News Briefs for April 19, 2024
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The Thomas Massey House in Marple is one of the oldest English Quaker homes in Pennsylvania, with the brick portion dating to 1696. Marple Township commissioners recently moved to rezone a 213-acre tract as open space, despite Delaware County’s intentions to open a mental health facility on part of the site.
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New study details changing housing needs in PA
The latest Pennsylvania Comprehensive Housing Study, released by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) and produced in collaboration with the Housing Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, explores statewide trends for housing. The 48-page report includes charts, tables and analysis of the latest housing data, and this year added findings on the special topics of manufactured housing, lead water infrastructure, rural housing and broadband access. A supplement to the report includes the most recent county-by-county breakdown of statistics and insights pertaining to housing. In addition to the report, PHFA has introduced an online dashboard called the Pennsylvania Housing Data Explorer. The data in the dashboard on housing trends cover all 67 Pennsylvania counties and draw on a variety of sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Source: Central Penn Business Journal; 3/29/2024
Some high-taxing school districts would get ‘tax equity’ under Gov. Shapiro’s budget plan
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s proposed budget includes a new $137 million funding stream intended to reimburse high-taxing school districts. The bulk of the proposal originated from the findings of the Basic Education Funding Commission, which determined that some Pennsylvania schools need an additional $5.1 billion in funding over seven years to meet the adequate school funding threshold. Shapiro’s proposal includes $735 million for adequacy. The commission also recommended that Pennsylvania give districts $955 million more over seven years for “tax equity,” resulting in the $137 million proposed by Shapiro in next year’s budget. The idea of tax equity is to not penalize districts that had reached their adequate spending levels through high local property taxes. To decide which districts would be eligible for tax equity, lawmakers compared the “tax effort” between districts statewide, using a measure that takes into account how much revenue a district brings in from local taxes, compared to its market values and personal incomes. Those districts taxing at the 66th percentile or above were eligible for the money. The supplements are part of a larger plan meant to ensure that districts have the money they need to educate students, following a court ruling last year that found Pennsylvania’s school funding system unconstitutional. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/12/2024
IRS owes PA residents $43 million in unclaimed refunds soon to expire
The IRS owes tens of thousands of Pennsylvania residents money from 2020 — but people need to act fast to make sure they don't leave money on the table. In all, Pennsylvania residents are owed more than $43 million in unclaimed tax refunds from 2020. The IRS recently announced that nearly a million people nationwide haven't claimed their refunds for the 2020 tax year, including 38,600 Pennsylvania residents owed $43.4 million. "We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said. Under federal law, taxpayers normally have three years to file and claim their tax refunds until that cash becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. But the deadline was extended for 2020 returns due to the pandemic — taxpayers now have until May 17 to claim their 2020 refunds, according to the IRS. The median amount of the unclaimed Pennsylvania 2020 refunds is $1,031, the IRS estimates. Those who need to file their 2020 returns should request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank, or order a free wage and income transcript with the IRS' Get Transcript Online tool. Further instructions are available at the IRS website or by calling 800-829-3676.
Source: Malvern Patch; 4/16/2024
Toll Brothers purchases 168-acre Middletown tract
Toll Brothers has purchased the 168-acre Stone Meadow Farms property in Middletown Township for $40.5 million from developer Foxlane Homes. A statement issued by Toll Brothers said it will construct homes designed for residents age 55 and older at the Stone Meadows Farm site but did not confirm how many homes are planned. Foxlane Homes had Middletown Township approval to build 159 homes on the property. Development plans at the site have faced community opposition for years, and after close to three years of litigation, in May 2022 township supervisors approved a zoning overlay at the Stone Meadows property to restrict housing to the 55 and older community. A fiscal impact analysis showed an age-restricted development would yield a surplus of $1.5 million of tax revenue because the school district would not incur additional costs. Another 67 acres of land nearby, still owned by the Stone family, has been conserved and will remain undeveloped.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 4/9/2024 & The Reporter; 4/15/2024
New warehouse proposal in Richland
Richland Township supervisors are considering a warehouse proposal in the township’s Planned Commercial district just one month after rejecting a proposal for rezoning parts of the Rural Agricultural district to accommodate another proposed warehouse. Supervisors conducted a conditional use hearing for a 167,500-square-foot warehouse on a vacant site at West Pumping Station Road and O’Neill Drive. The proposal calls for 27 loading docks and 26 trailer spaces, and 70 to 79 employee parking spaces. The supervisors asked their solicitor to prepare an opinion on the conditional use to be heard at the next supervisors meeting on Monday, May 13. Land development approval might also be on the agenda. A conditional use approval for the project was recommended by the township planning commission at the March 19 meeting.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/12/2024
Parx Casino owner acquires two buildings adjacent to Bensalem gaming destination
Greenwood Racing Inc., the owner of Parx Casino, has purchased two office buildings next to the casino in Bensalem for $12.5 million. The buildings include Two Greenwood Square, located at 3331 Street Road, and Three Greenwood Square, located at 3329 Street Road. The first spans four stories and 81,575 square feet, and the second is a two-story building with 25,000 square feet of space. According to Greenwood’s representative, the properties will continue to operate as is with current management in place.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 4/12/2024
Chalfont Borough updates comprehensive plan
Chalfont Borough Council recently voted 6-1 to adopt the 2024 comprehensive plan update. A comprehensive plan is a document that guides a municipality’s actions in coming years. This is the first update for Chalfont since 2010. The 2024 comprehensive plan update calls for modernization through developing retail, expanding parking, building walkways and more. The updates promise to stay true to “the values of the community and a vision of a better future.”
