News Briefs for April 24, 2026
Jump to:
[ General ] [ Bucks ] [Chester] [ Delaware ] [ Montgomery ] [ Philadelphia ]
The Okehocking Historic District in Willistown Township encompasses 69 contributing buildings, most of them built before 1845, and a 180-acre nature preserve. Elsewhere in Willistown, township officials are considering invoking eminent domain to make infrastructure repairs on the edge of a private farm.
Photo: Smallbones
Start of 2026 sees wave of evictions across PA
Pennsylvania landlords filed more than 18,000 eviction cases in just the first two months of 2026, according to data gathered by the Civil Court Data Initiative. The numbers reflect a deepening housing affordability crisis in which nearly half of the state's renters are considered cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing — a rate slightly above the national average. While Allegheny County and Philadelphia each saw more than 1,000 filings in February alone, eviction rates as a share of overall rentals were highest in Dauphin County (16.6%), York County (15.5%), Lehigh County (13.6%), Delaware County (10.5%) and Monroe County (9.3%). State officials warn Pennsylvania could face a shortage of 185,000 homes by 2035. In response, Gov. Josh Shapiro released a housing plan in March that focuses on preserving existing homes, accelerating new construction, and preventing housing instability, including a proposed $1 billion, bond-backed initiative for building projects and new renter protections that would bar landlords from charging excessive application fees or demanding payment before a property is even toured.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/21/2026
EPA updates lead hazard pamphlet
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released an updated version of its lead hazard pamphlet, titled “Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home." The EPA does not require users to discard older versions of the document, but rather encourages users to exhaust their existing stock prior to printing copies of the new version. The requirement to provide the pamphlet applies broadly to pre-1978 housing, including single-family residences, rentals, multifamily buildings and condominium units leased by owners. Read more at the National Association of Realtors website. Several municipalities in Southeastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Norristown, East Lansdowne and Chester City, have lead ordinances with additional requirements.
Source: NAR; 3/26/2026
PECO withdraws request to hike electric and natural gas rates
Under pressure from state legislators and Gov. Josh Shapiro, PECO announced that it is withdrawing its previously filed electric and natural gas rate review filings with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission. The utility said the decision “reflects a deliberate effort to prioritize customer affordability while continuing to deliver safe and reliable service.” The pullback comes after customers, state legislators and Shapiro argued rate increases would add to the financial strain on households in the region. The utility had been seeking a 12.5% increase for residential electric customers and an 11.4% increase for residential natural gas customers. PECO is Pennsylvania’s largest utility company, serving 1.7 million people in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Source: Daily Times; 4/17/2026
Southeastern PA counties among tops in distracted-driving cases in 2025
Counties in suburban Philadelphia were among the tops in the state in distracted-driving offenses in 2025. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania report, which covers cases from 2021 to 2025, highlighted the counties’ rankings based on cases in 2025. The data show a total of more than 9,000 distracted-driving offenses reported statewide from 2021 to 2025, with a total of 1,784 cases in 2025. Montgomery County had about 8%, with Chester and Delaware counties at about 5% each. Bucks County had 4% of the filed cases. Distracted-driving offenses in Pennsylvania include using headphones or a handheld mobile phone while driving. Texting while driving carries a $50 fine plus court costs and fees.
