News Briefs for June 20, 2025
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Philadelphia City Hall, designed in the French Second Empire style of architecture, was constructed from 1871 to 1901 at a cost of $24 million dollars. The city council’s new budget will increase the realty transfer tax while lowering some other taxes.
Photo: David Saddler (CC BY 2.0)
NAR research shows prevalence of deed fraud
Title fraud, or deed theft, is when someone illegally transfers the title or deed of a property without the owner’s knowledge. Often, criminals use fake IDs and/or forged documents to record documents with the county recorder of deeds, transferring the property to themselves, or falsely represent themselves as the owner to list and sell a property. The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) 2025 Deed and Title Fraud Survey was developed to measure the nationwide occurrence of these scams. NAR’s research shows that 62% of fraud occurrences were associated with vacant land, rather than owner-occupied properties (12%). The majority (52%) of the scams involve residential land. Less than one in five involve a single-family home. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors supports House Bill 1406, which creates a criminal offense of deed fraud. NAR has created a consumer guide to help explain what deeds and title fraud involve. In the Philadelphia suburbs, recorder of deeds offices offer free fraud protection services for homeowners.
Source: PAR JustListed; 6/16/2025
SRA webinar will explore impact of tariffs on the housing market
The Suburban Realtors Alliance will host a webinar to discuss the role that international trade and tariffs play in shaping the housing market and real estate more broadly. “Tariffs, Trade, and the Housing Market: What You Need to Know” will be held via Zoom on Thursday, June 26, from 10 to 11 a.m. SRA CEO Jamie Ridge will be joined by Drexel University economist Kevin Gillen, PhD, for a discussion of the influence of global economic policy on housing affordability, construction costs and real estate investment trends. The webinar is open to members of the Bucks County Association of Realtors and Tri-County Suburban Realtors. Learn more and register here.
Climate change is increasingly affecting homebuying decisions, survey says
Among real estate agents surveyed in Redfin's 2025 Industry Survey, 39% said they believe climate change is impacting, to at least some degree, consumer choices about where to live and what homes to buy. Only 35.8% of respondents said climate change is not affecting consumer choices. In Florida, 55.4% of agents agreed that climate change was impacting home searches. In California, 51.1% of agents completely agreed. Over the past 12 months, 4.8% of all agents surveyed said clients had “significantly more” climate and weather-related concerns compared to the previous 12 months, while 13.6% said clients had “somewhat more” concerns. The Redfin survey is the latest in a series of surveys and data points that shows growing concern over climate change and its potential impact on the housing market. From the worsening home-insurance crisis that has impacted many states to more-frequent natural disasters, more buyers and owners are spending time, energy and money on issues related to climate change.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 4/21/2025
Andrew Hughes confirmed as HUD deputy secretary
The U.S. Senate confirmed Andrew Hughes as deputy secretary for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The National Association of Realtors issued a statement of support, saying Hughes “brings deep institutional knowledge and proven leadership from his prior service at HUD, including as chief of staff during a time of unprecedented challenges and innovation.”
