HUD encouraging use of 203(k) rehab loans
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) wants more people to use 203(k) rehab loans, calling them “an important tool for community and neighborhood revitalization and the expansion of home ownership opportunities.” New homeowners purchasing properties that need extensive repairs may not necessarily have to come up with more money or take out a second loan. Both the purchase and renovations can potentially be financed with a single home loan through HUD’s 203(k) program, which allows the average home buyer to rehabilitate a property. It’s a key part of a federal plan to preserve the nation’s aging housing stock. Some local real estate professionals said more home buyers are considering fixer-uppers because the supply of homes for sale is so low. Mortgages that combine money to buy a home with money to fix it up, including loans offered through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are one option for such buyers. In the first three months of 2023, 26 Pennsylvania property buyers used 203(k) loans in the five-county region, compared with 61 in the first three months of 2022. HUD is trying to get more people to use its program and has been collecting feedback from lenders and consumers. Read more here.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/19/2023

High inflation and housing costs force many Americans to delay needed care
In a 2022 Gallup Poll, 38% of American adults surveyed said they had put off medical treatment within the previous year due to cost, up from 26% in 2021. The figure is the highest since Gallup started tracking the issue in 2001. In a similar survey conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation released last summer, 43% of respondents said they or a family member delayed or put off health care because of costs. It found people were most likely to delay dental care, followed by vision services and doctor’s office visits. Many didn’t take medications as prescribed. The U.S. inflation rate hit a four-decade peak last year. High housing costs have started to ease in recent months, but data show rent in some areas has risen dramatically since the pandemic began in 2020.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/19/2023

KeyBank poll finds homebuyers unaware of affordable home lending offerings
KeyBank recently released the findings of its Fair Housing Month poll, which surveyed 1,000 homeowners earning less than $75,000 a year regarding their home buying and lending experiences. The poll found that nearly one-third (31%) of respondents did not seek out any information or resources on home buyer assistance programs. This may be because many homebuyers, particularly those with lower incomes, are unaware of the existence of these offerings and the important role banks can play in providing access to them, according to a press release announcing the findings. The survey also found:

• 47% of homeowners who purchased their homes in the past five years felt confident they received a fair market value price.
• 30% of homeowners are unsure whether they had an unfair experience when buying a home or are certain they had an unfair experience. 
• 38% of homeowners listed location as their top financial factor when deciding to purchase their homes in the past five years, and 37% listed home price. The desire to be close to friends, family and communities continues to be one of the strongest factors when deciding to purchase a home.

Read more here.
Source: The Mercury; 4/18/2023

Controversial Springfield quarry approved with conditions
Springfield Township supervisors unanimously approved a controversial quarry off Route 309 — but not without setting more than two dozen conditions, which were read aloud by township solicitor Scott MacNair. Operator H&K will be required to enter a well water agreement with the township that addresses water quantity and water quality issues; they must comply with regulations of the Pennsylvania Mining Act, and with conditions of the township zoning ordinance that are not preempted by the mining act; they must install a chain-link fence with signage; they must allow the township to inspect any extraction at the property on any working day with due notice; they must direct trucks away from residences on Mine Road; they must institute safety measures along the boundary adjacent to the Upper Bucks Rail Trail following concerns about flying rocks and other debris, and mitigate noise and dust along property boundaries to the south and west where the protective berm is not located; all groundwater test results and the seismic readings of each blast will be required to be sent to the state Department of Environmental Protection and the township, respectively; and they must appoint a project manager to hear and address any complaints. The approval brings to an end a two-and-a-half-year fight by nearby residents and their allies to stop the 40-year project. Residents reacted with disappointment. A written decision will be released on May 1 followed by a 30-day appeal period.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/13/2023

Preliminary land development plan filed for 78 homes in Lower Makefield
A preliminary land development and major subdivision plan was filed in Lower Makefield Township that proposes to divide the 106-acre Torbert Farm into 78 single-family dwelling lots. The farm is one of the last remaining large farms in the township. No potential builder was named, said township community development director Jim Majewski. He added that officials connected with the plan say it can be built "by right" in the R-1 residential low density zoning district where the property is located, without the need for any zoning variances. The planning commission took public comment about the plan but has yet to begin a formal review. Planning commission members and Supervisors Chairman Fredric Weiss, liaison to the planning commission, said the review process for the plan is in its infancy and the plan will be reviewed by the township and county planning commissions along with several other agencies, including the supervisors, who have final say. Township Planning Commission Chairman Adrian Costello encouraged residents to keep coming to meetings and “keep bringing up” questions and concerns. Visit Lower Makefield Township’s website for meeting information.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/11/2023

