$350M in new COVID aid available for PA homeowners
Gov. Tom Wolf recently announced the launch of the Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund, which will be run via the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA). The fund will support homeowners with household income at or below 150% of the area median income who are struggling with additional unexpected financial hardships due to the pandemic. The assistance will go toward preventing and/or easing mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, displacement and utility disconnection. To qualify, homeowners must have experienced a reduction of income or increase in living expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic after Jan. 21, 2020 (including a hardship that began before January 21, 2020, but continued after that date). They also must currently own and occupy their home in Pennsylvania as their primary residence. The homeowner cannot have already received or applied for assistance for mortgage payment, mortgage reinstatement, property charges and/or utility payment from another federal, state, local, nonprofit or tribal source. Homeowners can apply through the PHFA website beginning Feb. 1. Housing counseling agencies and legal service providers across the state will be available to help with applications.
Source: PARJustListed; 1/12/2022

Proposed congressional map advances in legislature as Wolf, lawmakers prepare for court battle
A state Senate panel advanced a redrawing of Pennsylvania’s congressional map as a top Republican expressed hope that his party and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf could still reach a compromise with a court deadline looming. Nonpartisan analysts say the map, first proposed by House Republicans, has a clear GOP advantage. While stopping short of vowing a veto, Wolf previously said he opposes the map in its current form and expressed concern regarding the map’s partisan bias. Wolf and lawmakers face two major deadlines. The state’s top election official has said her department needs a final map no later than Jan. 24 to meet the first of several spring primary deadlines. Commonwealth Court has given those in charge of drawing the map until Jan. 30 to do so before it takes over the process. With the clock ticking, it has become increasingly likely the final map will be picked by the state courts as part of an ongoing lawsuit. Read more here.
Source: Spotlight PA; 1/18/2022

NAR supports nomination of Sandra Thompson for FHFA director
On Jan. 13, the Senate Banking Committee held a confirmation hearing for Sandra Thompson as the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The National Association of Realtors (NAR) submitted a letter of support for Thompson’s confirmation. Thompson has served as acting director of the FHFA since June 2021 and in that short time she has made a number of important policy steps related to affordability, access to credit, and modifications to the capital framework at Fannie and Freddie. In the letter, NAR detailed the current state of FHFA and the importance of the regulator as the country continues to recover from the COVID pandemic. NAR praised Thompson’s actions as acting director, and her deep background and qualifications that make her the ideal candidate to lead FHFA.
Source: NAR.realtor; 1/13/2022

PUC approves sale of Lower Makefield wastewater system
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission has approved the sale of the Lower Makefield Township sewer system to Aqua Pennsylvania. Aqua will purchase the system for $53 million. According to Aqua Pennsylvania president Marc Lucca, the acquisition will close on March 4. Township officials decided to sell the system to help pay off a $17.8 million debt related to the township-owned golf course and raise Lower Makefield's Moody's bond rating that was downgraded in 2019. Aqua told township officials in 2020 that sewer rates would remain flat for three years. The current average Lower Makefield residential rate is about $74 per month based on 4,700 gallons of usage.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 1/14/2022

Plumstead seeks volunteers for land preservation committee
Plumstead Township is creating a new Land Preservation Education and Advisory Committee. The committee’s purpose is to advise the supervisors about land preservation matters, create ranking criteria, outreach and educational materials, as well as review land preservation applications and provide recommendations to the board. The committee will consist of five members. The township is looking for individuals knowledgeable or interested in land preservation. Residents interested in joining the committee can submit a letter of interest to the township by Jan. 31.
Source: Plumstead Township; 1/2022

Pennsbury-Morrisville merger study on hold
Pennsbury School District chief financial officer Chris Berdnik recently told the school board’s finance committee that a merger feasibility study of Pennsbury and Morrisville Borough school districts is on hold pending the outcome of a grant application. Last fall, Pennsbury applied for a $195,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Education to pay for the study. It could take up to six months for the Department of Education to review the application. The study itself will take at least a few months and will evaluate a full merger, as well as the idea of Morrisville sending all or some of its students to Pennsbury on a tuition basis. Morrisville is an 800-student school district that has faced financial challenges for years. It is bordered on the north, south and west by Pennsbury School District and to the east by New Jersey and the Delaware River.
Source: The Reporter; 1/17/2022