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/15/2024
Durham residents frustrated over Med-Ed power outages
Durham Township residents are reaching out to township officials for help with persistent power outages. The township is served by Med-Ed, a FirstEnergy Company. Township administrator Danielle Cox reported that residents have called to complain about frequent power outages, some as long as 15 hours. Cox said the township building has also been affected by a lengthy loss of power and she has been working for months with Med-Ed and has reached out to the office of state Sen. Jarrett Coleman (R-16).
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/12/2024
100-unit affordable housing proposal in West Chester stirs controversy
A proposed affordable housing development is stirring controversy in West Chester Borough, as community members say it would impact the site of an ongoing farmers market. The proposal would bring a building of anywhere from one to five stories to the corner of Church and Chestnut streets, and would include the parking lot where the West Chester Growers Market is currently located. In the largest version of the proposal, the five-story building would add 102 units, 30 parking lot spaces plus underground parking, and 3,000 square feet of street level retail space. In a recent presentation to the borough's Smart Growth Committee, the developer, Pennrose, argued that essential workers are being priced out of West Chester and that the need for affordable housing is "10 times" what is currently available. An April 16 council work session drew a standing-room-only crowd, with most commenters expressing opposition to moving the market. Pennrose has pushed for the borough to make a decision by the end of May to meet a deadline to apply for grant funding from Chester County.
Source: West Chester Patch; 4/15/2024
Avon Grove School Board takes a stance on PA public school funding
The Avon Grove School Board voted to approve Fair Funding Resolution #24-10 in support of constitutional funding of public schools and opposed to funding of nonpublic schools. The resolution follows recent statewide developments related to school funding. Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court in February 2023 decided that the state’s method of funding public schools was unconstitutional because its reliance on property taxes discriminated against students who live in low-income districts. The Basic Education Funding Commission (BEFC), made up of 12 state legislators and three officials from the governor’s administration, was charged with determining an equitable method for public school funding. On Jan. 11, it generated two reports. The report that received the most votes of approval identified that Basic Education Funding fell short by $5.4 billion, and it called for that amount to be made up over the next seven years. The minority report advocates public funding of nonpublic schools, in that it proposes taxpayer-funded scholarships that allow students to opt to attend nonpublic schools. Avon Grove’s resolution supporting the first report and rejecting the funding of nonpublic schools will be sent to legislative officials and the governor’s office. “Although the BEFC adopted the majority report, we don’t know whether the general assembly and Gov. Shapiro will ultimately create and approve legislation based on that report,” said School Board President Bonnie Wolff. “We want to make sure we let them know our stance.” Read more here.
Source: Chester County Press; 4/10/2024
TESD to spend 3 years getting new elementary school up and running
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District is planning to spend the next three years working to open a new, sixth elementary school after it recently acquired a Berwyn property for expansion. In a letter to the community, the district said its staff will work with the school board and community to prepare for the successful launch of the new school. The projected opening date of the new school at the 15-acre property at 1200 W. Swedesford Road in Berwyn is fall 2027. Details on enrollment in the district and information related to the proposed sixth elementary school are available on the district website. Officials said more detailed information and timelines regarding the new school will be shared with the community during public meetings in the coming months.