Source: NAR; 6/11/2025
Courier Times reviews Falls unreleased financial report
Falls Township relies heavily on landfill host fees to support its annual budget — but according to a financial report commissioned by the township but not shared with the public, township officials need to make some tough decisions before that revenue stream runs dry in a few years. The Bucks County Courier Times reviewed the draft financial report created by PFM Consulting Group LLC. The consulting group was hired to analyze township finances in preparation for the loss of $18 million in revenue loss of host fees when the Waste Management landfill ceases operations in 2034. The host fee revenue amounted to about 60% of the township’s $39 million budget in 2024, and it has staved off real estate property tax increases for 31 of the past 32 years. PFM warns of an impending “fiscal cliff” by 2031 that could see annual progressive budget deficits, which may deplete Falls’ $63 million reserve fund. Recommendations by PFM include sending more money into reserves, paying down unfunded liabilities, and raising revenue through taxes and other means while also scaling way back on spending. The report does see a bright spot in the Keystone Trade Center, calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity for Falls to increase its commercial tax base. The Keystone Opportunity Improvement Zone tax break that the trade center falls under will expire at the end of 2035, meaning more tax revenue for the township, but still not enough to replace the landfill fees. Read more in the Bucks County Courier Times.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 6/16/2025
Shady Brook Farm development plan review delayed in Middletown
The formal review by Middletown Township of Foxlane Homes’ plan for a 55-plus community on a portion of Shady Brook Farm has been pushed back to July. Called Farm’s Edge at Shady Brook, the original plans for the development have been scaled back following concerns from neighbors and the township. Farm’s Edge spokesman Brian Dries said the development team is still working on the plan and would bring it to the board in July. The spokesman said the team was now looking at about 22 acres of open space, up from 19.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 6/12/2025
Upper Makefield discusses proposed subdivision of deed-restricted land
Two neighboring Upper Makefield Township properties, once the center of a court battle over the proposed development of a house of worship, are again the topic of discussion in the township. The current plan has a property at 1458 Wrightstown Road reduced from 13 acres to three acres, with the neighboring property, under the same ownership, increasing from over 12 acres to over 19 acres. Both lots have existing homes. A third lot of three acres would be established, on which a future home could be built. However, in 1996, the township granted then-owners Harry and Priscilla Whyte a subdivision of a single larger property to create the two current lots, and the Whytes agreed to a deed restriction that barred future development. The Whytes pursued a plan to build a house of worship on the land in the early 2000s. It was denied by the board of supervisors, things got litigious, and there was ultimately a court decision that upheld the deed restriction, preventing the proposed house of worship development. The Whytes died earlier this year and their relatives are pursuing the subdivision. Township officials had concerns, and questioned if they would be setting a bad precedent by overriding the deed restriction. Township attorney Will Oetinger said the request for a subdivision amounted to the Whytes’ niece “asking for a grant of grace from the township” and that the township “holds all the cards.” The discussion was only of a preliminary sketch plan, and the applicant would need to submit formal, engineered development plans if they wish to pursue the subdivision.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 6/12/2025
Middletown approves $300 fine to deter illegal passing of stopped school buses
Middletown Township supervisors approved their involvement in an automated school bus stop arm enforcement program run by the Neshaminy School District and BusPatrol Inc. The program will equip Neshaminy School District buses with cameras that automatically detect and record vehicles that illegally pass buses when their red lights are flashing and stop arms are deployed. Under the new program, video footage of potential violations will be securely transmitted to the police department, where an officer will review the incident to confirm if a violation occurred. Upon confirmation, a civil citation and $300 fine will be issued. Drivers wishing to appeal a violation can request a virtual PennDOT hearing and potentially further court hearings, said Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla. The program is expected to roll out in September with the new school year, and there will be a 30- to 60-day warning period before actual citations are issued.
Source: LevittownNow; 6/16/2025
North Penn Water Authority announces account holders must be owners, effective in 2026
North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) has announced important changes to account holders for water service, specifically affecting rental and lease properties. The new regulation states, “All service connections and account billing shall be issued only to the property owner for each parcel. As such, new accounts will not be in the name of tenants, renters, boarders, property managers and lessees.” An “owner” is the person who is named as the owner of the premises in the deed as recorded in the county recorder of deeds office. The policy shall become effective on Jan. 1, 2026. New accounts up to that date may be held by either the tenant or the property owner, and current accounts will not be required to be updated to the property owner until the tenant terminates service. The Suburban Realtors Alliance and the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors are researching the legality of the new requirement. The NPWA service area includes: parts of Skippack, Lower Salford, Salford, Franconia, Worcester, Towamencin, Hatfield, New Britain, West Rockhill, and Upper Gwynedd townships, and parts of Souderton, Sellersville, Hatfield, Lansdale and New Britain boroughs.