Source: Daily Times; 4/20/2026
Bucks DA sues landlord over ‘abhorrent’ living conditions in Dublin complex
Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan has filed a civil lawsuit against landlords Richard and Ronald Goetter, who operated an eight-unit apartment building at 113 S. Main St., Dublin Borough, under the name R & R Enterprises. The suit alleges they subjected tenants to dangerous and squalid conditions for over a decade. Inspections revealed rodent and cockroach infestations, black mold, no functioning heat since 2013, structural hazards, blocked emergency exits, and a porch at risk of collapse — conditions officials described as a "death trap." Despite knowing condemnation was imminent, the brothers made no repairs until the building was finally condemned in April 2026, during which time they continued collecting up to $900 per month in cash rent from tenants. The suit, filed under Pennsylvania's Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, is reportedly the first of its kind brought by a district attorney's office in the state, and seeks full rent reimbursement for tenants and significant fines against the landlords.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times & 6ABC; 4/20/2026
Hilltown to consider strengthening bamboo restrictions
Hilltown Township is considering a new ordinance to strengthen regulations on invasive running bamboo. Proposed Ordinance 2026-002 would amend a 2016 regulation and require property owners to keep running bamboo at least 20 feet from all property lines, public roads and waterways, and to immediately remove any existing growth that violates those boundaries. Bamboo taller than 20 feet would need to be set back even farther — at a distance greater than its height — or trimmed so it couldn't fall onto neighboring property or roadways. Rhizome disposal would be limited to incineration only, with no composting or trash disposal allowed. Violations could result in fines of up to $300 per day, plus attorney fees. Residents wishing to review the full ordinance can do so at the township's administration office. A public hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 27, at 7 p.m. at the Hilltown Township Administration Building, 13 W. Creamery Road, Perkasie.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/9/2026
Lower Bucks residents say PennDOT’s Route 1 plan would be a disaster
Residents of Middletown Township, Langhorne Borough and Langhorne Manor Borough packed a standing-room-only meeting on April 16 to oppose PennDOT's $227-million plan to modernize a 2.7-mile stretch of Route 1, arguing that removing the highway's parallel service roads and building a partial cloverleaf interchange at the Pine Street/Route 413 overpass will funnel dangerous levels of traffic onto narrow, shoulderless neighborhood streets. The grassroots No Cloverleaf coalition says it supports safety upgrades like higher overpasses, roundabouts and wider shoulders, but contends that shifting traffic onto residential streets like Highland, Gilliam and Jeffrey Lane — which already fall below emergency-access width standards when cars are parked — creates an unacceptable trade-off. Three Middletown Township supervisors attended and voiced shared concerns, requesting an independent engineering study, while coalition members proposed a cheaper alternative that would retain the service roads and replace some traffic signals with roundabouts. PennDOT's environmental impact study is expected to be completed this summer, with construction currently slated to begin in 2029.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/20/2026
Mixed reactions in Penndel over redevelopment of Langhorne train station
SEPTA is proposing a mixed-use housing and retail development to replace the underused south parking lot at the Langhorne train station, part of its broader Transit Oriented Communities program aimed at creating more walkable, livable neighborhoods near transit stops. The roughly 1.7-acre lot, which sees less than 25% parking usage, sits on Middletown Township property between Langhorne Manor and Penndel Borough. Resident reaction is mixed — some see it as a potential catalyst for long-needed revitalization along Route 1, while others argue that businesses like grocery stores and banks need to come before new housing. Some worry that any development will likely attract lower-income renters given the area's current lack of amenities. A key frustration among Penndel residents is the jurisdictional imbalance: Middletown Township controls project approval and would collect any new tax revenue, while Penndel could be left absorbing the downsides — traffic, stormwater and added strain on emergency services — with little financial benefit.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/8/2026
Middletown supervisors fire township manager
Middletown Township supervisors unanimously voted to fire the township manager, Eden Ratliff, on April 13, less than a year after he was hired, with no reason publicly disclosed. Ratliff, a well-credentialed municipal government veteran who had previously served as deputy city manager of Charlottesville, Virginia, and manager of Kennett Township, was earning $215,000 a year overseeing six departments and 200-plus employees. Despite his short tenure, he notched a significant achievement by passing a $53.1 million budget that eliminated a $2.8 million deficit, though it came with the township's largest tax increase in a decade. His former predecessor, Stephanie Teoli Kuhls, was brought back as interim manager at roughly $100 per hour while a search for a permanent replacement is conducted.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 4/14/2026 & 4/15/2026
Builder cuts planned size of proposed East Whiteland data center in half
At a well-attended East Whiteland Township meeting held at Penn State Great Valley, Green Fig announced that it wants to scale back plans for its proposed data center on Swedesford Road. Plans call for cutting the size of the proposed data center from two stories to one and the square footage from 1.65 million square feet to 887,000 square feet. Supervisors had not okayed the larger plan, and this was their first official look at the project. The scaled-down request comes with a hitch — the builder wants the township to give permission for the plans by May.
