Lawmakers discuss changing PA water privatization law
Pennsylvania Act 12 was passed with overwhelming and bipartisan support in 2016, with proponents of the law saying it would help improve water and wastewater systems that were “urgently in need of repair.” The law allows investor-owned utilities to charge ratepayers for the appraised fair-market value of an acquired system, rather than its lower depreciated cost. Since then, for-profit utilities have purchased more than 20 water and sewer systems from municipal governments — and the acquisitions have prompted local backlash as customers have seen their monthly water bills double or even triple. Public hearings held by the state’s utility regulator have been packed with ratepayers frustrated over the increases. State politicians have been listening, and the push to change Act 12 is gaining momentum. State Rep. Leanne Krueger (D-161) has cosponsored a package of bills related to the issue. Krueger, who voted in favor of Act 12, and other legislators now say that although the law was intended to help distressed systems, in practice it has instead enabled investor-owned utilities to buy up healthy assets and raise rates without providing a meaningful public benefit. State Sen. Katie Muth (D-44) said she wants to see a full repeal but expressed skepticism that any reform legislation would pass, pointing to the industry’s political influence. “Act 12 has allowed our basic necessities of life to be put on the market for profit,” Muth said. Read more in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/7/2024

Eviction rates rising in southeastern PA
Eviction rates are on the rise in Pennsylvania, including in the southeastern region of the state. A report released by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, titled "After The Pause: The Rise of Eviction Filings Post-Pandemic," analyzes eviction flings documented in the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts over a five-year span from July 2018 to June 2023. The report found the Keystone State’s eviction filings have surged back to figures not seen since 2019 after tenant protections and financial assistance programs helped to cut those levels in half during the COVID pandemic.
Source: Patch.com; 4/5/2024

FEMA offers tips on checking homes for earthquake damage
An earthquake happened on April 5 in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, which caused shaking across eastern Pennsylvania and beyond. While early reports indicated there was no damage, officials urge residents to report any earthquake damage they may discover to their local municipalities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a guide with tips to spot damage caused by earthquakes, such as:

• Examine the outside of the building for collapse or obvious movement of the foundation.
• Has anything fallen off a chimney or parapet? Are there any signs of cracks in the chimney's mortar? Such cracks can be structural, fire hazards and/or allow deadly carbon monoxide to leak into the house.
• Are any windows or doors newly jammed or blocked? Can you easily raise and lower windows, or have they become difficult to move since the quake? Do all doors open and close without resistance?

View the full list at the FEMA website. A PlanPhilly article noted that “experts say homeowners have little to fear when it comes to property damage,” as the city sits on stable ground.
Source: Daily Local News; 4/5/2024

NAR utilizes RPR reports to advocate for housing priorities
The National Association of Realtors uses housing and real estate data to enable Realtors to advocate for effective housing and commercial real estate policies with their elected officials. Real estate, demographic and economic data are presented to provide information about the status of homeownership, trends in the real estate market, and the economic conditions that underlie the demand for housing. View the statewide report for Pennsylvania here and congressional district reports here.
Source: NAR.realtor; 4/2024  

Buckingham farm banned from mulch operations, special events
Pennsylvania Senior Judge Richard A. Lewis of Dauphin County has granted an injunction to bar further mulch manufacturing, and to ban continuation of festivals and carnivals, on a 112-acre property on York Road known as Froehlich Farm. The injunction was sought jointly by Buckingham Township and Bucks County, which purchased an agricultural easement from the farm in 1999. They argued before the court that the farm’s solid waste facility and its festivals violate the terms of the easement. The judge also ordered the farm to stop conducting festivals and carnivals on the property. Lewis wrote that the activities violated both a 1999 agricultural conservation easement on 106 acres of the property and township zoning ordinances. The farm is expected to appeal the decision. Judge Lewis was called in to hear the case after every Bucks County judge recused themselves because a member of the Froehlich family works for the court system.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/3/2024 & Doylestown Patch; 4/8/2024

Newtown Township to consider preschool projects
The Newtown Township Planning Commission is slated to review two projects that, if approved, would expand local preschool capacity. Discovery Preschool on Blacksmith Road has a plan to expand its operations into a 2,800-square-foot basement in its current location, add an elevator, and increase the size of an outdoor recreation area. The expansion would allow an additional 30 to 40 children, said Discovery Preschool owner-operator Amanda Sinkler, “We have a pretty big waitlist.” A second plan before the planning commission is one from County Builders for a 10,000-square-foot daycare center and 6,600-square-foot medical/general office building on Durham Road. The proposed daycare center would house 120 children and 20 employees.
Source: The Reporter; 4/7/2024