Source: North Penn Water Authority; 5/15/2025
Jury awards $3.25M to East Brandywine families who sued homebuilder over defects
A Chester County jury has awarded a total of $3.25 million to three pairs of homeowners in East Brandywine Township who sued their builder over defects. The families bought houses for between $600,000 and $800,000 in a single-family development called the Estates at Hideaway Farms, constructed by Chester County builder Southdown Homes. In their lawsuits, the homeowners said water infiltration, due in part to improperly installed stucco and windows, damaged their homes. They alleged negligence, misrepresentation, breach of contract and consumer law violations by the builder. Their case is the first of a group of more than 20 pending lawsuits filed by Hideaway Farms residents to go to trial. In this case, the jury delivered its verdict in favor of all the plaintiffs’ claims.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/14/2025
East Marlborough to hold work session on possible EIT
East Marlborough Township’s supervisors will hold a work session to discuss a possible earned income tax (EIT). The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 25, at 6 p.m. at the township building, 721 Unionville Road, Kennett Square. Read the township’s overview and FAQ on the possible EIT here.
Source: Daily Local; 6/17/2025
Tredyffrin-Easttown OKs schools budget with tax increase
Property taxes are going up in Tredyffrin and Easttown townships with the approval of the Tredyffrin/Easttown School District 2025-2026 final budget. The budget has $190.3 million in revenues, $6.1 million in fund balance allocation, and $196.4 million in expenditures. Officials addressed an $11 million deficit with expenditure reductions, tapping into existing reserves, and levying a property tax rate increase. The district in February filed for, and was ultimately approved for, a referendum exception for special education expenditures in excess of the Act 1 index of 4%. The final budget has a 4.66% tax rate increase, from 28.3373 mills to 29.6567 mills. Officials said the increase will result in an average $350 increase in property tax bills. Homeowners eligible for the homestead/farmstead exclusion under Act 1 will receive a reduction of about $344 on their 2025 property tax bills from state gaming fund revenue.
Source: Tredyffrin-Easttown Patch; 6/16/2025
State funding announced for Chesco organizations that offer safe housing
State funding in the amount of $26 million was awarded to 15 organizations that focus on bringing more safe, stable housing to residents in Chester County. Some of the recipients included: Housing Partnership of Chester County ($700,000), PA Home of the Sparrow ($170,000), Open Hearth Inc. ($150,000) and Good Neighbors Home Repair ($35,000). View the full list of Chester County grant recipients here. The funding was awarded through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund.
Source: State Sen. Dan Williams; 6/11/2025
Kennett school board approves final budget
The Kennett Consolidated School Board unanimously approved an annual operating budget of $108 million, an increase of $3.5 million over last year. The tax bill to the average property owner will be $6,414, compared to $6,168 last year. The budget numbers presented by district CFO Mark Tracy reflected major increases in salaries, contracts, and expenditures that were categorized as “Others,” a category that includes loan interest payments for the new elementary schools at New Garden and Greenwood. The millage will increase from 33.645 mills to 34.99 mills.
Source: Chester County Press; 6/11/2025
SRA survey: Tell us about your experience working in Upper Darby
The Suburban Realtors Alliance is asking Realtors to share their experiences working in Upper Darby Township. The Alliance staff has been in contact with the township regarding issues in its use and occupancy inspection process, and will be meeting with township officials later this month. Realtors are asked to fill out this brief online survey.
Brookhaven to consider establishing volunteer tax credit
Brookhaven Borough will consider adopting a volunteer service tax credit for fire companies and nonprofit emergency medical service agencies. The enabling ordinance will be considered for adoption on Monday, July 7, at 7 p.m. at the Brookhaven Municipal Center, 2 Cambridge Road.
Source: Daily Times; 6/5/2025
Norwood to consider peddling and soliciting ordinance
Norwood Borough Council will consider an ordinance amending Chapter 220 of the Norwood Borough Code, governing peddling and soliciting, and adding provisions governing public adjusters. The ordinance will be considered for adoption on Monday, June 23, at 7 p.m. at the Norwood Municipal Building, 10 W. Cleveland Ave.