Source: Daily Local; 4/17/2026
Willistown Township battles with landowner over property rights
A dispute is unfolding between landowner Richard Glunk and Willistown Township over the proposed use of eminent domain at Maple Leaf Farm, a roughly 45-acre property in Malvern protected by both a conservation easement with the Brandywine Conservancy and Pennsylvania’s Agricultural Area Security Law. The township issued a notice of contemplated condemnation for 2,060 square feet of the property that sits within the township’s Agricultural Security Area, seeking to repair a culvert and address stormwater and public safety concerns along Spring Road. Glunk has refused access needed to fix failing infrastructure beneath the roadway, and he argues the project threatens his land, the nearby West Crum Creek and its environmental value. Glunk has appealed to Chester County Board of Commissioners for intervention, prompting county officials to review their role under state law, which requires notification when protected agricultural land is targeted. Conservation officials noted that while easements do not bar eminent domain, additional legal protections require justification and may involve court review unless an emergency is declared, leaving the outcome of the dispute uncertain.
Source: Daily Local; 4/17/2026
Kennett Square Mayor holds livestream with Genesis building developers
Kennett Square Mayor Matt Fetick organized a livestream Q&A session with 9th Street Development Company, developers of the Genesis buildings. The two buildings, located at 101 and 128 E. State St., served as corporate headquarters for Genesis HealthCare, which ran assisted living facilities nationwide before declaring bankruptcy in 2025. The new proposed uses of the buildings include retail on the first floors with office space, medical office space and apartments planned for the 101 building, and office space and apartments planned for the 128 building. While the plans are not set in stone, Fetick explained that he believes the current plans are “by right,” meaning the planned development in the buildings does not require any zoning or ordinance changes. Fetick added that development is currently slated to begin mid-summer.
Source: Chester County Press; 4/16/2026
Chesco ‘Town Tours’ program expands for sesquicentennial
Chester County commissioners announced the return of the popular Town Tours and Village Walks program, which has been expanded in honor of the 250th anniversary of the United States. Now entering its 32nd season, the tour program will kick off at the Chester County Historic Courthouse on Thursday, April 30, and conclude on Oct. 15. The 2026 theme, “13 Tours for 13 Colonies,” will focus on the places, people and events that molded U.S. history. There will also be three “Armchair Lectures.” All are open to the public and free to attend.
Source: Chester County; 4/16/2026
Tredyffrin/Easttown school redistricting enters next stage
Tredyffrin/Easttown School District (TESD) is seeking parents to help craft plans for the school system's redistricting. TESD is preparing to open a new school — Bear Hill Elementary — in August 2027, requiring the district to redraw the geographic boundary lines that determine which elementary school each child attends. The district is seeking parent and guardian volunteers to serve on the Redistricting Steering Committee, which will develop and recommend a redistricting plan. That proposal will be presented to the school board for approval. Learn more here.
Source: Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch; 4/16/2026
AgConnect launches 2026 farmers market trail program
AgConnect has announced the second annual Chester County Farmers Market Trail map and is inviting residents and visitors to explore 10 participating farmers markets across the county. AgConnect is an initiative of the Chester County Economic Development Council that promotes and supports local farmers and agricultural businesses. Participants can earn prizes by visiting each market and receiving a stamp. See more details and the list of participating markets at the AgConnect website.
