Logan: Housing Problems Continue Despite Location and Price

There have been 19 houses sold so far this year in the Logan neighborhood, and real estate agent Curt Gasper only expects sales to get better.

With houses being sold as low as $10,000 it’s curious why more people aren’t flocking to Logan. Gasper says that since Logan is so close to Center City and public transportation so available that it’s a wonder why so many houses are still for sale.

It may be difficult to get families and businesses alike to Logan because of the poor school districts in the neighborhood. The Germantown High School dropout rate has been higher than the enrollment for the past four years and about 84 percent of its students come from economically disadvantaged homes.

Another reason that may deter families from moving to Logan is crime. Although the area is not nearly as bad as some zip codes in Philadelphia, there is a high number of thefts and burglaries. On Nov. 7 alone there were 11 thefts, three by hand or shotguns. People might feel uncomfortable raising a family in an area where theft is happening every day.

Gasper also notes that there is a lack of things for residents to do in Logan. There is only one park which hasn’t been taken care of. There aren’t movie theaters, restaurants or places to shop. This would mean taking public transportation for any sort of entertainment at all.

It will take a lot of money to change Logan–money that Philadelphia and the residents of Logan don’t have. Gasper predicts in 10 or 15 years Logan could be the new Fishtown or Northern Liberties. Until then, citizens will just have to put up with the blight and the crime that comes with it.