PA zoning laws are strangling home construction; lawmakers look for solutions
Pennsylvania lawmakers on either side of the aisle agree that zoning and building code regulations are strangling the supply of new homes in the commonwealth. State Democrats and Republicans have introduced at least a dozen proposals this legislative session that would loosen these laws to encourage housing construction and reduce prices. State Sen. John DiSanto (R-15) announced an omnibus proposal that touches on parking and lot size requirements, would allow medium-density housing in all large municipalities, and allow “the automatic right” to use manufactured homes and accessory dwelling units in single-family zoning districts. The Pennsylvania Housing Choices Coalition — made up of chambers of commerce, developer trade groups, Habitat for Humanity chapters, Americans for Prosperity, the urbanist group 5th Square and more — has emerged to support legislation like DiSanto’s. Not everyone agrees — apartment and condo proposals are often met with ferocious opposition in the suburbs. Dave Sanko, executive director of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, argued that “builders and Realtors don’t want there to be any rules. They want to be able to do whatever they want.” State Sen. Nikil Saval (D-1), a progressive who focuses on housing issues and supports DiSanto’s proposal, said, “We have to look at the greater good that makes planning and land use decisions a collective concern.” Read more in the Philadelphia Inquirer and at SpotlightPA.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 3/21/2024 and SpotlightPA; 3/18/2024

Gov. Shapiro wants to spend $80M to attack PA housing crisis
Housing is often considered a local issue, but there is a growing consensus in Harrisburg that state-level action is necessary to combat Pennsylvania’s persistent shortages and rising costs. That shift can be seen in Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal, which would put $80 million toward funding public legal defense against evictions and anti-homelessness initiatives, and restarting a popular home repair grant program. It can also be seen in pending legislation that would preempt local zoning policies to spur housing construction and protect tenants amid increased evictions post-pandemic. The policy changes aren’t a sure thing. Lawmakers who support them will likely face opposition from the lobbies representing municipal governments and landlords. But the extent of the state’s housing shortfall makes doing nothing unpalatable for lawmakers in both major parties. By one estimate, Pennsylvania has a shortage of almost 100,000 housing units. Legislation expanding programming and funding for home repairs, homelessness, emergency housing, eviction protections and land use changes are all being discussed. Read more here.
Source: Spotlight PA; 3/18/2024

PA population is stagnant, but counties saw gains and losses in latest Census report
The U.S. Census Bureau conducts numerous surveys in support of hundreds of federal programs and legislative mandates. One of them is an annual population estimate for states and counties. The estimates tell how many people lived in an area as of July 1 of a given year, and how that has changed from previous years due to births, deaths, and migration to and from other places in the U.S. and foreign countries. The estimates show Pennsylvania once again hasn’t changed much lately — falling from 12.97 million in 2022 to 12.96 million in 2023. But the state’s relative stagnation belies demographic turbulence among its 67 counties. Pike County grew the most, with a 4.61% increase to 61,247 in 2023. Forest County had the highest contraction rate, losing 7.52% of population to fall to 6,449. Locally:

• Bucks County declined by just 0.08% to 645,984.
• Chester County was the third-fastest growing county, jumping 2.88% to 549,784.
• Delaware County declined by just 0.02% to 576,720. 
• Montgomery County grew by 1.42% to 868,742.
• Philadelphia lost 3.32% of its population, falling to 1.55 million people.

The Daily Local News article provides more data in charts. The Census Bureau’s Quick Facts page provides population data at the national, state and local levels.
Source: Daily Local; 3/14/2024

Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force meets
In early March, the Pennsylvania Flood Insurance Premium Assistance Task Force held its second meeting. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors participated in a panel discussion along with representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the insurance industry and the banking industry. The conversation focused on flood insurance affordability, communication challenges related to flood insurance and flood risk, and client perceptions of flood risk and flood insurance. Learn more about flood insurance in Pennsylvania and the task force at the Pennsylvania Insurance Department website.
Source: PAR; 3/8/2024

Voter registration deadline for primary is April 8
April 8 is the last day to register before the April 23 primary election in Pennsylvania. The 2024 elections will include a presidential and U.S. Senate race, with several other high-profile, in-state elections. Here are dates to remember:

• April 8: Final day to register to vote before the primary
• April 16: Deadline to request an absentee or mail-in ballot for the primary
• April 23: Pennsylvania's 2024 presidential primary
• Oct. 21: Deadline to register before the general election
• Oct. 29: Final day to request an absentee or mail-in ballot for the general election
• Nov. 5: 2024 presidential general election

More voter information can be found on the Pennsylvania Department of State Voting and Elections webpage. 

NAR announces litigation agreement, provides resources to understand it
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced on March 15 that it had reached an agreement that would end litigation of claims brought on behalf of home sellers related to broker commissions. The settlement, which is subject to court approval, makes clear that NAR continues to deny any wrongdoing in connection with the Multiple Listing Service cooperative compensation model rule that was introduced in the 1990s in response to calls from consumer protection advocates for buyer representation. Under the terms of the agreement, NAR would pay $418 million over approximately four years. A video from NAR president Kevin Sears and chief legal officer Katie Johnson concerning the settlement can be found at competition.realtor. Additional information for Realtors, including a fact sheet and answers to frequently asked questions, can be found at facts.realtor. Hank Lerner, chief legal officer at the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors, was interviewed by Harrisburg-based ABC affiliate WHTM on the effects of the settlement.
Source: NAR; 3/15/2024 