Source: Chester County; 4/21/2026
Plan unveiled for 55-plus housing in Newtown Square
Newtown Township supervisors held a conditional use hearing on the redevelopment of three lots on Campus Boulevard. The attorney for owner Campus Eleven Associates LP, Gregg Adelman, presented documentation and three witnesses who spoke about the proposal to redevelop 16 acres into a 242-unit, 55-plus, multi-family development. The land development calls for 192 apartments and 50 townhomes, plus a clubhouse and covered parking totaling over 400,000 square feet. Three existing office buildings totaling 150,000 square feet would be demolished. Seth Shapiro, a land planner from Barton Partners Architects, said the development would be a maximum of three stories tall and not particularly dense. Shapiro touted the mixed-use trail that would be included, as well as walkable areas inside the property. He said an existing buffer between the development and Summit Avenue would be increased, along with increased green buffering. The development would use public sewer and water. The supervisors will announce a decision at their Monday, April 27, meeting.
Source: Daily Times; 4/17/2026
Rose Tree Media School District considers 3.5% tax hike
Rose Tree Media School District is considering a proposed 3.5% real estate tax increase for 2026-2027. The proposed budget is $137.6 million, with the district considering spending $4.6 million from fund balances. Dr. Vanessa Scott, director of management services, said the district budgets for the worst-case scenario, using numbers that could change. Officials listened to a presentation showing the 3.5% increase would add $212 to a property valued at $386,060. Increased contractual agreements include 3% raises for administration, 4.9% for faculty and 4% for other staff. Some retirements reduced costs, while other changes in department costs include increased costs for the Delaware County Intermediate Unit. The majority of district revenue comes from real estate taxes. Rose Tree Media gets just over 17% of its income from the state, and $431,000, less than a half-percent of the budget, comes from federal programs. Scott said they go through expenses to look for savings and won’t get final revenue projections until later in the year. The final proposed budget was scheduled to be discussed at an April 23 meeting and posted online for review by May 8, with the final budget vote at a Thursday, May 28, meeting.
Source: Daily Times; 4/15/2026
New owner of Crozer-Chester Medical Center unveils plans for site
The new owner of Crozer-Chester Medical Center outlined a vision for services that could begin in as soon as six months during a community town hall. Chariot Allaire purchased the shuttered medical center for $10 million in January. CEO Yoel Polack announced a collaboration with Independence Blue Cross Foundation to establish a primary care practice on the Crozer-Chester campus within nine months, although foundation officials said it could be earlier. Polack outlined a phased plan for the 64-acre campus. “The first phase is going to be restoration of care to the Main Campus, which is where the existing vacant hospital sits today,” he said, adding that the in-patient hospital, aimed to be located where the emergency room is now, will be right-sized to today’s needs while the out-patient facility will be expanded. He said the second phase would be the development of the west campus with complementary services like behavioral health and academics for partners in the higher education realm. Polack envisioned the north campus as housing behavioral health services. Read more at WHYY.
Source: Daily Times & WHYY; 4/15/2026
Rose Tree Media is considering eminent domain for building project
Rose Tree Media School Board members could use eminent domain for a proposed K-1 Early Learning Center next to the high school. Phil Solomon, regional manager at ICS Consulting, said that the building project had reached a point where it could not move forward until land development issues were resolved. A quarter-acre of neighboring property owned by a religious organization, the Philadelphia Meeting Room, is needed for the road realignment. The district had several meetings to try to reach an agreement. The church initially asked for $3 million, which they dropped to $1.5 million after the district’s independent appraisal valuing the quarter acre at about $83,000. Solomon said the latest price is a nonstarter for public money. A road realignment has been part of PennDOT’s long-term planning, so it was not a surprise development. The district cannot submit land development plans without documentation showing how the road issue will be handled. Solomon suggested the district consider submitting a memorandum of understanding with the property owner filing for eminent domain while they continue to negotiate. The township won’t allow plans to move forward otherwise. The school board agreed to move forward with eminent domain if needed so the project would not be delayed further.
Source: Daily Times; 4/15/2026
Delaware County government is active on TikTok
Delaware County’s communications team has embarked on an effort to use TikTok and Instagram to connect with residents. “If we’re reaching people and getting in front of their eyes and getting in their minds about what our government does for them, we’re doing a good thing,” said county communications director Mike Connolly. For those familiar with the sometimes-sleepy nature of local government — waste management, district court administration, property tax assessments — Delaware County’s online persona feels surprisingly snappy. The office has more recently launched series like “30 Things in 30 Days” to make viewers “smarter about local government.”