Quakertown lifts condemnation of Bush House Hotel
Quakertown Borough recently lifted a condemnation order for the Bush House Hotel complex. The order was placed two months ago due to code violations the borough said compromised the health and safety of the residents. According to a statement from the borough, the most significant code violations have been remedied. All 61 residents displaced after the condemnation who requested assistance were provided rehousing and social service assistance from Bucks County administration, the Bucks County Opportunity Council and the YWCA. The owner of Bush House Hotel, MT Estate Realty, alleges the borough had no basis for the condemnation. Read more here.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 1/12/2022

Middletown shopping center sells for $23 million
The Langhorne Plaza shopping center in Middletown Township has sold for $23.45 million. The shopping center is built on 12 acres in the 1500 block of East Lincoln Highway. It is minutes from Route 1, I-95, the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the New Jersey border, and draws customers from around Lower Bucks County. According to the Philadelphia Business Journal, the property was owned by Waterstone Properties, of Needham, Massachusetts, and the new owner was not named.
Source: LevittownNow.com; 1/18/2022

Crebilly Farm on market for $34M
The Robinson Family has again put Crebilly Farm on the market, listing the 309-acre property in Westtown Township with a real estate agent at $34 million. Annual property taxes run $43,581, according to the listing. The conservancy group Natural Lands is scrambling to secure funding to preserve the land and prevent development, and has been in discussions with the owners. A Natural Lands spokesperson recently said that it would likely take the conservancy from 18 months to two years to secure grants and other funding. “We are very grateful to the Robinson family for their willingness to enter this dialogue, the details of which are confidential, as are all our discussions with landowners,” the group said in a press release. “While it’s too early to know specifics, a conservation plan for Crebilly Farm could involve a combination of publicly accessible open space and privately owned land.” The release also states that Natural Lands received approval from Westtown Township to apply on the township’s behalf for federal, state and county funding toward the conservation of the farm. As part of the proposal, Natural Lands will obtain an independent appraisal of the property. The real estate listing states that a barn, horse facilities, a carriage house, a pond, a stable, a caretaker house and a wood fence, plus a “scenic view” are selling points. Toll Brothers had planned to build more than 300 homes on the property, but encountered strong local opposition and abandoned the project after a lengthy court battle with Westtown Township.
Source: Daily Local; 1/18/2022

‘Unprecedented circumstances’ as hospitals close
With Jennersville Hospital closed and Brandywine Hospital set to close at the end of the month, Paoli and Chester County hospitals will see an unprecedented demand, and people calling 911 for emergency services will wait longer. According to a recent report from the Chester County EMS Council, Paoli Hospital and Chester County Hospital are expected to absorb 77% of the EMS calls from the hospitals that are closing. The shift will directly impact the entire EMS and healthcare system in Chester County, ranging from staffing, financing, system overload and decline in volunteerism. The report warns that the actual time until emergency care is rendered could be as long as three hours due to heavy emergency department volume. The EMS Council intends to collaborate with local and state elected officials in the hopes of obtaining a buyer for Jennersville and Brandywine hospitals.
Source: Daily Local; 1/16/2022

Kennett Square welcomes four new council members
Four new members were recently sworn onto Kennett Square Borough Council, including Kathleen Caccamo, a Realtor who has lived in the borough for two decades. Caccamo formerly served as president of the Kennett Area Merchants Association. In her new role as a council member, Caccamo hopes to achieve the following goals: set a strategic plan that encompasses community growth and fiscal responsibility; support local businesses; and prioritize borough assets from buildings to infrastructure. Also joining the council is Bob Norris, a real estate redeveloper and the founder and president of Next Home. The other new members are Samantha Ferraro, a recruiter and consultant at Ciprani Consulting, and Timothy Brian Kerver, a sales consultant at Stoltzfus RV and Marine in West Chester. All four new members ran unopposed for the open seats in November. Most of the council is now composed of first-term members. Mayor Matt Fetick, a Realtor, was also re-elected and sworn into his fourth consecutive term.
Source: Daily Local; 1/18/2022

Chester County Hospital gets $2.1M to expand inpatient capacity
State Sen. Carolyn Comitta (D-19), state Rep. Christina Sappey (D-158) and state Rep. Dianne Herrin (D-156) announced that they secured more than $2.1 million in total state funding to support expanding inpatient and emergency department capacity at Chester County Hospital. The funding, made available through the federal American Rescue Plan, comes at a crucial time as communities across the county face Tower Health’s abrupt decision to close Jennersville Hospital in southern Chester County and Brandywine Hospital in the Coatesville area. Comitta, who serves on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said the funds will significantly help Chester County Hospital and its emergency department deal with an expected influx of patients due to the closure. The funding is split into two categories:

• $1.4 million to expand the emergency department capacity. The funds will build upon a project that is currently underway to increase its emergency room from 33 to 46 bays. Funds will also be used to construct a special behavioral health treatment area in the emergency department.
• $775,000 to restore 42 in-patient beds that were decommissioned when Chester County Hospital opened its new Pavilion in the spring of 2020. The funds will support purchasing new equipment and recruiting and acquiring the staff necessary to return the remaining beds to operation in about one to two months.