Source: Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch; 4/10/2024
Londonderry Township adopts 2021 IPMC
The Londonderry Township Board of Supervisors adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) at its March 12 meeting. The full ordinance can be accessed here. The IPMC applies to all buildings within the township.
Source: Londonderry Township; 4/2024
Marple resists county’s plans for mental health care at Delco Woods site
At a special meeting, the Marple Township Board of Commissioners voted to reject Delaware County’s attempt to use a portion of the former Don Guanella property as a mental health facility, and commissioners voted to rezone the entire 213-acre property as open space. Another special meeting will take place on Monday, April 22, to ratify the decision. Residents packed the meeting to show disapproval with Delaware County Council’s plans for the mental health facility at the newly renamed Delco Woods park, which only became public in recent weeks. The front of the property is currently zoned institutional and the wooded section zoned residential. Joe Rufo, commissioners president, said the township has been fighting since 2014 to prevent developers from taking the property and township officials thought it was settled in 2021 when the county began efforts to take it through eminent domain. Rufo said the county’s stated intentions were to acquire the property for public purposes, citing public parks, open space and recreation. Rufo said after the township had begun rezoning and set a hearing on the plans, lawyers from the county filed an application for a use certificate asking to use the boarded up buildings for administrative offices and for mental health residential facilities for adults with persistent mental illness. Township officials amended their meeting agenda and voted to deny the certificate of use and certificate of occupancy. Nick Caniglia, a lawyer for Delaware County, said the county paid $22 million for the site and has no objection against the rezoning of the residential section of the property but does oppose rezoning the institutional section. “Let’s make it clear, we are talking a total of 28 beds, 16 beds for one and 12 for the other site,” Caniglia said. He said the remaining 170 acres would be kept for parkland. Caniglia said they are not asking for total occupancy and they are asking the township to grant reasonable accommodation under the Fair Housing Act.
Source: Daily Times; 4/16/2024
Delco Solid Waste Authority financial operations might result in a county tax hike
As the Delaware County Solid Waste Authority moves forward with creating more capacity at its Berks County landfill, at least one county official has expressed concern that the authority’s finances could result in a double-digit county tax increase. Councilwoman Christine Reuther, who also serves as an ex-officio Solid Waste Authority board member, told the board that, should financials continue their current path, the county would be looking at a potential 19% tax increase. Brooks Stayer, chief financial officer of the authority, said the issue arose while the authority board was discussing a 20-year-old outstanding debt that is the responsibility of both the county and the authority. The authority has been moving toward expanding the capacity at the Rolling Hills landfill for years. The landfill, owned by Delaware County and located in Berks County, has been nearing capacity.
Source: Daily Times; 4/15/2024
Upper Darby council hears SEPTA’s $75M plan for 69th Street Terminal
At a recent Upper Darby Township Council meeting, SEPTA officials presented a master plan for $75 million in improvements to the 69th Street Terminal, the second busiest transit hub in the SEPTA system. Ryan Judge, SEPTA’s deputy chief planning officer, said there are three main goals SEPTA wants to accomplish: modernize the facility, optimize the use of space, and simplify passenger and transit movements at the terminal, which is over 115 years old. Judge said there are multiple projects SEPTA is working on that will involve the 69th Street terminal in the coming years. They include the new Market-Frankford El cars arriving in 2028-2029, as well as new light rail vehicle trolleys that are easier to board and expected between 2027 and 2031. The plan calls for upgrading all passenger facilities to 21st century standards while still embracing the historic character of the terminal, which was built in 1907. State Sen. Tim Kearney (D-26) asked about the longstanding plan that included a parking garage at the south side parking lot and also urged SEPTA to consider transit-oriented housing. Council members had questions about safety at the terminal and at other stations in the township.
Source: Daily Times; 4/11/2024
Lansdowne theater close to completing $18M renovation
The historic Lansdowne Theater is just six months away from reopening after $18 million worth of renovations. As part of its annual fundraising campaign, theater officials gave tours of the construction progress at 31 N. Lansdowne Ave. The theater was open from 1927 to 1987. The project includes replacing the entire roof, electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems. The historic lighting fixtures, including a centerpiece chandelier, are being restored. Plasterwork and finishes are being matched to the theater’s original design, as is each of the 1,265 seats to be placed in the auditorium. The stage is being enlarged and restrooms will be fully accessible. There will also be a bar built in the lobby and an addition built in the back of the theater to house dressing rooms and a loading dock.