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/20/2026
Data center application filed for former Publicker Distillery in Limerick
A formal application has been filed to build a massive, 1.7-million-square-foot data center on the former Publicker Distillery site in the Linfield section of Limerick Township. The project, proposed by Limerick Town Center LLC of Madison, Connecticut, calls for eight two-story buildings up to 120 feet tall spread across nearly 192 acres at 1301 Main St., with PECO providing electricity via a planned mile-long, 67-megawatt power line strung over the Schuylkill River. The application brings to five the number of active data center proposals within 44 miles of each other in the region, with three of the five regional proposals — including the Linfield proposal — sitting within 10 miles of each other on either side of the Schuylkill. The placement is fueling concerns about cumulative impacts on power, water, noise and air quality, with one activist warning the area could become a "sacrifice zone." The project will follow the same conditional use approval process as a similar, 1.4-million-square-foot data center proposed nearby, with final say resting with Limerick Township's elected board of supervisors under data center-specific zoning adopted in 2024.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/18/2026
Montco expands use of electronic poll books for primary
Montgomery County is gearing up for the 2026 primary election on Tuesday, May 19, with voter registration open until May 4 and mail-in ballot requests due by May 12. A notable new feature this cycle is the countywide rollout of electronic poll books at all 431 precincts, following a pilot program tested over the past four elections — the devices allow voters to check in digitally and sign electronically rather than using paper booklets, and can help redirect voters who show up at the wrong polling place. With 621,140 registered voters in the county, residents can vote in person, by mail or via more than a dozen secure drop boxes located throughout the county. Satellite voter services offices will operate on select dates in Lansdale, Lower Merion, Norristown, Pottstown and Willow Grove ahead of Election Day. Find out more on the Montgomery County Voter Services website.
Source: The Reporter; 4/16/2026
First hearing moves slowly for proposed data center near Limerick outlets
The first conditional use hearing on a proposed 1.4-million-square-foot data center in Limerick Township, to be built on 192 acres opposite the Philadelphia Premium Outlets, spent its entire three hours on a single procedural question: Who among more than 40 applicants would be granted "party status," a legal designation that allows residents to cross-examine witnesses, present evidence and ultimately sue to challenge the board of supervisors' final decision. Ten nearby residents represented by a shared attorney were quickly approved, while others — including residents from neighboring East Vincent Township who argued the cumulative impact of multiple nearby data centers affects them too — were largely denied after supervisors returned from a closed-door legal session. The hearing drew vocal opposition from a growing grassroots group, Prevent Limerick Data Center Development, which now has 1,800 Facebook members. The hearings are expected to stretch into August, with the next session scheduled for Monday, May 11, at Spring-Ford High School.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/16/2026
Pottsgrove School District looks to close $6.4M budget deficit, fills board vacancy
Pottsgrove School District is grappling with a $6.4 million deficit in its $92.4 million draft budget for 2026-2027, driven largely by rising salaries and benefits. The school board is weighing a combination of tax increases and program cuts to close the gap. The state's Act 1 index caps property tax increases at 4.6%, which would raise the average tax bill by $230 annually but only eliminate $2.1 million of the deficit, leaving more than $4 million still to be addressed through cuts that could include eliminating software purchases, reducing teaching positions, and cutting the Pre-K Counts program and counseling services. Teachers and parents pushed back at a recent board meeting, noting that every proposed cut targets student-facing staff while administration remains untouched. The board must vote on a preliminary budget at its Tuesday, April 28, meeting to begin the required 30-day public inspection period.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/17/2026 & 4/20/2026
Pottstown School Board adopts preliminary budget with tax increase
