News Briefs for January 24, 2025
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Evansburg Historic District in Lower Providence includes buildings dating back to 1700 and is one of America's earliest planned villages. Lower Providence Township recently enacted a sewer lateral inspection ordinance.
Photo: Smallbones (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Soaring homeowners insurance costs unlikely to drop
Catastrophic disasters across the United States are contributing to the rising cost of homeowners insurance, and some experts believe it will not get better without significant changes in the industry. Gregg Barrett, CEO at WaterStreet Co., which sells property insurance software, said historical data is no longer as accurate to predict future events. Insurers that are unable to raise their rates due to regulatory constraints have resorted to exiting entire markets. California and Florida saw insurers leave or drop coverage over the last year, with one recent study suggesting up to 20% of Florida homeowners are without insurance. The state of California instituted a one-year moratorium on insurance companies canceling or not renewing policies for those affected by the wildfires. That damage is estimated to have surpassed $250 billion. Barrett said it is also more expensive to rebuild homes in high-risk areas, and bigger payouts by insurance companies make it less viable to provide affordable coverage. Mordechai L. Breier, managing partner at Insurance Litigation Group, said the problems facing the insurance industry cannot be attributed to climate change alone. According to Breier, insurance companies are avoiding high-risk areas, limiting coverage, increasing premiums, and imposing stricter claims restrictions to maintain or boost profit margins. Company profits are further boosted by legislation set to reform insurance that focuses on capping payouts and limiting consumer protections. Record profits are being posted by some of the largest publicly traded property insurers despite the home-insurance crisis sweeping the country. The Progressive Corp. posted net income of about $8 billion at the end of 2024 — more than double the $3.8 billion it reported in 2023 and up from a low of $694 million it recorded in 2022. Meanwhile, the insurance crisis means higher costs for homeowners. Digital-insurance marketplace Matic found homeowners saw an average increase of about 25% between 2023 and the first half of 2024, after a 17% increase the year before at policy renewal. About 65% of mortgage lenders reported at least one borrower they worked with recently had problems securing home insurance.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 1/16/2025
Philly region is likely to be one of the hottest housing markets this year
The Philadelphia metropolitan area ranks fifth on Zillow’s list of the hottest markets for 2025. The affordability of its homes compared to other nearby markets and the shortage of homes for sale compared to demand have made the region one of the country’s most competitive markets. “Philly happens to be one of those markets where buyers are kind of starved for housing inventory,” said Orphe Divounguy, a senior economist at Zillow. “The gap between supply and demand has closed a little bit, but just not as fast as in markets across the country. … You’re seeing other markets improving in terms of inventory much faster.” The Philadelphia metro is not a market that tends to build a lot of housing, he said, which explains why it jumped up six spots on Zillow’s list of competitive markets compared to last year. In the Philadelphia area, the supply of homes for sale in December was up 5.5% compared to the same time the year before. In the country as a whole, housing inventory was up 16.8%. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 1/22/2025
Fairless Hills Shopping Center in Falls sells for $24M
Rhode Island-based Ocean State Job Lot bought the 190,000-square-foot Fairless Hills Shopping Center in Falls Township for $23.6 million, according to Bucks County property records. Ocean State Job Lot, a discount retailer, will act as owner-operator. A Grocery Outlet is planned to open at the shopping center, and other tenants include indoor entertainment center Funzilla, Retro Fitness, Big Blue Swim School and a Wawa on a pad site. The Wawa property is included in the sale. Preferring to own its own space, Ocean State Job Lot has grown its real estate portfolio, acquiring more than 7.5 million square feet of real estate across more than 70 shopping centers throughout New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Ocean State Job Lot has 11 Pennsylvania stores, including in Montgomeryville, Pottstown and Warminster.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 1/21/2025
Pennsbury announces new school start times for 2025-2026
Pennsbury School District announced new start times for the 2025-2026 school year. Superintendent Dr. Thomas Smith informed parents via email that starting in September 2025, high school classes will run from 8:15 a.m. to 2:58 p.m., middle school from 7:35 a.m. to 2:20 p.m., and elementary school hours will remain unchanged from 9 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Smith directed parents to the district website for the background of the time change. The decision comes amid a broader trend across the nation to adopt later start times for schools.
