I live in Philadelphia. How do I get access to a vacant lot to start a garden?
Answer
You must determine the owner or owners of the lot in question and request permission to garden on the property. The Office of Property Assessment provides owner information on their website:
If the address of the owner of record is the address of the lot, it is likely that it is an inactive owner. If you chose to use the lot as a garden you assume the risk that it may be taken over by the City or purchased by someone else at Sheriff’s sale. For information on starting a community garden, check out our page on community gardens or send an email to the PHS Community Gardens team at PHS-info@pennhort.org.
The PHS McLean Library is an excellent information source on starting a community garden. The library staff puts together useful subject guides with great resources on this topic:
Complete List of Subject Guides