Nonprofits tackle homelessness in Bucks County
The Bucks County Housing Group (BCHG), in partnership with Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, recently gave a presentation on the county’s homeless population and how to help families and individuals attain permanent housing and food security. According to BCHG executive director Erik Clare, there are about 313 county residents who are homeless on any given night, and 10.4% of residents experience food insecurity. Clare added, “To afford a two-bedroom apartment in Bucks County, a $24.96 hourly wage is necessary, which too many cannot attain.” BCHG owns about six locations across the county that provide housing but faces increasing difficulty in obtaining new locations, due in part to low inventory, funding and zoning laws. Read more in the Bucks County Herald.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/3/2024

Shop owners want to keep New Hope weird 
New Hope Borough has long been known as a welcoming place for proprietors of unusual small businesses. The 1.4-square-mile borough occupies a scenic stretch of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and New York City, and is accessible from New Jersey via the New Hope-Lambertville Bridge. Higher rents, however, are putting the borough out of reach for many emerging artists and entrepreneurs, not to mention forcing service workers who staff the restaurants, hotels and other businesses to commute. A Facebook page called Save New Hope’s History & Funky Soul aims to bring attention to the gentrification of the borough. Recent development in town includes a makeover of the Bucks County Playhouse, and the transformation and expansion of the Logan and Mansion Inns. Council President Ken Maisel described New Hope as “a little town that has found burgeoning development to be a blessing and maybe a curse at times,” and welcomed developers “who have good intentions and are willing to work within the guidelines.” Last year, borough council rejected a plan to build a $2 million, 152-space parking garage within walking distance of downtown. Love Saves the Day shop owner Stasia Kauriga said, “Change is inevitable, and that’s fine. But how about we find a balance, keep the quirkiness, and work in the ordinary as well.” Borough council has begun the process of creating a new comprehensive plan, something that will involve “a lot of public meetings and a lot of planning” over the next 18 months, Maisel said. The planning commission discussed proposals for the development of the new comprehensive plan at the February meeting. Check the New Hope Borough website for agenda information or to sign up for alerts.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/4/2024

County controller’s office recognized for financial reporting
The Bucks County Controller's Office has been awarded a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. The award recognizes the office's annual comprehensive financial report for the fiscal year ending Dec. 31, 2022. The report was judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial history, and motivating potential users to read the report.
Source: Doylestown Patch; 3/29/2024 

PREIT, under new leadership, weighing sale of Exton Square and other malls
The Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT), owner of several malls in the Philadelphia suburbs, is emerging from its second bankruptcy in four years after a private company controlled by a small group of investment firms purchased its debt. In recent years, the company identified Exton Square Mall as a potential redevelopment site, and it remains up for sale under PREIT’s new leadership. “It is potentially up for sale now,” said Glenn Rufrano, PREIT’s new executive chairman of its board. “We’re going to continue to evaluate that. Part of that evaluation may be an offer that we get.” The Exton Square Mall was previously under agreement to sell to Brandywine Realty Trust for $27.5 million in spring 2022, but the deal fell through. The company was looking to sell its Exton Square and Plymouth Meeting malls to help pay off nearly $1 billion in debt.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 4/7/2024 & Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/3/2024

Honey Brook Community Library breaks ground on expansion project
Honey Brook Community Library recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for an expansion project that will nearly double the size of the library. The project, funded in part by a $1.14 million state grant, will expand programming and community space, improve ventilation, and add additional dedicated learning space for children, teens and adults. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall. Furnishing, shelving and other interior work will be completed in spring 2025.
Source: Daily Local News; 4/3/2024

West Chester Borough and police union ink new 5-year deal
West Chester Borough has signed a five-year contract with its police officer union that will boost salaries over the length of the contract by 22%. The borough and police avoided arbitration with both parties agreeing to extend and “take another shot,” according to Andrew McFarlane, president of the West Chester police officer association. With inflation at about 9% and the union’s plans to bring in an economist during arbitration hearings, McFarlane said that the contract forged in-house is fair to both sides and the officers will be able to afford to live in the community. New hires with no police academy training will earn $52,000 annually and an additional $10,000 when graduating from the police academy. New officers will receive almost $20,000 per year less than the starting wage for those hired prior to Jan. 1, 2024. Officers will be separated into two categories. After one year of service, an officer hired in 2023 earns $84,000.
Source: Daily Local; 4/1/2024

Malvern to host public workshop on future zoning considerations
The Malvern Borough Council Zoning Task Force will host a public workshop and community conversation to discuss future text and zoning map amendments. The task force, formed in January, has focused on several overarching considerations based on the borough’s 2022 comprehensive plan. The workshop will take place on Thursday, April 25, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Malvern Borough Hall, 1 E. First Ave. In-person and virtual participation options are available.
Source: Malvern Borough; 3/28/2024