Source: LevittownNow; 1/17/2025
Construction to begin on water transmission line along Ridge Road in West Rockhill
West Rockhill supervisors announced that construction of a new North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) water transmission line along Ridge Road will begin at the end of January. The NPWA is anticipating “substantial completion” of the project by July, with full completion expected in September. The 2.7-mile, 12-inch transmission line will run along the east side of Ridge Road from County Line Road to Almont Road, connecting existing water lines in the Sellersville service area above Grand View Hospital to the NPWA’s main system in Chalfont. The line will allow NPWA to meet more stringent water regulations recently approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Ridge Road will be closed during construction between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Source: The Reporter; 1/20/2025
Warrington Farmers Market to close
The Warrington Farmers Market will not be back in 2025, according to founder Mariah Drenth-Cormick. The market was started four years ago with the help of the Warrington Lions Club and a mission to raise funds for the upkeep of Lions Pride Park. The Friday night market was moved to the parking lot of Lions Pride Park for the 2024 season. Drenth-Cormick said the market faced significant challenges, including unpredictable weather, low turnout, shifting township support and the difficulty of managing the market. Drenth-Cormick said the park will still be supported through new community events and pointed out nearby farmers markets in Doylestown and Horsham Township that are held on Saturday and Sunday mornings. "It’s up to the community to keep these businesses alive. If we don’t support them, we’ll lose them," Drenth-Cormick said. "Shop local, support small businesses, and keep the sense of community alive."
Source: Bucks County Herald; 1/20/2025
State grant will benefit Morrisville School District
State Sen. Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced $250,000 in state funding for Morrisville School District students through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s Building Opportunity through Out-Of-School Time (BOOST) grant program. Students will benefit from out-of-school time programs at Morrisville Middle School and High School offering homework help, tutoring, credit recovery, STEAM activities, career-readiness and other enrichment activities. They will also offer small-group tutoring, utilizing college student volunteers, fostering personalized support and mentorship for district students.
Source: The Reporter; 1/19/2025
Preservation of Camp Innabah open space finalized in East Vincent
French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust and the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference of the United Methodist Church have announced the completion of a voluntary land conservation agreement to preserve Camp Innabah’s 130-acre property along Pughtown Road. The trust worked with the camp to obtain more than $1.36 million in funding, including $861,000 from the Chester County Preservation Partnership Program, $500,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, and $252,000 from East Vincent Township.
Source: Daily Local; 1/21/2025
New Garden supervisors hear final report from air quality study
West Chester University professor, Lorenzo Cena Ph.D., who leads the school’s Environmental Health program, delivered his final air quality report to New Garden Township supervisors. The 83-page report measured ammonia, methane and hydrogen sulfide emissions from outdoor fresh mushroom production facilities throughout the township in order to determine whether they achieved acceptable levels as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). The study was in response to complaints from residents about persistent odors from the mushroom composting plants. The report concludes that “the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection ambient air quality standard has periodically been violated” and that hydrogen sulfide concentrations are elevated enough to cause discernible and recognizable symptoms.
Source: Chester County Press; 1/15/2025
Point-in-Time Count to document homelessness in the county
In January 2024, 213 people were recorded as experiencing homelessness overnight in Chester County, according to the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count conducted by the Chester County Partnership to End Homelessness. The number continues to decline. The 2025 PIT count will occur overnight from Jan. 29 to 30. Read more about the 2024 report here.
Source: Chester County; 1/16/2025
Brandywine Conservancy’s flood study draft is online
A draft of Brandywine Conservancy’s Flood Study Report is available online for public review. Comments will be taken until March 1, and the final study is expected to be released in April. The flooding of Hurricane Ida in 2021 spurred the study, as businesses and homes were damaged or destroyed from Coatesville south into Wilmington. The conservancy incurred more than $10 million in damages. The study reviews land use and population growth that could result in more impervious surfaces, and questions how more intense storms might affect the Brandywine Valley and how to prepare for them.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 1/18/2025
Hotel Indigo opens with a nod to West Chester’s past
The Indigo Hotel, opened by the Zukin family at the beginning of January, was designed to celebrate the history of West Chester Borough. It includes historic newspaper clippings and large paintings of Frederick Douglass, who gave his last speech in the borough, and Thomas U. Walter, who designed the historic courthouse. Nods to West Chester University, the building’s former use as Thatcher’s Pharmacy, and all things West Chester are everywhere in the new 108-room, full-service hotel at Gay and Walnut streets. Also on-site are a 7,000-square-foot restaurant, The West Chester Seafood Kitchen, a raw bar, a speakeasy at Room 109 or The Hidden Room, a 3,000-square-foot lobby, and a 100-person business center.