Bucks County warns residents of illegitimate election mail
The Bucks County Board of Elections Office is making voters aware of unsolicited, unnecessary and sometimes illegitimate election-related correspondence targeting voters that is sent by groups and individuals not associated with the county. Using official-sounding language and personal details derived from a number of publicly available sources that are often outdated, the mailings can seem threatening and have caused needless confusion and worry. One recent set of mailings contains language warning of voter fraud and elder abuse, and directs recipients to notarize and submit an attached, pre-filled affidavit in order to petition to strike a name from voter rolls. The Bucks County Board of Elections office takes fraud very seriously. Any incidents of possible voter fraud are referred to the District Attorney’s Office. Anyone in Bucks County who receives election correspondence and has questions about its legitimacy should not hesitate to contact the Bucks County Board of Elections at 215-348-6154.
Source: Doylestown Patch; 4/15/2023

Dublin Town Center wins first place in PBJ award program
The Dublin Town Center in Dublin Borough was named a Deal of the Year in Philadelphia Business Journal’s Best Real Estate Deals award program, taking first place in the category of Retail and Hospitality: Retail Development. More than a dozen parcels were assembled to create the 17-acre site upon which the Dublin Town Center has been developed. Just over six miles from Doylestown, the town center features a robust mixed-use community, including 78 townhomes and a 45,000-square-foot mixed-use building with 30 apartments, 7,000 square feet of retail space and several adaptive reuses. Robert Loughery, who served as a Bucks County commissioner from 2011 to 2020, was named Dealmaker of the Year for his efforts to revitalize Dublin.
Source: The Reporter; 4/4/2023

New Garden supervisors grant approval to Purolite to occupy Starr Road facility
By a vote of 5-0 at an April 17 hearing, the New Garden Township Board of Supervisors gave conditional use approval to Purolite LLC to open a resin-based, purification and extraction manufacturing facility at the currently vacant building at 380 Starr Road in the township. Following a two-year redevelopment process — in accordance with the township’s zoning ordinance — the 12-acre, 107,000-square-foot Starr Road facility will serve as a manufacturing and distribution center for Purolite in the making of Agarose resin beads, a material extracted from certain types of seaweed that is frequently used in molecular biology for separation of large molecules and protein purification. The property was vacated by W.L. Gore in 2018 after having served as a branch facility for the company beginning in 2008. The site will provide high-skill jobs for over 100 employees, and operate on a seven-day, 24-hour basis.
Source: Chester County Press; 4/18/2023

Unionville-Chadds Ford budget hearing planned
A hearing for the 2023-2024 budget for Unionville-Chadds Ford School District is scheduled for Monday, May 1, from 7 to 10 p.m. The proposed preliminary budget, passed in February, anticipates revenue for the next academic year to be $109 million, with $81.4 million from local sources, including almost $77 million from real estate taxes. The proposed millage rate is set at 32.34 mills for Chester County property owners and 16.93 mills for those in Chadds Ford Township, the only Delaware County municipality in the district. The rates represent more than a 5% increase for both counties, but the millage rate and budget are subject to change before final passage. The school board will vote in May for a proposed final budget, and that proposal will be up for a final vote in June.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 4/18/2023

Chesco commissioners approve contract with historical society
Chester County commissioners approved a $1.18 million contract with the Chester County History Center to continue its partnership in managing and preserving historic and current public records at the county’s Archives and Records Services office. The contract will run from 2023 to 2028 and is an update to the arrangement that has been in place between the two organizations since 1982. The contract comes the same month that the county completed its $3.5 million purchase of the buildings that make up the history center in downtown West Chester, at 205 and 225 N. High St. The properties were acquired by the county for eventual use by the archives services, now headquartered in the basement of the county’s Government Services Center in West Goshen, with a portion of the premises to be leased back to the History Center for its operations.
Source: Daily Local; 4/18/2023

West Chester Borough residents call for traffic calming on Price Street
A group of residents from West Chester Borough’s southwest quadrant have asked for help slowing down motorists on Price Street. Fifty-seven residents living on Price, Brandywine and Sharpless streets signed a petition asking for the installation of a four-way stop sign at the intersection of Brandywine and Price. In response to the concerns, the borough commissioned an initial traffic study performed by Remington and Vernick Engineers. The study showed that 79% of all vehicles traveling northbound on Price Street exceeded the 25 mph limit, with 90.8% of southbound drivers exceeding the limit. Engineers wrote that the intersection might warrant the installation of stop signs along Price Street based on volumes and crash history, but a more complete review is needed. Councilwoman Sheila Vaccaro, who represents the southwest, said she hopes that the full council will recognize how important the issue is to neighborhood residents.
Source: Daily Local; 4/15/2023

State grants will fund West Chester Railroad track improvements
The West Chester Railroad Heritage Association was awarded $125,000 in state funding to support track repairs and infrastructure improvements, state Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-19) announced. The association, a 100% volunteer nonprofit organization that operates a demonstration railroad for public education, recreation and tourism, was awarded two state grants for improvements along the West Chester Branch.
Source: Daily Local; 4/15/2023