Congress passes bipartisan Road to Housing bill
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a landmark housing bill, notching a rare bipartisan accomplishment ahead of the midterm elections and clearing the way for President Trump to sign the most significant piece of housing legislation in 36 years. The 358-to-32 House vote ended months of sparring between the House and the Senate over a sprawling measure that aims to tackle the housing crisis by boosting supply. The Senate passed its version of the same bill on June 22 by a vote of 85 to 5. The 21st Century Road to Housing Act aims to touch communities across the country, addressing rural and urban needs as part of a strategy to eventually bring down housing costs. It loosens federal regulations, making it easier, faster and cheaper to build, eases lending rules, rewards communities that build, delivers aid to communities reeling from disasters, and sets new limits on the role institutional investors can play in the market. President Trump abruptly canceled a signing ceremony for the bill, insisting Congress pass unrelated election legislation first. Without a presidential signature or veto, the 21st Century Road to Housing Act automatically becomes law after 10 days. Read more about the legislation, and the Realtor advocacy behind it, at the National Association of Realtors website.
Source: New York Times; 6/24/2026

The ‘demand is real’ for backyard cottages, other ADUs, builder says
A southeastern Pennsylvania builder says demand for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), such as backyard cottages, in-law suites and garage apartments continues to grow. Mario Mascioli, owner of Acorn Built Homes, said his company receives hundreds of inquiries each month from homeowners seeking rental income or housing options for aging parents or adult children, but many projects are delayed or abandoned because of varying municipal zoning restrictions and costly variance requirements. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation that would allow homeowners to create ADUs in places that are zoned for single-family houses without having to get special permission. The bill passed the state House and is now before a Senate committee. Supporters argue that easing ADU regulations would expand housing supply and affordability while reducing development costs and approval timelines. Read the full story in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/23/2026

ICE drops plans for PA and NJ detention warehouses
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to divest three warehouse properties in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that were purchased for more than $336 million as part of the Trump administration’s effort to expand immigrant detention capacity. The facilities, located in Berks and Schuylkill counties in Pennsylvania and Morris County, New Jersey, were intended to support large-scale detention operations but faced opposition from state and local officials, environmental regulators and community groups. The decision marks a shift in priorities under Department of Homeland Security Sec. Markwayne Mullin, who has signaled a preference for utilizing existing detention facilities through state and county partnerships rather than developing new warehouse-based sites. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and other elected officials had challenged the projects, citing legal, environmental and community concerns.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/19/2026

Massachusetts court strikes down statewide rent control ballot measure
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court struck down a sweeping ballot measure that would have imposed one of the nation’s most restrictive statewide rent control regimes, delivering a significant victory for housing affordability and supply. After the attorney general certified the measure for the ballot, housing providers filed suit challenging that certification as improper. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) supported the housing providers by filing an amicus brief highlighting the measure’s legal, economic and policy flaws. The ballot measure sought to repeal the Massachusetts Rent Control Prohibition Act of 1994 and replace it with a mandatory statewide rent control system with limited exemptions. As drafted, the proposal failed to provide housing providers with a viable path to maintain fair net operating income or recover rising costs like property taxes, insurance, repairs and capital improvements. It also lacked essential safeguards, including any mechanism for hardship relief. NAR emphasized that, despite being well intentioned, the measure would ultimately worsen housing challenges. Extensive economic research shows that rent control suppresses new development, discourages long-term investment, diminishes housing quality and ultimately limits housing options for renters.
Source: NAR; 6/23/2026

Bridgeton Nature Preserve opens at abandoned quarry site
A former sand and gravel quarry that sat abandoned for more than 40 years along River Road in Upper Black Eddy, Bridgeton Township, has been transformed into the 107-acre Bridgeton Nature Preserve, which officially opened to the public on May 27 following years of collaboration among Bridgeton Township, the Tinicum Conservancy and the Appalachian Mountain Club. The $600,000 acquisition, completed in 2019, required piecing together funding from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, private philanthropic donors and Bucks County. Volunteers then spent roughly a year and a half constructing a two-mile natural footpath loop through the property, which features scenic ponds, wetlands, freshwater springs and a mature tree canopy. The land has already attracted river otters, coyotes, foxes, salamanders and a variety of migratory birds. Now the largest municipally owned public preserve in Bridgeton Township, the site is open daily from dawn to dusk, with parking off River Road. Long-term plans call for connecting its trail loop to the Highlands Trail network at nearby Ringing Rocks County Park.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 6/9/2026

Taxes up in Central Bucks School District
The Central Bucks School Board unanimously approved a $440.9 million budget for the coming school year, raising taxes 5.7% — which required state approval, with the district citing special education needs as a reason to exceed its Act 1 cap. The typical homeowner will pay about $334 more. The increase marks the sixth consecutive annual tax hike, and taxes on the average Central Bucks home have risen by a cumulative $1,231 since the 2020-2021 fiscal year. To offset some costs, the board eliminated several administrative positions, including a district-wide athletic director, saving roughly $850,000. The budget funds major ongoing projects, including building renovations, a grade realignment requiring expanded high school space, and the full implementation of full-day kindergarten for the first time. Despite the repeated hikes, the district's deficit has grown to a projected 4.2%, and board members have framed the increases as necessary catch-up spending after six consecutive years without any tax increases prior to 2021-2022. Central Bucks still maintains a lower property tax rate than most other Bucks County public schools.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 6/14/2026