Source: Daily Local; 1/22/2025
Work starts on $16M municipal renovations in Springfield
Work has begun on Springfield Township’s $16 million renovation and partial rebuilding of the municipal office and police station. The old police building will be razed with a rebuild, and the administrative offices will be renovated using the existing structure. The police department has temporarily relocated operations to 601 Baltimore Pike. The administrative offices have moved to Suite 201 at Springfield Square, 1001 Baltimore Pike. The project timeline is 18 to 24 months. The township is using the state’s Keystone Purchasing Network to contain costs relating to construction. The work will be paid for through a combination of an already issued capital bond, as well as federal American Rescue Plan Act funds.
Source: Daily Times; 1/18/2025
Upper Darby advertises 2025 budget amendment
Upper Darby Township Council will hold a special meeting to consider an Amended 2025 Budget Resolution and Appropriations ordinance. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. in the Township Meeting Room at 100 Garrett Road.
Source: Daily Times; 1/17/2025
Lawsuit alleges Brookhaven improperly towed hundreds of vehicles
Brookhaven is the subject of a class action lawsuit alleging the borough improperly towed, impounded — and possibly disposed of — hundreds of vehicles. “None of [the owners] ever received any notice of their vehicles’ status or location, nor information on how to reclaim their vehicles, nor an opportunity to appear to dispute or otherwise reclaim their vehicles,” the complaint read. Brookhaven Borough Council President Terry Heller told WHYY News he believes approximately 280 vehicles were sold or scrapped. “If proven, the illegal towing of vehicles not only undermines public trust but also disregards civil and constitutional rights,” Heller said. “We are disgusted by these actions and will work to ensure those responsible are held accountable.” Read more here.
Source: WHYY; 1/22/2025
Delaware County Elections unveils plan to consolidate precincts
Delaware County Director of Elections James P. Allen unveiled a plan to consolidate over 100 precincts to 51 in an effort to boost efficiency and cut costs. The initiative would merge adjacent, low-voter-count areas, reducing the total precincts by 53. Delaware County currently has approximately 410,000 registered voters and 428 precincts, averaging 958 voters per precinct. By comparison, Montgomery County averages 1,400 voters per precinct, and Chester County averages 1,650. The disparity in Delaware County stems from 24 “micro-precincts” serving fewer than 400 voters and 197 precincts serving between 401 and 900 voters. “This plan will save over $53,000 per election, more than $106,000 annually, while improving service to voters,” said Allen. “This is a reasonable step to merge small precincts that already vote together in the same room or the same neighborhood. None of these mergers will result in super-sized precincts.” The proposal is the result of a comprehensive multi-year assessment of voter registration data by the Elections Department.
Source: Delaware County; 1/16/2025
The Swarthmorean expands coverage area
The Swarthmorean newspaper has expanded its coverage area to include Nether Providence, Rutledge and Rose Valley news in addition to news from Swarthmore Borough. The paper has also changed its look, and the new print format will be larger in size as well as scope. Readers will now also enjoy a two-page community calendar in each weekly edition. The newsstand price for the paper has increased to $3.
Source: Swarthmorean; 1/10/2025
Brandywine Conservancy’s flood study draft is online
A draft of Brandywine Conservancy’s Flood Study Report is available online for public review. Comments will be taken until March 1, and the final study is expected to be released in April. The flooding of Hurricane Ida in 2021 spurred the study, as businesses and homes were damaged or destroyed from Coatesville south into Wilmington. The conservancy incurred more than $10 million in damages. The study reviews land use and population growth that could result in more impervious surfaces, and questions how more intense storms might affect the Brandywine Valley and how to prepare for them.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 1/18/2025
Lower Providence to begin sewer lateral inspections
Lower Providence Township passed Ordinance No. 683 in December, which requires the seller of any property in the township that is connected to the sanitary sewer system to inspect the private sewer service lateral prior to sale. The inspection must be completed by a township registered and licensed plumber, and it requires a video inspection of the private sewer service lateral from the residence or other connected structure to the connection to the system. The ordinance also requires a report of the inspection result. Read the township announcement and access the sewer certification/lateral inspection form here.
