In August, Felton Hayman, a childhood friend of City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, purchased three vacant lots in the rapidly gentrifying Point Breeze neighborhood within Johnson’s Council district at far below market value.

When Hayman notified the city in 2014 of his interest in buying the lots, Philadelphia’s policy called for open bidding if there was more than one expression of interest in a property.

A document from the city’s Vacant Property Review Committee stated that there had

been only one expression of interest (EOI)

for the lots. In fact, there were 16. The city attributed the mistake to “human error”

by a clerk.

One month later, Hayman sold the two Titan Street properties that he bought from the city for $65,000 to another builder for $230,000, netting $165,000.

In August, Felton Hayman, a childhood friend of City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson, purchased three vacant lots in the rapidly gentrifying Point Breeze neighborhood within Johnson’s Council district at far below market value.

When Hayman notified the city in 2014 of his interest in buying the lots, Philadelphia’s policy called for open bidding if there was more than one expression of interest in a property. A document from the city’s Vacant Property Review Committee stated that there had been only one expression of interest (EOI) for the lots. In fact, there were 16. The city attributed the mistake to “human error” by a clerk.

One month later, Hayman sold the two Titan Street properties that he bought from the city for $65,000 to another builder for $230,000, netting $165,000.