Source: Daily Times; 6/16/2025
Chester mayor talks of pride, resilience and progress in State of the City address
Mayor Stefan Roots delivered the annual State of the City of Chester address at Widener University with a focus on progress and potential in the midst of challenges. The mayor spoke about improvements being made even as the city remains in the midst of bankruptcy, efforts being made in light of the Crozer closures, and a blueprint for a more vibrant future. “In 2025, I’m pleased to say that we’ve been delivering those vital and essential services, thanks to having the right people in place,” Roots said. “We really couldn’t deliver those services at the same rate a year ago.” He listed necessary, basic improvements that were made to City Hall, and noted the city moving forward with a $60 million public works garage on Route 291. Regarding the closure of Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, Roots said, “We are working and advocating every day to try to bring a hospital back to our community.”
Source: Daily Times; 6/13/2025
Haverford adopts comprehensive plan
Haverford Township's Board of Commissioners laid out its vision for the township's future and approved a 122-page comprehensive plan. "This plan looks back at 30 years of our township and our neighborhoods, and comes up with an idea and a blueprint of what we can do better," Commissioner Larry Holmes said. The plan calls for redeveloping the Eagle Road Corridor by allowing mixed-use buildings — in other words, apartments on top of storefronts — to create a vibrant downtown with a village feel. The board said adding wider sidewalks and moving parking lots to the backs of buildings would make the area more pedestrian-friendly. Some residents and business owners are concerned that the redevelopment may change the character of the township. Read more here.
Source: CBS 3; 6/10/2025
Collingdale to consider new anti-bias law
Collingdale Borough Council will consider establishing a human relations commission and adopting a proposed Chapter 145 of the borough code, titled “Human Relations and Non-Discrimination.” Collingdale’s drafted legislation casts a wide protective net, prohibiting discrimination for gender identity, gender expression, age over 35, pregnancy, long Covid, height and weight, marital status, and domestic victim status, among others. The ordinance will be considered during a special public meeting on Saturday, June 21, at 2 p.m. at Collingdale Park, 500 Lincoln Ave. The meeting will occur during the borough’s Juneteenth in the Park community celebration, scheduled for noon to 4 p.m.
Source: Daily Times; 6/14/2025 and Chester Spirit; 6/4/2025
Upper Pottsgrove awards $9.5M bid for new township complex
Upper Pottsgrove Township commissioners voted 3-2 to award bids for a new township complex on Gilbertsville Road. Commissioners Cathy Paretti and Dave Waldt voted against awarding the bids. Paretti said she is not against the project, but worries the township is making the same mistake it made when it targeted the Smola Farm open space as the site for the new complex. The Gilbertsville Road property was originally purchased in 2024 with open space funds, just as the Smola Farm property was. The board eventually voted to pay back the open space fund with general fund money for the Gilbertsville Road parcel. In announcing the $9.5 million in bids, the township noted “the entire project is fully funded without taking on any debt.” The township intends to continue the appeal of a reaffirmed ruling by a Common Pleas judge that enjoins the township from soliciting or accepting bids on its proposed plan to build a municipal complex at the former Smola Farm site. The judge issued a final 28-page opinion on June 13, prompted by the township’s appeal to Commonwealth Court. He wrote, “If a municipality could acquire land by using those open space tax revenue, but then decide to develop the land for another purpose, it would betray the bargain that the elected representatives made with the public — i.e. if you the public are willing to be taxed an additional amount in order to acquire and preserve open space in our community, then we, the elected officials will use the revenues solely for that limited purpose.” Chairman Trace Slinkerd said the appeal will continue because it has the potential to set a precedent about “who decides what open space is. Is it people who sue us? It’s a big case and it needs to go forward.” As of July 2024, the township had spent just under $135,000 in legal fees on the case.