Source: Lower Providence Township Sewer Authority
Former Pottstown ‘tent city’ razed by Norfolk-Southern
Norfolk-Southern Railroad has razed a ‘tent city’ occupying land it owns that sits adjacent to the Montgomery County Community College campus. Heather Garcia, a spokesperson for the railroad, said Norfolk-Southern worked for months with several organizations, including Opportunity House and private funders, “to connect individuals with housing solutions to ensure they have a warm place to stay out of the elements this winter and to eliminate the safety risk posed by encampments located on rail property.” The same property was cleared of an encampment in January 2023, but it is the first time the railroad has razed the property — an apparent effort to discourage its reuse as a camping ground. Homelessness is on the rise across the nation, as well as in Montgomery County, driven by a combination of factors including inflation and sky-rocketing housing prices. In December, Montgomery County commissioners signed a lease to open a new short-term, supportive housing facility shelter in Lansdale, two years after the county’s largest homeless shelter closed.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 1/18/2025 & The Reporter; 12/18/2024
Upper Pottsgrove seeks to halt Right to Know requests by resident
Upper Pottsgrove Township officials have filed a civil complaint seeking a court injunction to prevent Matt Murray, who sued to block a township complex from being built on Smola Farm, from filing any more Right to Know requests. According to the court papers signed by Commissioners Chair Trace Slinkerd, township resident Murray has filed 100 Right to Know (RTK) requests with the township since 2022, an act the filing says is “an apparent desire to hamper the township’s financial and professional resources.” According to the township press release, the civil complaint seeks “a preliminary and permanent injunction to prevent further [Right to Know Law] filings by Murray or those acting on his behalf” and a court determination that Murray’s actions constitute an abuse of the RTK process. The release also notes that “all Upper Pottsgrove commissioners supported this legal action.” But according to Commissioner Cathy Paretti, the legal action matter was never taken to a public vote and both she and Commissioner Dave Waldt “never agreed or voted for this legal action.” It is not the first time the township has filed suit against Murray. A defamation suit was filed against him and attorney Kate Harper in connection with an opinion column Harper wrote that was published in The Mercury about “letters warning people not to speak out at public meetings.” The commissioners refuted the claims in a response, published in the Mercury in May 2024. That suit has currently amassed $12,000 in legal fees. Find out more about Pennsylvania’s Right to Know Law here.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 1/11/2025
MCPC releases agritourism map
The Montgomery County Planning Commission has developed a new interactive agritourism map called Field to Family. The map was created to showcase local farms that engage in agritourism or sell fresh produce and other products. Users can click on individual farms to access detailed profiles, and use filters for specific types of products, activities and business types.
Source: MCPC; 12/2024
City council is considering fewer bills than it has in years
Philadelphia City Council has been considering fewer bills than any other time in a decade — and last year devoted its time instead to churning out more public commendations and honorifics than in any recent year. According to an Inquirer analysis of records from the city’s legislative database, the city’s lawmakers introduced 271 bills last year. That’s lower than the decade-long average of 317 and far fewer than the 407 bills it considered in 2019. City Council President Kenyatta Johnson, who took over as the chamber’s top leader in January 2024, said in an interview that the council is focused on considering quality legislation — not quantity. Council also approved a number of symbolic resolutions. Council is likely to address some pressing policy issues from last year, including a local housing and homelessness crisis, and tax reform in the coming months. Read more in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 1/22/2025
Future of UArts buildings hangs on court decision
City arts leaders are hoping that UArts' buildings being sold through bankruptcy will maintain their cultural use in the hands of new owners. What will happen with the Arts Bank building on the Avenue of the Arts will hinge on whether Judge Brendan L. Shannon deems that the building should remain an arts asset or go to the highest bidder — Quadro Bay LLC, which offered $2.71 million and plans to use the building for residential and commercial purposes. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5. The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, which is responsible for protecting charitable interests in bankruptcy sales, objected to the sale of the 601 S. Broad St. property to Quadro Bay. It argued that Pennsylvania law requires that the donor’s intent and the charitable purposes of the property be considered. UArts had used the building, formerly home to a bank, as a 238-seat dance and performance hall since 1994.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 1/22/2025
How the Sixers arena proposal went from a done deal to a stunning reversal
Less than a month after the 76ers got the green light to build a $1.3 billion arena in Center City, the team announced it was walking away from the project and partnering with Comcast Spectacor to develop a new facility at the sports complex in South Philadelphia. The decision upended a development more than two years in the making, following a string of daylong public hearings, hours of closed-door negotiations, and hundreds of protests and rallies organized by arena opponents. Read more about the background of the development and what it means for the revitalization of Market East at PlanPhilly.
Source: PlanPhilly; 1/17/2025
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