Toll Brothers plans townhouses in Doylestown
Toll Brothers is planning a community of 18 luxury townhouses called 280 North at Doylestown, located just off North Broad Street, within walking distance of downtown Doylestown. The homes come in two models — the Courtland and Courtland Elite — both priced around $900,000 and offering over 2,500 square feet, at least three bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms, and a two-car garage. The four-story buildings include an elevator, rooftop terrace and open-concept kitchen, with lawn care and snow removal handled by community staff. The development sits within the Central Bucks School District and also includes an affordable apartment complex for senior veterans aged 60 and older. Sales are expected to begin this fall.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 6/22/2026

Solebury supervisors push back on North Wales Water Authority tank plans
North Wales Water Authority (NWWA) is seeking to place a silo-style water tank on about an acre of land on North Pointe open space property that is owned by Solebury Township. In an open letter, Solebury Township Supervisors Chairman Mark Baum Baicker said that, when the issue arose at a May meeting, the supervisors “did not give the requested support for the project and suggested that the authority meet with the community and then come back before the board.” Baum Baicker said the proposal could only come to fruition if the township were to transfer the land to NWWA or give it use of the preserved property. He said that the water tower would not be located in the neighborhood it serves, and encouraged residents of Fox Run, North Pointe, Ingham Mews, Logan Square and Hermitage communities to attend NWWA’s next public meeting.
Source: Bucks County Herald 6/4/2026 & 6/11/2026

New Britain Borough renews contract with Waste Management
New Britain Borough Council has renewed its trash hauling contract with Waste Management for another five years starting Jan. 1, 2027, after reviewing competing proposals at its June 10 meeting. Residents will continue to have two 96-gallon containers for solid waste and recycling, weekly yard waste collection up to 180 gallons, and one free bulk item pickup per month. In other borough news, council approved nearly $2,000 for a memorial park bench, and the events committee is planning a free family movie night in September on the grounds of Lenape Valley Church, as well as the upcoming Independence Day parade, which will feature a float of red, white and blue native plants from the environmental advisory commission.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 6/19/2026

Chesco launches Open Space Accelerator Mini-Grant Program
The Chester County Planning Commission launched the Open Space Accelerator Mini-Grant Program, which provides funding for municipalities to develop implementation plans for specific, open-space-related projects. Matching grants of up to $10,000 are available on a rolling basis until funding is exhausted. The program requires a 50% cash match. Eligible projects include, but aren’t limited to: prioritization planning, such as developing an open space prioritization system; connectivity and greenway planning; zoning and regulations; policy development; stewardship; and sustainability and resilience assessments.
Source: Chester County; 6/22/2026

Tredyffrin/Easttown approves $205M schools budget with 5% tax rate increase
The Tredyffrin/Easttown School Board has approved a $204.8 million budget for the 2026-2027 school year that includes a 5% property tax increase, raising the tax rate to 31.1364 mills and increasing taxes by an estimated $388 annually for the average-assessed home in the district. School officials cited rising personnel costs, construction of the new Bear Hill Elementary School, increased debt service, mandated pension contributions and growing special education expenses as key drivers of the spending plan. The district said demand for specialized programs, contracted services and support for students with complex needs continues to outpace state funding for special education. Bear Hill Elementary is scheduled to open for the 2027-2028 school year, when the district plans to implement full-day kindergarten.
Source: Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch; 6/15/2026

Westtown Township considers Crebilly area rezoning
The Westtown Township Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider a sweeping rezoning ordinance affecting several properties surrounding the Crebilly Preserve area, including parcels along Route 202 and Route 926. The proposal would rezone multiple properties from the Agricultural/Cluster Residential District to a mix of Neighborhood Commercial, Residence-Office and Township zoning districts, including the Crebilly Preserve property, Westminster Presbyterian Church, and nearby commercial and undeveloped parcels. Township officials say the changes would update the official zoning map and align zoning classifications with existing and planned land uses in the area. The board of supervisors will hold a public hearing and may vote on the ordinance on Monday, July 6, at 7:30 p.m. at the Westtown Township Building, 1039 Wilmington Pike, West Chester.
Source: Daily Local; 6/22/2026

Chesco commissioners appoint new voter services director
Chester County has appointed Michele DiCaprio as the new director of the Department of Voter Services, effective July 20. “As a foreign service officer, Michele has spent her career leading complex international operations in fast-paced environments while ensuring federal compliance,” county administrator Erik Walschburger said. “Through her years of work on election operations and counterterrorism program evaluation, she has established a strong track record of developing high-performing teams, strengthening organizational effectiveness, and managing critical public-facing services.” DiCaprio holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University and a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy from Tufts University. DiCaprio succeeds Karen Barsoum, who resigned amid reports of staff turmoil and following a high profile error in which more than 75,000 independent registered voters were omitted from the poll books in November 2025.
Source: Chester County; 6/17/2026

West Chester council to increase salaries of future council members
West Chester Borough Council informally decided to raise the salaries for council, and possibly the mayor. The council did not immediately raise their own salaries, but will likely increase the pay checks of those elected in the future, starting with members elected in 2027. The proposal still has to go through committee before coming back before council. State law allows borough councils to raise the salaries of future councils and the mayors by ordinance. The raise is based on the size of the municipality. Current council members earn $4,125 per year and might earn up to $6,915 annually, while living in a community with 15,000 to 25,000 residents. The maximum salary increased about 18 months ago, after not being altered for about 20 years. The mayor earns $4,125 per year and could earn up to $8,400 per year. Councilman Bernie Flynn said that he averages 25 to 30 hours per week working on council matters.
Source: Daily Local; 6/17/2026