‘It’s absolutely changing’: Pew finds Philly is less affordable than it used to be
New research shows Philadelphia remains a city of homeowners but is less affordable than it’s historically been — over the last few years but also over the past two decades — even as the number of homeowners remained virtually unchanged. “The affordability of the city’s market is changing. It’s absolutely changing,” said Octavia Howell, a manager with the Philadelphia Research and Policy Initiative of the Pew Charitable Trusts. While the median sale price for an entry-level home decreased between 2021 and 2023, the median monthly mortgage payment for those homes increased as a result of higher interest rates, according to a report Pew released. In 2021, the median mortgage payment was $944. Two years later, the total had risen by nearly a third, to $1,213. The jump is part of a broader trend that has made Philadelphia a tougher place to buy a home, particularly for people with low and moderate incomes. Read more here.
Source: Plan Philly; 7/24/2024

Insurance task force releases final affordability report
A Pennsylvania task force on flood insurance has issued a final report with recommendations for making flood insurance more accessible and affordable. Read the full report here.
Source: Daily Times; 7/29/2024

 A flurry of grant money is flowing to the region for environmental projects
A surge of federal money for environmental justice and climate action is flowing to the Philadelphia region. This week, the EPA announced funding for upcycling tree waste into wood products in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and for reducing planet-warming pollution from Pennsylvania’s top climate-polluting sector. In the coming month, small community-based organizations in the Philly region can start applying for grants for environmental justice projects. “There’s never been a moment that comes close to both the money… and the opportunity of the moment,” said Ruth Ann Norton, CEO of the Baltimore-based nonprofit Green & Healthy Homes Initiative, which is distributing pass-through grants to smaller organizations in EPA’s Region 3. The money comes from the Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest federal investment in clean energy in U.S. history. Read more here.
Source: Plan Philly; 7/29/2024

Bensalem leaders discuss legislation
Bensalem Township council member Michelle Benitez recently called attention to two state House bills that could impact local zoning decisions if they are passed. House Bill 1976 would revise zoning laws to allow multi-family housing and mixed-use development in urban areas zoned for office, retail and parking with existing water and sewer systems. House Bill 2045 would revise the Municipalities Planning Code to require cities, boroughs, towns and townships with more than 5,000 in population to permit the use of duplex, triplex and fourplex housing in areas currently zoned for single-family residences only. Rep. Josh Siegel of Lehigh County is a sponsor of both bills and says they are “proactive steps in addressing the current housing crisis.” Benitez, also a member of the Bucks County Association of Township Officials, is working with officials across the county in opposition to the bills, saying that state control of a municipality’s zoning wouldn’t ensure availability of affordable or attainable housing.
Source: Lower Bucks Times; 7/29/2024

Build Business in Bucks Grants open for applications
A new Bucks County grant is providing local businesses with up to $3,000 (per applicant) in services and training to develop critical entrepreneurial skills. Potential grantees will need to provide a narrative on why they have been negatively impacted by the pandemic and how assisting with accounting and financial training, fiscal consulting, marketing and customer development and/or human resources training/human resources handbook development will help them build their business in Bucks County. To be eligible for the ‘Build Business in Bucks’ grant, applicants must be a county-based for-profit business, established within the last five years, having 50 employees or fewer. Find out more about the grant and application process here.
Source: Lower Bucks Times; 7/29/2024

Trumbauersville passes code of conduct resolution
Trumbauersville Borough Council passed a resolution that creates a code of conduct at borough council meetings. The intent of the resolution is to enable a municipal meeting to proceed in an orderly fashion. The code of conduct requires borough council members to act in an ethical manner in order to create public trust.  Council members cannot act as if they are speaking for the municipality when they are voicing their personal opinions. Comment at a council meeting is restricted to residents and taxpayers.  Water ratepayers and trash payers, if not residents of the borough, can speak but only about water and trash issues.  Comment is limited to three minutes per speaker.  Public comment will be taken at the beginning of the meeting on agenda items and again at the conclusion of the items on the agenda.  Conversations prior to or after a meeting are considered private, but anything spoken during the meeting is considered public. Borough council also announced it will follow Robert’s Rules of Order which dictates the parliamentary procedures for municipal meetings.
Source: Town & Country; 7/24/2024

