving a mansion: Temple University is planning a $30 million restoration of the historic Burk Mansion, which has been closed for more than 30 years.
An ambitious plan: Learn about Camden County’s $25 million investment toward its goal of ending homelessness by 2030.
Luxe listing: Peek inside this $8.75 million home for sale in Chester County that has a massive garage for 40 cars.
Finding affordability: After living in the expensive cities of Washington and Seattle, this paralegal was able to buy her first home in Philly.
— Michaelle Bond
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Tenants at the Bentley Manor apartment building in West Oak Lane sued their landlord — Odin Properties and affiliated companies — in March 2025.
For months, the tenants had been living in a building that the city’s Department of Licenses and Inspections said was unsafe.
On Monday, a judge signed off on a settlement that includes almost $145,000 in rent forgiveness and refunds for the tenants. Philadelphia doesn’t allow landlords to collect rent if they have serious, unaddressed violations from L&I.
The agreement provides for the largest known per-tenant award in a class-action lawsuit under Philadelphia’s rental license and certificate law.
An attorney at the Public Interest Law Center, which represented tenants, told me she expects more cases to come. That’s because on Sunday, City Council legislation takes effect that will make getting rent refunds easier for tenants.
Once upon a time, Broad Street was lined with mansions. But not many of them are still standing.
One of the survivors is Burk Mansion at the corner of Broad and Jefferson Streets. Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, called it “an architectural and historical landmark.”
But ever since a fire damaged it more than three decades ago, the building has sat vacant.
Now Temple University is planning a $30 million restoration of the three story, 27-room mansion it owns.
Keep reading for Temple’s plans for the building, which it expects to reopen in early 2028.
The latest news to pay attention to
Housing prices are out of control. How much will building more homes help?
A look inside Camden County’s $25 million investment toward its goal of ending homelessness by 2030.
George Norcross has bought the old Trump Plaza site on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk.
A historic church in Camden County once housed abolitionists and Walt Whitman. You can buy it for $455,000.
After selling a building to Burlington Stores, Philadelphia’s largest office owner plans $200 million more in sales next year.
More cars, containers, and cranes: What to know about the “largest expansion” in the Port of Philadelphia’s history.
House of the week: For $375,000 in Germantown, a three-bedroom Victorian with modern upgrades but original character.
Luxe listing: For $8.75 million in Chester County, a home that includes a massive garage for 40 cars.
Bree Ross has lived in Washington, D.C. and Seattle, two expensive cities where buying a home on one income is hard.
But when Ross, a paralegal, decided to move back to Philly, she could see herself becoming a homeowner.
And she did. She bought a rowhouse in East Falls.
For years, Ross had been putting money away to buy a home. And through a first-time homebuyer program, she was able to lock in a 5.3% mortgage interest rate.
Keep reading to learn more about her purchase and take a peek inside her home.
📷 Photo quiz
Do you know the location this photo shows?
📮 If you think you do, email me back and share your memories.
Last week’s quiz featured a photo of the Philadelphia Ballet’s new home on North Broad Street.
Shoutout to newsletter readers Micki Y. and Robert D. for knowing that.
Architecture critic Inga Saffron has some thoughts on the building’s design. In a word, she’s disappointed.
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Do you want to be a volunteer firefighter? 👩🏽🚒 You could get your rent covered.
To attract volunteers and cut down on response times, a fire company based in Cheltenham Township plans to build apartments behind its firehouse.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
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