Broad Street Brief: January 29, 2026

City Hall

Councilmembers Introduce Bills Formalizing Limits on ICE Cooperation

Philadelphia City Councilmembers Kendra Brooks and Rue Landau introduced legislation this morning aimed at pushing back against ICE activity in the city, home to an estimated 76,000 undocumented immigrants. The bills limit information sharing between the city and ICE; prohibit ICE agents from wearing masks, driving unmarked vehicles, and using city property for staging area raids; and will permanently designate Philadelphia a “sanctuary city” by prohibiting authorities from holding people at ICE’s request without a court order.

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PhillySaves Created as Mayor Parker Enacts New Retirement Savings Legislation

On Thursday, January 22, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker signed legislation creating the Philadelphia Retirement Savings Program, known as PhillySaves. The initiative is designed to help workers who lack employer‑sponsored retirement plans build long‑term financial security. To implement PhillySaves, Philadelphia voters would need to approve a ballot question on the May 19 ballot.

City Council Approves Final Amendment to H.O.M.E. Initiative Bond Spending

On Thursday, January 22, City Council approved the specific bond funding for the city’s Housing Opportunity Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) Initiative. The vote follows the Council’s adoption last month of an amended Year 1 spending plan for the H.O.M.E. Initiative, which outlines the first phase of investments supported by the voter‑approved bond package.

Councilmember Jeffery Young Introduces Overlay Limiting Residential Development Around Former Hahnemann Hospital

Since Councilmember Jeffery Young introduced a bill to ban new housing around the former Hahnemann Hospital, developers have rushed to secure permits for 824 apartments in the area. Young aims to preserve jobs and promote redevelopment for employment‑based uses such as office, medical, or educational services. The surge in permitting comes ahead of a Feb. 3 Council hearing on his proposed zoning overlay, which would block residential projects on the largely vacant campus.

Around Town

Hundreds March in Philadelphia to Protest ICE Activity

The Party for Socialism and Liberation organized a rally at City Hall on Monday, January 26, demanding that ICE stay out of Philadelphia and urging workers to join the general strike that began in Minnesota in response to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Following the rally, hundreds of people marched from City Hall to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office in Chinatown, calling for federal immigration agents to withdraw from cities across the country, including Philadelphia.

Lankenau High School Pushes Back as District Considers Closure

Lankenau High School, the city’s environmental sciences magnet, has been placed on the Philadelphia School District’s proposed closing list for the 2027–28 school year. Citing 70,000 excess seats citywide, significant unmet capital needs, and a push to modernize and create more equitable student experiences, district leaders are recommending the closure. The Lankenau community is already mobilizing ahead of a school board vote expected this winter.

Philadelphia Sues National Park Service Over Removal of Slavery Signs at President’s House

On Thursday, January 22, informational signs about slavery were removed from the President’s House site in Old City Philadelphia. The signs, which detailed the lives of enslaved people who lived there, had been part of the exhibit since its 2010 opening. After their removal, the city filed a federal lawsuit seeking their restoration, arguing that prior agreements with the National Park Service required disputes to be managed through informal, non‑binding resolution. City officials say NPS and the Interior Department made the changes without consultation or approval.

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