Ed Goppelt announced recently that the hallwatch website will shut down in February. This website provided a much needed reality check--transparency, even, on the city's failures to enforce its tax laws and to provide for its infrastructure. I am saddened by losing this resource.

Let's keep the data and its routine publishing alive, though. Does anyone know how he was able to sift through the BRT data and produce the lists that he posted on the site? I have used the BRT site often, and can't figure out how he did it without trudging through the data block by block.

Today I participated in the City of Philadelphia's Sheriff Sale of Tax Delinquent properties. Have you been? This is my fourth sale, and today I started keeping notes.

Number of properties for sale: almost 100
Total sold: 49
Total sale revenue: $558,000

Property spotlight: 1124 S. 48th Street
Number of years tax delinquent: 23*
Total tax principal owed: $47,653
Total Tax Balance: $98,646
Today's sale price: $11,600
Year City tore structure down**: 2007