From a working-class background, former Councilmember Allan Domb, aka Philadelphia’s “Condo King,” made his name (and fortune) by buying up buildings, particularly in the area around Rittenhouse Square. Three decades into running his real estate biz, he was elected to an at-large seat on City Council, where he spent much of his time focusing on fiscal issues.
Since launching his mayoral bid, Domb’s been criss-crossing the city regularly on public transit, meeting voters in various neighborhoods. He’s spending a bunch of his own money on this race; enough to trigger the city’s “millionaire’s amendment,” which doubles the limit on individual campaign contributions.
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Previous elected experience: Two terms City Council as an at-large member, from 2016 to his resignation in August of last year.
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How long in Philly? Originally from North Jersey, Domb moved to Philly after he graduated from college in the late 1970s.
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Big wins: Pushed for cuts to the business and wage taxes to help some low-income workers, worked with local hospitality industry leaders to ease the impact of the pandemic, and (somewhat) extended the life of streeteries.
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Potential eyebrow raisers: Domb owns hundreds of properties throughout the city, which could present lots of difficult ethics questions if he’s elected. He’s said he’ll create a “firewall” for himself when it comes to conflicts of interest, and step down from direct management if elected.
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What’s his network? Domb was an early investor in Starr Restaurants, the group that owns Parc, Continental, and others. He has been president of the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors, and served on the board of Friends of Rittenhouse Square.
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Endorsements: Philly Forward PAC
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Vibe: A business exec frustrated with others not governing well enough, and decided he’d better just do it himself.
Website: votedomb.com