Source: Daily Times; 4/14/2024
Haverford residents’ data might have been compromised in 2023 breach
Haverford Township announced that it might have had personal information compromised in a security breach. Some residents and visitors who submitted information to the township received a notification that on April 17, 2023, the township IT department detected unauthorized access to the township network. The access may have been the result of a cybersecurity incident that had the potential to expose data. Township Manager Dave Burman said the letters are real and officials went to work immediately to address the issue when it was uncovered. A notice has also been posted on the township website here. For more information, residents can contact the dedicated response line at 888-680-3519.
Source: Daily Times; 4/11/2024
Planning is key to responsible growth in Montco, says MCPC director
Scott France, executive director of the Montgomery County Planning Commission, said growth is a major theme in county planning as work continues on the county’s 2050 comprehensive plan. France said officials are looking to find the best way to manage future development in the state’s third-most populous county. The projected population for Montgomery County in 2050 is 940,000 — an influx of 74,000 people. France noted that recent development is focused on revitalizing existing places and “open spaces” in the county’s central and eastern regions while residential projects have evolved from the previously favored large-scale, single-family detached subdivisions to density surrounding denser, multi-family housing concepts. “What we can do is channel the growth in the best places possible,” France said. “So we want to focus on areas where there’s transit, where there’s existing commerce and jobs — live, work and play.” France also emphasized the need for public input and coordination with the county’s 62 boroughs, townships and municipalities.
Source: Main Line Media News; 4/15/2024
PECO clears out homeless encampment in Pottstown
A second Pottstown homeless encampment has been cleared of people, this time by PECO. A small encampment had been set up alongside a PECO substation on College Drive, across from the main entrance to Riverfront Park. According to a former resident of the encampment, PECO provided at least six months of notice and has “been pretty nice about it.” Greg Smore, director of communications for PECO, issued the following statement: “Prior to starting our work, we took the necessary time to develop a thoughtful and planned approach to support the relocation of unsheltered individuals on our property in a dignified and respectful way. We worked with Montgomery County and homeless outreach organization Access Services to develop a relocation plan, and shared this plan with advocates and local officials.” The move came less than a week after another abandoned encampment was cleared along the Schuylkill River in Pottstown.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/11/2024
Toll Bros. pulls out of Piazza’s Ardmore apartment plan
An apartment building project in Ardmore will have to move forward without Toll Brothers after a partnership between the developer and Piazza Auto Group came to an end in April. According to Rich Orlow, attorney for the auto group, Piazza still anticipates moving forward with its plan to demolish the existing dealerships and a nearby and since-shuttered IHOP to make way for an apartment building and a 615-space, partly underground parking garage. One apartment building would be six stories high and the other five stories. The project received permits from Lower Merion Township before a 2020 zoning change imposed height limits in Ardmore. Piazza has several years to act on the existing permits before they expire, but the clock is ticking. Under state law, if a locality changes its zoning after a project has been permitted but before development starts, the property owner has five years to build under the old approval. Piazza is likely to look for another partner for the project.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/13/2024
West Conshohocken announces council vacancy
West Conshohocken is looking to fill a vacancy on its borough council following the resignation of Zach Nelson. Nelson was appointed to council in December 2022 and won election to the seat for a four-year term in November 2023. His departure marks the fifth council member resignation in less than two years. All of the prior resigning board members cited moving out of the borough as the reason. Nelson’s reason for leaving office was not disclosed. Residents who have resided in West Conshohocken continuously for at least one year are eligible to apply for the council vacancy. The term will run until January 2026, after the next municipal election in November 2025. Applications must be received at Borough Hall by Wednesday, May 8.
