House report
5909 Washington Ave
4 bd · 1 ba · 1 story · 1,525 sqft · RSA5 · built 1920
Owner-occupancy signal

Assessment and dated record history
Every fetched annual City assessment for this house, compared with its block and ZIP. The chart preserves property assessment, block median and range, ZIP median, and each dated assessment, deed, L&I, permit, and inspection event.
Assessment vs. the block and ZIP · every dated City record marked on the line
- OPA assessment · 2016$92K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2017$92K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2018$92K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2019$87K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2020$90K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2021$90K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2022$90K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2023$119K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2024$119K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2025$182K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2026$182K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- OPA assessment · 2027$186K assessed valueOPA’s value on the City tax roll for that year. It is not an appraisal, listing price, sale price, or live tax balance.How Philadelphia property assessments work ↗
- Deed / sale · 2008Deed / sale $42KA recorded real-estate document or transfer event. The amount and date can be useful history, but the underlying deed and transfer-tax filing control the parties, consideration, and legal effect.How to read the recorded document ↗
- Deed / sale · 2009Deed / sale $125KA recorded real-estate document or transfer event. The amount and date can be useful history, but the underlying deed and transfer-tax filing control the parties, consideration, and legal effect.How to read the recorded document ↗
- L&I violation · 2008-09-11PROSEC- STD INFO (likely: Standard enforcement or prosecution notice)Legacy L&I shorthand; the case notice contains the actual required correction and deadlines.How L&I violations and orders work ↗
- L&I violation · 2008-09-11VACANT PROP STANDARD (likely: vacant-property enforcement standard)A legacy L&I label associated with vacant-property requirements. It may concern licensing, securing, or maintaining a vacant structure; the notice and cited code control, and this row alone does not prove the property is vacant now.Read Philadelphia Code §9-3905 ↗
- L&I violation · 2008-09-11LICENSE-VAC RES BLDG (vacant residential building license required)This usually records a requirement to obtain a Vacant Structure License for an unoccupied residential building. Check later license and compliance rows because it does not establish present vacancy or an unresolved violation.How the City licenses vacant residential property ↗
- L&I violation · 2008-09-11VACANT BLDG UNSECURED COUNTA dated L&I enforcement row. Read the cited code, required correction, status, and later inspections together; the title alone does not establish the property’s current condition.How L&I violations and orders work ↗
- Inspection · 2008-09-11BRU INSPA dated L&I visit or review. Its type describes the inspection program; the separate result and later rows show whether that visit passed, failed, or led to follow-up.What Philadelphia inspections check ↗
- Inspection · 2009-02-05BRU INSPA dated L&I visit or review. Its type describes the inspection program; the separate result and later rows show whether that visit passed, failed, or led to follow-up.What Philadelphia inspections check ↗
- Inspection · 2009-05-11BRU INSPA dated L&I visit or review. Its type describes the inspection program; the separate result and later rows show whether that visit passed, failed, or led to follow-up.What Philadelphia inspections check ↗
- License · 2008-09-30JOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration initially issuedA City license record tied to an activity or property use. Its issue, expiration, inactive, and status fields—not the category alone—show what was recorded for this date.Philadelphia L&I licenses and property records ↗
- License · 2012-12-22JOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration marked inactiveA City license record tied to an activity or property use. Its issue, expiration, inactive, and status fields—not the category alone—show what was recorded for this date.Philadelphia L&I licenses and property records ↗
Scroll horizontally to move through the years. Each icon sits on its recorded date; records without a day are labeled and centered within their year. Select one to explain the filing.
- LicenseJOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration marked inactive
- InspectionBRU INSP
- InspectionBRU INSP
- Deed / saleDeed / sale $125K
- LicenseJOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration initially issued
- L&I violationPROSEC- STD INFO (likely: Standard enforcement or prosecution notice)
- L&I violationVACANT PROP STANDARD (likely: vacant-property enforcement standard)
- L&I violationLICENSE-VAC RES BLDG (vacant residential building license required)
- L&I violationVACANT BLDG UNSECURED COUNT
- InspectionBRU INSP
- Deed / saleDeed / sale $42K
The short read
Recorded transfers2 non-nominal transfers recorded: $42K in 2008 → $125K in 2009 (+197% between recorded amounts).
A selected summary of the main sequence. The chart above and source ledger below contain every fetched dated row.
Browse 11 dated records
Deeds, permits, inspections, licenses, violations, certifications, and appeals.
Open the source ledger 11 dated rows
- License terminal eventJOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration marked inactive
License 457764 · Inactive
License event. Registration does not prove present operation or storefront occupancy.
- InvestigationBRU INSP
Case 178292 · PASSED
The cited inspection visit was marked passed.
- InvestigationBRU INSP
Case 178292 · FAILED
The cited inspection visit was marked failed; later rows may show follow-up or resolution.
- Recorded transfer$125K transfer
2009
- License issue eventJOYCE SHEPERD: Vacant Residential Property / Lot landlord or residential registration initially issued
License 457764 · Inactive
License event. Registration does not prove present operation or storefront occupancy.
- ViolationPROSEC- STD INFO (likely: Standard enforcement or prosecution notice)
Case 178292 · Violation 1235678 · Code A-503.2/2 · COMPLIED
Legacy L&I shorthand; the case notice contains the actual required correction and deadlines. City marked this violation complied with; check the resolution date and live case for what was accepted.