Plan to enforce parking regulations in East Rockhill causes tension
In 2000, East Rockhill Township instituted a street parking ban on sections of several township roads, including Blue Rock Drive, Boulder Drive, Ridge Run Road, and Stone Edge Road – a ban that was never enforced. Recent complaints about traffic and pedestrian safety prompted the township to send a letter to residents about the parking ban prior to any possible parking ticket enforcement. Several residents in attendance at a recent meeting expressed frustration at the letter, characterizing it as vague, burdensome and unnecessary. Other residents endorsed the parking ban, raising concerns about pedestrian safety and traffic congestion. Pennridge Police Chief Paul Dickinson and the board of supervisors promised to balance resident safety and convenience.
Source: The Reporter; 7/26/2024

West Rockhill supervisors place pool debt referendum on November ballot
West Rockhill supervisors approved a maximum $3 million debt referendum to renovate the Holiday House pool. The referendum will appear before voters on the November ballot. A recent study concluded that the 55-year-old pool, a joint venture of West Rockhill and Sellersville Borough, is approaching the end of its life span. Projected renovation costs are estimated to be between $1- $3 million. The project would cost the average household $129 per year, a 56% property tax increase. If split by Sellersville, the cost would amount to $70 per household. While the referendum is non-binding, the board said that the outcome will inform its decision on the matter.
Source: The Reporter; 7/19/2024

East Coventry Township to sue North Coventry over sewer sale
East Coventry Supervisors voted to take the first step required to file a lawsuit against the North Coventry Municipal Authority (the Authority) and North Coventry Township in connection with the township’s efforts to sell its sewer system to Pennsylvania American Water for $7 million. At issue is the fact that East Coventry does not own a sewer treatment plant. The sewage it collects in its system is piped to the treatment plant along the Schuylkill River run by the North Coventry Municipal Authority. There it is treated under the terms of an agreement between the authority, East Coventry, and North Coventry Townships. Last August, the East Coventry Township Board of Supervisors voted to sell its sewage collection system to Pennsylvania American Water for $7 million. Chief among the reasons for the supervisors’ decision was that the private utility offered to spread the cost of a $27 million project to bring sewers to the Parker Ford section of town among all its customers—not just those in East Coventry. For the sale to go through an agreement must be reached between the Authority and the two municipalities. Negotiations have not gone well.
Source: Daily Local; 7/28/2024

West Chester considers new on-campus housing for students
A recent West Chester University analysis calls for spending a minimum of a half billion dollars to build a new residence hall and renovate several others. Jeffrey L. Osgood, Jr., WCU executive vice president and provost, said that students have shifted priorities, and many would now prefer to live on campus rather than nearby. The university would like as many students as possible to live on campus. There are currently 5,300 beds on campus, and approximately 3,000 first year students. Construction of a new 700 to 800 occupancy residence hall might start within 4 or 5 years. WCU is experiencing an extended period of enrollment growth with just over 17,000 students.
Source: Daily Local; 7/24/2024

West Sadsbury to consider update to comprehensive plan
The Board of Supervisors of West Sadsbury Township will hold a public hearing to consider the adoption of the West Sadsbury Township Comprehensive Plan of 2024. The draft comprehensive plan is available here.  The plan describes the community as one “that takes pride in its agrarian history and promotes a rural quality of life while balancing the challenges resulting from continued growth pressures.” The public hearing will take place on August 13, at 6:30 p.m., at the West Sadsbury Township Building located at 6400 Moscow Road, Parkesburg, PA 19365.
Source: Daily Local; 7/29/2024

Public hearing to be held by PUC for Aqua customers in Chester County
The Public Utility Commission (PUC) will hold a public hearing regarding the proposed rate increase for water and wastewater supplied by Aqua PA. The proposed 18.7% rate hike was reviewed, and opposed, by the Pennsylvania Office of Consumer Advocate. Interested residents are encouraged to visit the PUC’s website for more information about how the hearing will be conducted. State Rep. Christine Sappey’s (D-158th) office requested the hearing, and questions may be sent via email with “Aqua rate increase hearing” in the subject line.  The hearing will take place on Thursday, August 8, at 1 p.m. in the New Garden Township Building (299 Starr Road, Landenberg).
Source: Daily Local; 7/26/2024

Kennett Square Borough water/sewer billing notification
There was a technical error for Kennett Square Borough’s Water and Sewer Billing for the 3rd quarter of this year as the bills were calculated off 1st quarter usage. The error has been identified and bills have been re-calculated to accurately reflect 3rd quarter usage. The new bills are being mailed and residents will have an additional 30 days to pay the fee. (August 26).
Source: Kennett Square Borough; 7/26/2024