Department of Public Property

The Department of Public Property (DPP) takes care of the buildings that City government works in. It states its mission as serving "the City's workforce and community responsibly by providing quality facilities and workspaces."^[1] That means cleaning, repairing and operating major municipal buildings, managing City-leased space, planning interior workspace and, since 2025-26, deploying vehicle barrier systems at special events. Commissioner Joseph Brasky, appointed by Mayor Cherelle Parker in March 2025, has 18 years with the City, starting as a Fire Department cadet and rising through maintenance and building-services management.^[2] The Department should not be confused with the Philadelphia Land Bank or the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, which handle vacant and surplus land.

1 Divisions and duties

DPP's FY27 plan lists four areas.^[1] Administration handles safety training and staffing. Facilities Management (Field Operations) monitors, updates, repairs and replaces building equipment to extend its life. Facilities (Quad-Plex) improves the experience of visitors in City-run public buildings and uses public spaces to share information about City services. Real Estate and Planning upgrades municipal workspaces through design and standardization of workstations and finishes, and handles leased space for departments. The Department's reach includes City Hall and other major civic buildings; consult phila.gov for the full list. Public access to those buildings and to the City Council chamber depends on DPP operations.

2 Special events and security

A prominent part of the 2026 plan was preparation for the year's mass events: the nation's semi-quincentennial, the FIFA World Cup and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. DPP's Special Events Unit worked with vendors and other agencies, and the City obtained vehicle barrier systems that DPP is responsible for deploying, in coordination with the Office of Special Events and public safety agencies.^[1] The Police Department, Fire Department and Office of Emergency Management lead security planning, while DPP supplies and positions equipment on City property.

3 Energy, sustainability and workforce

DPP works with the Office of Sustainability to replace outdated lighting with LED fixtures and installs energy-efficient materials and equipment in City-owned properties, supporting the Mayor's clean-and-green agenda. The Department also invests in training: it plans to increase high school interns from School District career and technical education programs and from the City College for Municipal Employment, anticipating onboarding three high school students into civil service Public Works Maintenance Trainee positions in FY27.^[1] See Civil Service Commission and Office of Human Resources for the civil-service framework. Building trades employees are often represented by municipal unions such as AFSCME District Council 33.

4 Budget

The Department requested 140 budgeted positions across all funds, level with FY26; 116 were filled as of November 2025.^[1] The budget ordinance has several Public Property lines for FY27: the main appropriation (about $107.5 million, of which roughly $10.5 million is personnel), a separate city subsidy line, space rentals and utilities for municipal buildings.^[3] Because the main appropriation includes occupancy-related costs, it is much larger than the Department's payroll. Capital projects, such as building renovations, are funded through the capital budget; see Philadelphia City Budget Process.

5 Relationship to other agencies

DPP maintains buildings for others but does not make land-use policy. Disposition of City-owned land is guided by Council, the Department of Planning and Development and other land agencies; see Councilmanic Prerogative for the political practice around surplus property. Leases and major real estate contracts are reviewed by the Law Department and follow the rules in Understanding City Contracts and Bids. Fleet vehicles are managed separately by Fleet Services. Residents with a problem in a municipal building can report it through Philly311.

See also: Fleet Services, Department of Records, Managing Director's Office, Philadelphia Land Bank.

References

1. Department of Public Property, "Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Testimony," March 31, 2026 (phlcouncil.com).
2. City of Philadelphia, "Mayor Cherelle L. Parker announces personnel appointments in seven key areas," March 21, 2025 (phila.gov).
3. City of Philadelphia, Fiscal Year 2027 Appropriation Ordinance, items 2.22 to 2.25, in The Mayor's Operating Budget in Brief for Fiscal Year 2027 (phila.gov).