- ViolationVACANT PROP STANDARD (likely: vacant-property enforcement standard)
Case 178292 · Violation 1235680 · Code PM-306.0/1 · COMPLIED
A legacy L&I label associated with vacant-property requirements. It may concern licensing, securing, or maintaining a vacant structure; the notice and cited code control, and this row alone does not prove the property is vacant now. City marked this violation complied with; check the resolution date and live case for what was accepted.
- ViolationLICENSE-VAC RES BLDG (vacant residential building license required)
Case 178292 · Violation 1235679 · Code PM-102.4/2 · COMPLIED
This usually records a requirement to obtain a Vacant Structure License for an unoccupied residential building. Check later license and compliance rows because it does not establish present vacancy or an unresolved violation. City marked this violation complied with; check the resolution date and live case for what was accepted.
- ViolationVACANT BLDG UNSECURED COUNT
Case 178292 · Violation 1235681 · Code PM-306.2/1 · COMPLIED
City marked this violation complied with; check the resolution date and live case for what was accepted.
- InvestigationBRU INSP
Case 178292 · FAILED
The cited inspection visit was marked failed; later rows may show follow-up or resolution.
- Recorded transfer$42K transfer
2008
What this record suggests
2 dated deed records matched this parcel. Timing is a research lead, not proof of renovation, condition, or motive.
Flags: latest deed has shared-name parties; relationship unverified. Informational only — not investment advice or a consumer report (FCRA).
Preparing this comparison.
Compare nearby property records
The subject property stays pinned above and is excluded from this comparable list. Repeated condominium addresses include their OPA parcel number.
Property details and source records
The visual history and live comparison stay above. Use these focused views for tax, ownership, nearby-block, and supporting City records.
Property tax
The estimate, live balance, and back-tax record are different.
BlockReport can calculate the annual tax from the City’s taxable assessment. Payments, credits, interest, and a current amount due live separately in Philadelphia Tax Center.
2026 taxable assessment $82,100 × 1.3998%. This is an estimate, not a bill or account balance.
OPA also publishes a 2027 assessment of $186,100; it is not the 2026 billed-year value.
A Tax Center balance is net of bills, payments, credits, interest, and adjustments. A credit or an amount due is not automatically “back taxes.”
OPA 0331044002026 OPA removes $100,000 from the taxable assessment through the owner-occupant exemption.
Historical delinquency sources No current conclusion
This parcel did not match the June 2022 delinquency snapshot. That absence does not confirm the account is current today.
For a purchase, refinance, or closing, request the City’s official Property Payoff statement in Tax Center under “More options.”
The property, on paper
OPA physical field record.
OPA field-assessment attributes. Condition and grade are the assessor's codes, not an inspection.
Block context
5900 block of Washington Ave. Compare parcels, ownership, and public-record history.
See the whole block →Next door: 5907 Washington Ave · 5911 Washington Ave
L&I license dates · data through Jul 23, 2026
Business licenses at this address Latest pull
What L&I has registered at this OPA parcel, newest initial license date first.
No L&I business license is on record at this address in data through Jul 23, 2026.
Landlord and residential filings
These are property registrations or landlord filings, not businesses operating at this address.
Vacant Residential Property / Lot · Initial issue date Sep 30, 2008 · Terminal license date Dec 22, 2012
A license is an L&I registration, not proof that a business is open, operating today, or located at this storefront. Dates are license dates. Events are deduped by parcel, business identity, and license type, so a renewal is not shown as another opening. Other permit and filing types remain in the full source ledger.
Where this comes from
- Assessment, spec sheet & owner: OPA Property Assessments, Office of Property Assessment
- Sales & deed history: Realty Transfer Tax records, Recorder of Deeds
- Permits, violations & inspections: L&I Property History · Atlas
- Tax delinquency snapshot · June 2022: Real Estate Tax Delinquencies, Dept. of Revenue
- Historical tax ledger & liens · through 2016: Real Estate Tax Balances, Dept. of Revenue
- Current property-tax balance: Verify with Philadelphia Revenue
- Zoning appeals: L&I & Zoning Board appeals
- Neighborhood income & rents: US Census ACS 5-year estimates
- Historical mortgage rates: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, annual averages
- Imagery: Street photo © Google · Aerial © Esri, Maxar
Methodology & freshness
This report was assembled Jul 23, 2026, 3:57 PM ET. Available City datasets are queried from OpenDataPhilly (phl.carto.com) and the cited City ArcGIS feeds; record queries paginate rather than silently taking a first page. For this property: Permits: queried · Violations: queried · Investigations: queried · Appeals: queried · Licenses: queried · Building certifications: queried. “Unavailable” means the source query failed or was not supplied, not “no record.” Reports re-pull on view after seven days and on an overnight rolling schedule; citywide benchmarks recompute weekly. Source dates still govern: the parcel-level tax-delinquency snapshot is June 2022 and the separate detailed tax ledger ends in 2016, so neither establishes today’s balance. The live balance and date-effective payoff must be verified in Tax Center. AI-written passages are grounded in the assembled record and rejected if they state a number the record does not hold.
Official city record ↗ · L&I history ↗ · See the whole block · Download this record (JSON)