Source: Daily Local; 1/19/2022

Chesco bridge projects could benefit from federal infrastructure money
State and federal officials touted $1.6 billion in bridge funding Pennsylvania will receive under the infrastructure bill passed by Congress in November. No funding has been assigned to specific projects yet, but the PennDOT projects in Chester County listed below with their estimated costs could be candidates:

• S. Route 30 and PA Route 10 in Exton: Bypass reconstruction — $10 million
• S. 422 bridges over Hanover Street and PA Route 100 in North Coventry: Reconstruction — $84 million
• Ewing Road bridge over White Clay Creek in East Fallowfield: Replacement — $1.58 million
• State Route 202 and State Route 926 in Westtown: Intersection improvement — $4.54 million
• Ship Road bridge over Valley Creek in West Whiteland: Replacement — $1.42 million
• Birchrun Road bridge Birch Run in West Vincent: Replacement — $1.27 million
• Conestoga Road (Route 401) bridge over Pickering Creek in Chester Springs: Replacement — $1.85 million
• Lancaster Avenue (Route 322) bridge over Brandywine Creek in Downingtown: Rehabilitation — $7.76 million

Share your thoughts about Philadelphia’s budget
This spring, Mayor Kenney will propose a budget to city council for the coming fiscal year, which starts on July 1. Before the city drafts that proposal, Philadelphia wants to hear from residents about their priorities and preferences for how the city spends money on services like trash collection, anti-violence initiatives, public health and more. At an upcoming virtual meeting, city officials will discuss the budget, field questions and listen to residents’ suggestions. Register for the virtual town hall on Thursday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. Residents can also apply to take part in a focus group by the Jan. 26 deadline. Focus groups will be held between Jan. 30 and Feb. 10. Learn more about how you can share your thoughts here.
Source: City of Philadelphia; 1/18/2022

Community groups could get priority in sale of thousands of vacant city lots
For decades, community gardeners have tended to abandoned land in neighborhoods redlined by the insurance industry, neglected by government and ignored by developers. Yet as values rise across the city and builders see opportunity in long-overlooked lots, gardeners find themselves fighting to hold onto the spaces they’ve cultivated. A bill introduced by City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier would direct the Philadelphia Land Bank and the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority to prioritize applications from certain nonprofit groups to develop surplus public land into uses that benefit communities — like affordable housing or community gardens. The bill would give these organizations more time to gather funding for projects. The bill only applies to the noncompetitive, unsolicited land disposition process, and prioritization would kick in when there are multiple applicants for a parcel. Read more here.
Source: PlanPhilly; 1/14/2022

PHA owns thousands of rowhomes like the one that burned in Fairmount
The three-story duplex that was the site of a tragic fire in Fairmount was owned by the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), which claims to be the largest landlord in Pennsylvania. In the city, PHA controls a massive stock of individual row houses that were once privately owned. “It’s rare that housing authorities own units outside the public housing portfolio, but it’s not unheard of,” said Joseph Shuldiner, who has served in leadership roles with the Chicago, Los Angeles and New York housing authorities. “Cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore have a lot more than other places, a lot more of these two- to three-story buildings out there in troubled neighborhoods.” A housing authority spokesperson was not immediately able to confirm the number of so-called “scatter site” units, but PHA’s website states that 4,000 families live in such homes. PHA has long struggled with its large portfolio of rowhomes, both because of national policy priorities and local bureaucratic malaise. On a federal policy level, the public housing system fell out of favor in the 1970s. Funding began to atrophy and then severely decline. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities found that the public housing program’s capital and operating funds fell by 25% between 2001 and 2014. PHA’s buildings alone need over $1 billion in repairs. On the local level, where some 40,000 people are on the waiting list for homes, the agency historically did not give its full attention to scatter site properties. Like all housing authorities, the bulk of PHA’s resources goes towards administering the Section 8 voucher program and the major developments that it designs and builds. The scatter site units also aren’t usually represented by resident councils, like tenants in big housing complexes like West Park are. Read more here.
Source: Billy Penn; 1/6/2022