The Pottstown School Board voted 6-2 to adopt a preliminary $96.5 million budget for 2026-2027 that raises property taxes by 2%, increasing the millage from 44.39 to 45.72 mills and adding roughly $105 to the annual tax bill for a median-assessed property. The increase — well below the district's 5.8% state cap — will generate an additional $667,287 in revenue, with another $1.9 million drawn from reserves to balance the budget. Both dissenting votes came with caveats: Board President Katina Bearden said her no vote reflected a belief that the state should better fund public education, not opposition to the budget itself, and Denise Williams had pushed to delay the vote until the board could review a regional comprehensive plan that she argued might contain budget-relevant data. The budget also reinstates a property tax and rent rebate program that was paused last year, with the state contributing $743,220 and the district adding $185,200 to boost relief for the roughly 900 eligible residents. The preliminary budget will be posted for a 30-day public review period, after which taxes can only be lowered — not raised — before the final budget must be adopted by June 30.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 4/17/2026
City pledges quick approvals for industrial developers in ‘Lower South’ Philly
Philadelphia officials are offering to fast-track permits for big employers with complex development plans as part of a campaign to entice companies to invest in and hire workers at former industrial sites near the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and City Council President Kenyatta Johnson convened port, shipbuilding and real estate leaders for a tour of “Lower South” Philadelphia sites that have recently attracted significant investments. They rolled out a program called PHL PRIME — Project Review and Infrastructure Made Easy — and a short online application to move some applicants to the head of the line. “Our job is to make your lives easier,” Johnson told the group before a four-vehicle caravan carried city officials and company leaders to nearby sites that are the focus of new and projected private and public investment.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/6/2026
Fort Mifflin, long besieged by flooding, is finally getting some help
Fort Mifflin, from its perch overlooking the Delaware River, is one of Philadelphia’s most historic sites, having withstood the fiercest bombardment of the American Revolution — nearly 1,000 cannonballs per hour over six days. It later served as a Civil War prison camp for the first prisoners of Gettysburg. Yet the nonprofit organization Fort Mifflin on the Delaware, which manages the site, receives zero federal or city dollars and relies on a budget of $100,000 to $200,000 a year, depending on how many people pay to visit and how well fundraising efforts go. Built on Mud Island, it is battered by persistent flooding made worse by sea level rise. A new tide gate, which is a project of the Philadelphia International Airport, will go a long way to alleviate flooding.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/14/2026
Stewards of vacant lots are organizing against developers to secure long-tended land
Dozens of lot stewards and their supporters gathered in a North Philadelphia recreation hall to launch what they call the Philadelphia Land Stewards Union. The group, formed from Kensington’s Iglesias Gardens movement, says over 80 members have joined so far. In a city with an estimated 40,000 vacant lots, many in low-income and majority non-white neighborhoods, representatives for the Land Stewards Union say they’re bringing together those who wish to protect properties from “predatory developers” building houses they say neighbors can’t afford. About one-third of vacant lots in the city are stewarded by Philadelphians, according to the group’s estimate. But most stewards do not legally own the properties they tend. The city’s Land Bank owns many of the properties, or has the power to purchase them. Many of the parcels have liens and can be sold at a sheriff’s sale unexpectedly. The Land Stewards Union has several goals: for the city to recognize the organization, for more transparency and accountability from the Philadelphia Land Bank, and for those who steward or live near vacant lots to get priority over developers to purchase them.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/19/2026
Center City has fewer vacant storefronts, but occupancy rate still lags
Center City’s vacant retail spaces have become fewer in recent months, as more businesses set up shop, but occupancy still lags behind 2019 levels. Center City District says 84.2% of Center City retail spaces are filled — up from 82.6% some six months prior, according to a survey released this week by the business advocacy group. The number of occupied storefronts has seen a net increase of 32, according to the semiannual survey. The slight increase represents the highest retail occupancy in the past two years in Center City. Still, that’s behind the 89% occupancy reached in the area in 2019.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 4/19/2026
Email grassroots@suburbanrealtorsalliance.com to receive our weekly News Briefs. It's as simple as submitting your contact information so we can create a user profile.