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 6/18/2025
North Penn Water Authority announces account holders must be owners, effective in 2026
North Penn Water Authority (NPWA) has announced important changes to account holders for water service, specifically affecting rental and lease properties. The new regulation states, “All service connections and account billing shall be issued only to the property owner for each parcel. As such, new accounts will not be in the name of tenants, renters, boarders, property managers and lessees.” An “owner” is the person who is named as the owner of the premises in the deed as recorded in the county recorder of deeds office. The policy shall become effective on Jan. 1, 2026. New accounts up to that date may be held by either the tenant or the property owner, and current accounts will not be required to be updated to the property owner until the tenant terminates service. The Suburban Realtors Alliance and the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors are researching the legality of the new requirement. The NPWA service area includes: parts of Skippack, Lower Salford, Salford, Franconia, Worcester, Towamencin, Hatfield, New Britain, West Rockhill, and Upper Gwynedd townships, and parts of Souderton, Sellersville, Hatfield, Lansdale and New Britain boroughs.
Source: North Penn Water Authority; 5/15/2025
Upper Perkiomen finance committee proposes smaller tax increase
Upper Perkiomen School District’s finance committee voted unanimously to recommend a 3.5% tax increase for the 2025-2026 school year, lower than the 4.9% tax increase in the proposed $85 million final budget approved by the school board in May. A 3.5% increase amounts to about $145 annually for the average property owner. The district will need to use $4.62 million from its general fund to fill a budget deficit. The board was expected to vote to grant final approval on June 19.
Source: Town & Country; 6/11/2025
Townhomes slated for 18 acres in Upper Dublin
Pulte Homes will move ahead with a 72-townhome project on 18 acres of vacant land in Upper Dublin Township. Pulte purchased the triangle-shaped parcel at 1840 Norristown Road off Welsh Road and Limekiln Pike from Jenkintown-based Goodman Properties for $12.2 million. The approval process took seven years. Attached townhomes in “Maple Glen Pointe” are expected to start in the mid $700,000 range, and be around 2,500 square feet to 2,600 square feet each with three or four bedrooms. Pulte Homes was attracted to the site because of its location within the Upper Dublin School District and between routes 309 and 611, according to Pulte Homes northeast corridor division president John Evans.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 6/11/2025
Bidding opens for Phase 2 of Abington-Jenkintown Connection Project
Abington Township has announced it will accept sealed proposals for Phase 2B of the Abington-Jenkintown Connection Project. The Abington-Jenkintown Connection Project is a pedestrian and stormwater improvement project intended to improve connectivity and stormwater management along Washington Lane, Jenkintown Road, Greenwood Avenue and Meetinghouse Road. The project has been in the works since 2017. The project is being funded through multiple state, county and local sources.
Source: Times Herald; 6/13/2025
New $6.8 billion city budget includes RTT hike, other tax changes
Philadelphia workers will see minuscule tax cuts and small-business owners will get a mixed bag of pain and relief from the $6.8 billion budget approved by Philadelphia City Council. After making minor amendments, the council largely approved Mayor Cherelle Parker’s taxing and spending proposal for the budget that takes effect July 1, as well as much of her Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) initiative. Here’s a rundown of the changes:
- Real estate transfer tax: The city’s real estate transfer tax, which is paid when a property is sold, will increase from 3.278% of the assessed or sales value of a property to 3.578%. (The total transfer tax in Philadelphia will be 4.578%, including the 1% for the state.) The Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors actively opposed the transfer tax increase.
- Business income and receipts tax (BIRT): The BIRT consists of two taxes, and the Parker plan that council passed includes 13 years of scheduled reductions to both. The tax on net income, or profits, will go from 5.81% to 5.71% next year, before eventually falling to 2.8% in 2039. The tax on gross revenue, or companies’ total income from business in the city, will be cut from 0.1415% to 0.141% next year. Parker’s plan would then fully eliminate the gross receipts levy in 2039 after a series of annual cuts. The BIRT exemption that allowed businesses to exclude their first $100,000 in revenue from taxation under the BIRT is going away. That effectively allowed many of the city’s smallest businesses to forgo paying the complicated tax altogether. The city was sued for violating Pennsylvania’s uniformity clause. Business owners can get more information on the BIRT changes and sign up for updates on how to get relief from the Philadelphia Revenue Department.
