Montgomery County officials unveiled the county’s first housing blueprint, a 20-page plan aimed at reversing a sharp decline in new home construction and tackling a growing affordability crisis in one of Pennsylvania's most affluent counties. New housing units dropped 41% between 2019 and 2024, falling from 3,006 to 1,728, while median home sale prices jumped 47% to $457,000 over the same period. Nearly half of the county's renters are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing. The plan calls for creating a land bank, issuing bonds and promoting transit-oriented development to reach a goal of 2,000 new units per year. Affordable housing projects are underway across the county, including a 700-unit redevelopment at the former Norristown State Hospital site, and 48 units of affordable senior housing nearing completion in Lower Merion. Next steps for the housing plan include hiring a consultant to study housing and zoning needs, exploring inclusionary zoning, and launching a housing program specifically for people living with or recovering from opioid use disorder.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal & Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/28/2026