Over 100 Philadelphia residents and apartment owners gathered at City Hall on Thursday to speak out against a proposed bill they feel would negatively affect rowhomes and other buildings.
Philadelphia Council Members Mark Squilla and Katherine Gilmore Richardson introduced a bill that would require the installation of automatic fire sprinklers in high-rise buildings over 75 feet tall.
The bill, if passed, would primarily impact condominiums and apartment buildings across the city.
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The Pennsylvania Housing Apartment Association (PHAA) believes it should be stopped because it would cost apartment complexes tens of thousands of dollars, there is no indication that the system is needed across complexes and it could devastate affordable housing in the city.
Installing a new sprinkler system could cost renters and owners between $20,000 to $50,000 per unit. The new system could also increase rent $200-$400 a month to offset costs, the PHAA said.
There is also concern that this bill would displace residents furthering our city’s affordable housing crisis.
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The bill proposing the automatic sprinklers, bill 220299, was introduced around this time last year in March 2022.
It proposed amending the Philadelphia Fire Code to require automatic fire sprinklers in high-rise buildings.
The bill was introduced and referred to the Committee on Licenses and Inspections. There has been no further action on the bill since November 2022.