- Property tax: Most Philadelphia homeowners will pay the same amount in property taxes next year. Parker and city council agreed to leave the real estate tax rate flat at 1.3998% of a property’s assessed value.
- Wage tax: The wage tax will be reduced on July 1 from 3.75% to 3.74% for Philadelphia residents and from 3.44% to 3.43% for people who commute into the city for work. The small annual cuts are part of a decades-long policy shared by successive mayors to reduce the city’s reliance on the wage tax.
Read more at the Inquirer (gift link).
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/13/2025
Bonds will fund multiple housing initiatives
Mayor Cherelle Parker’s $800 million bond initiative will provide funding for dozens of housing policies, and the first tranche of the bonds, worth $400 million, will be sold in the fall. The earliest the funds will start to flow to the housing initiatives is October. Parker administration officials have outlined how much funding they hope to see allocated to many of the programs in the Housing Opportunities Made Easy (H.O.M.E.) plan. Here are their biggest priorities:
- Turn the Key: Parker’s administration hopes to allocate $112 million to Turn the Key, a program that offers very cheap city-owned land to developers so they can build for-sale homes for first-time homebuyers who make less than 100% of area median income. The program also includes secondary mortgages paid for by the city that lower the up-front costs for homeownership.
- Basic Systems Repair Program: The administration wants to spend $84 million bolstering the popular, long-standing city policy that gives lower-income homeowners grants for house repairs. The administration wants the income limit for the program to be increased to 100% of AMI, expanding access.
- One Philly Mortgage and Philly First Home: Parker wants to put $50.7 million toward One Philly Mortgage, which would go to first-time homeowners who might not qualify for conventional mortgages. Meanwhile, $50 million would expand the Philly First Home program, another first-time homeowner-assistance program that covers down payment and loan closing costs for mortgages up to $250,000.
Read more at the Inquirer (gift link).
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/13/2025
Wanamaker Building’s owner plans to transform it into loft apartments
The new owner of the Wanamaker Building says that Philadelphia today is akin to New York City in the 1990s, but with better building codes. As TF Cornerstone embarks on the redevelopment of the historic department store — with local partner Alterra Property Group — they plan 600 loft-style apartments similar to units they created in Manhattan’s former industrial neighborhoods 40 years ago. The partners will transform the colossal former department store, now largely vacant office space, into a mixed-use building with apartments that range from studios to three-bedroom units. There are difficulties of geometry in a building the size of the Wanamaker, which is over 2 million square feet when the 660-car parking garage is taken into account. But the developers believe the issues can be solved without substantial interior demolition by creating units that stretch deep into the structure, allowing for apartments with a lot of space but few windows.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/12/2025
‘Keystone’ community garden preserved in rare deal
The Summer Winter Community Garden serves as a colorful bridge between Powelton Village and Drexel University’s campus, with a paved path bordered by fruits, vegetables and flowers grown by residents. The roughly one-acre garden was stitched together in 1976 from privately held, vacant properties that were eventually taken over by the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, leaving the land vulnerable to development. Now, the garden will be preserved under a resolution approved by city council that grants the property’s title to the nonprofit Neighborhood Gardens Trust. “This is a keystone garden for the city of Philadelphia,” said Jenny Greenberg, executive director of the trust. “It’s one of the oldest, it’s one of the largest, and it’s in a neighborhood that has seen a lot of redevelopment and a lot of pressure in the real estate market.” Under the arrangement, the city will hold a 30-year mortgage valued at $520,000 on the garden, but the trust will not have to make payments. However, the trust will have to adhere to terms in the mortgage, such as upkeep of the property.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 6/13/2025
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