Source: MoreThanTheCurve.com; 4/7/2024
Souderton manager resigns
Souderton Borough Manager Stacy Crandall has resigned after six months on the job. Crandall had been hired to succeed Mike Coll, who had been borough manager for 40 years. Her six-month tenure in Souderton included a “bold” shift in fiscal strategy, according to Mayor Dan Yocum, that led to a 37% real estate tax increase. Council accepted Crandall’s resignation and appointed finance director Sara Jarrett-Eaton to the job of secretary and acting borough manager. Borough officials declined to comment on the resignation.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 4/16/2024
Stadium entertainment districts — like the one proposed in Philly — are changing the game
There’s not much to be found in the surroundings of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex — in contrast to other big stay-and-play entertainment areas that teem with lively restaurants, shops, plazas, bars and attractions. Now the Phillies and Comcast Spectacor, the company that owns the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center, intend to transform acres of concrete and tar into a gleaming, $2.5 billion sports-and-entertainment zone. If completed, chunks of one of the largest parking areas in North America would be filled with eateries, hotels, apartments, stores and a 5,500-seat performance venue. Part of the goal is to create a destination, a southern gateway to Philadelphia that will boost tourism and attract new residents and ideas to the city. Across the United States and Canada, 41 mixed-use properties are planned or under construction and 43 more are up and operating across the five major pro leagues, according to Maryland-based RCLCO Real Estate Consulting, which advises teams and cities on the developments. For owners — and the main reason for the proliferation — they offer a reliable new stream of income. The venues attract people and dollars 365 days a year, so teams earn money not just from one building, not only during games, and even if the home team stinks. Owners have become landlords, and income from leases and rents rolls in regularly. The projects give teams new ways to bundle ticket, hotel and dining packages, and new avenues to sell naming rights, sponsorships and advertising. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/15/2024
Kenyatta Johnson associate admits using ties to the council president to profit from sales of city-owned lands
A childhood friend of Philadelphia City Council President Kenyatta Johnson admitted in court that he’d traded on that connection to skirt regulations, defraud taxpayers, and make big profits buying and reselling city-owned properties in rapidly gentrifying Point Breeze. Felton Hayman told a federal judge he enlisted Johnson’s aid to purchase city land in the neighborhood at cut-rate prices. He then failed to deliver on contingencies in the sales agreements requiring him to build affordable housing on the parcels. Instead, Hayman acknowledged, he flipped the properties, in some cases for as much as 15 times what he originally paid, netting him more than $1 million in profit between 2014 and 2018. Despite the role Johnson — a three-term Democrat from Point Breeze — played in facilitating the sales, prosecutors have made clear since Hayman was indicted last year that they consider him to be a victim of, not an accomplice in, his friend’s schemes, and they have not accused him of any wrongdoing.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/15/2024
Developer pulls out of Benjamin Franklin Parkway redevelopment project
A Philadelphia-based developer co-leading the transformation of the Family Court building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway has pulled out of the project, citing a shift in its investment strategy and complicating the future of the ambitious project, which includes the relocation of the African American Museum. National Real Estate Advisors said that the difficult construction financing environment partly led the company to decide against taking part in the plan to redevelop the historic building at 18th and Vine streets into a hotel and the museum. The developer, one of two involved in the project, had also planned a parking garage and 30-story residential building at a neighboring site. “Despite this decision, the project continues,” said Jeffrey Kanne, president and CEO of National Real Estate. “We are currently facilitating the transition of our role to the other development team members who are in negotiations to secure an alternative capital partner.” Mayor Cherelle L. Parker said the project and the relocation of the African American Museum, which the city has committed $50 million to support, would still move forward. The other developer, Washington D.C.-based Frontier Development & Hospitality Group, remains involved, but it was not immediately clear what National Real Estate Advisors’ withdrawal would mean for the timeline or overall feasibility of the plan. Parker noted that the multi-pronged effort, which also includes an expansion of the Central Branch of the Free Library, remains a priority. She said the city and the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corp., the city’s public-private economic development corporation, are proceeding with next steps, including a “predevelopment” feasibility study.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/15/2024
Residents protest conditions at West Philly senior housing complex
Lacking hot water, packing the ceiling with plastic to avoid leaks, and encountering roaches in the mail room are daily occurrences for a West Philadelphia apartment complex’s senior residents. After years of fighting for solutions with ever-changing building management, residents gathered outside Brith Sholom House at 3939 Conshohocken Ave. to demand safe and dignified housing. “We are always concerned for what’s going to happen next,” said Marguerite Byrd, one of the more than 150 residents living in the 360-unit apartment tower, which is in receivership and set for sheriff’s sale in June. “Last night they shut down two of the three elevators, and the fire alarms went off three times. Suppose there was a fire, how will people get off? We are seniors, many are in wheelchairs.” The complex itself has over 300 code violations since 2007, according to the Department of Licenses and Inspections (L&I), with about 100 classified as serious code violations. L&I declined to comment, citing active litigation. The violations put residents in “an immediate hazard to health, safety, and welfare,” according to the Public Interest Law Center.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/15/2024
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