Apartment construction progressing at Oxford Valley Mall
A construction project at the Oxford Valley Mall in Middletown Township is progressing. Developer CornerstoneTracy is working to rejuvenate the former space that once housed a Boscov’s department store and the surrounding parking lot. The development includes more than 600 high-end apartments with a host of amenities. The project is divided into two phases, with 391 apartments from the initial stage expected to be completed this year. See drone photos of the construction from LevittownNow.
Source: LevittownNow; 3/8/2024

Bristol Township School District to sell vacant Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School
The Bristol Township School Board voted 8-0 to approve a letter of intent to sell the vacant Franklin D. Roosevelt Middle School off Veterans Highway. The school has been closed since March 2023 after the opening of the renovated Benjamin Franklin Middle School. The board has agreed to sell the 31.7-acre property to Crystal Window and Door Systems for an amount not immediately released. Crystal Window and Door Systems plans to use the property as a light manufacturing and assembly building, creating about 300 jobs. The company is among the top 25 window manufacturers in North America. The plan will still need to go through the land development process.
Source: LevittownNow; 3/19/2024

Central Bucks fills two council vacancies
The Central Bucks School Board filled two council vacancies at a special meeting. The board voted 6-0 to appoint Jenine Zdanowicz, of Warwick, to the district’s Region 4 seat and Robert Dugger, of Warrington, to fill the Region 7 seat. The vacancies resulted after former board members Lisa Sciscio and Debra Cannon abruptly resigned their seats in February. Sciscio and Cannon were elected to office in the 2021 election, after running against the same Democrats who have now replaced them on the board. Zdanowicz has worked in IT and marketing for almost two decades and moved to Warwick 30 years ago specifically to put her children through the Central Bucks School District. Dugger said his 20 years working in human resources made him uniquely qualified to find the right person to handle the day-to-day administration in Central Bucks. Both cite the superintendent search and attracting and retaining the best teachers as priorities. Both seats will be on the ballot in 2025.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 3/20/2024

Newtown Borough bans single-use plastic bags
Newtown Borough Council unanimously passed an ordinance that will ban the distribution of single-use plastic bags in the borough. The ordinance will go into effect in 180 days. It includes a ban on single-use plastic bags, a fee on paper bags or other bags provided by retailers, a ban on expanded foam polystyrene containers, and restrictions on the use of plastic straws and plastic utensils. Persons or retailers who violate the new requirements will be issued a written warning for a first offense and will be fined $50 for a second offense, $100 for a third offense and $200 for more offenses. Newtown Borough is the fourth Bucks County municipality — and the 28th in Pennsylvania — to pass legislation to ban single-use plastics.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 3/13/2024 & Bucks County Courier Times; 3/14/2024

Neshaminy appoints superintendent
The Neshaminy School Board recently voted to appoint acting superintendent Jason Bowman as the district’s official superintendent. Bowman had been filling the role in a temporary capacity for over a year. His contract will run from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2029. Bowman has been a longtime administrator in the district and called the promotion a “tremendous opportunity.” Bowman and his wife both graduated from the district, as did their children.
Source: LevittownNow; 3/6/2024 

Chester County continues its rosy bond picture with ‘triple-triple’ credit ratings
Moody’s Investor Service, S&P Global (formerly Standard & Poor’s), and Fitch Ratings recently verified that Chester County‘s financial picture had allowed it to maintain its top-level AAA ratings. The county is the only one in Pennsylvania with three AAA ratings — the “triple-triple” — and is one of just a handful in the nation. The high ratings help the county achieve lower interest rates on bond issues. County commissioners recently approved a new bond issue that will support numerous projects: the preservation of Crebilly Farm in Westtown; improvements to Ash Park in Coatesville; downtown revitalization in Oxford; preliminary design and engineering for the Chester Valley Trail extension; and a new fire and emergency medical services paging system for the county. Jamie Schlesinger, managing director of PFM Financial Advisors of Malvern, told the commissioners that the reaffirmed AAA rating status meant that the refinancing of a 2014 bond issuance, planned for later in 2024, would be at rates lower than any other municipality in Pennsylvania, and could result in savings of $1.85 million.
Source: Daily Local; 3/19/2024

Phoenixville nonprofit gets $1M grant
Ann's Heart, a nonprofit organization in Phoenixville, has received a grant of more than $977,000 that will allow it to purchase and renovate its existing downtown campus. The nonprofit provides numerous critical services, including shelter, housing case management and food programs to vulnerable populations. The grant money comes via the recent Community Project Funding passed through the U.S. Congress. "This vital funding will not only secure a permanent home for Ann’s Heart but also for multiple other nonprofits dedicated to serving parts of Chester and Montgomery counties,” Kristen McGee, executive director of Ann’s Heart, said. "With this invaluable support, Ann’s Heart has been able to secure the purchase of the campus we have diligently worked to restore." Read more here.
Source: Phoenixville Patch; 3/18/2024

Chester County expected to see much growth through 2050
Chester County will outpace its suburban Philadelphia neighbors in population growth over the next quarter-decade, according to figures from the Pennsylvania State Data Center in State College. According to a release from the center, Chester County will see its population grow by 6.9% in the period from 2020 to 2050.
Source: Daily Local; 3/15/2024

Downingtown Resilience Fund to address flood concerns at meeting
The Downingtown Resilience Fund, representing property owners and residents in Caln, Downingtown and East Caln, has scheduled a community meeting to launch a flood readiness and avoidance plan. The nonprofit has been working since October to develop a plan to aid citizens affected by disasters like flooding and will present the plan at a community meeting on Thursday, April 18, at 410 Clover Mill Road in Exton. The location is an office of Belfor Property Restoration, which has partnered with the fund, providing technical assistance and guidance. The Chester County Flood Study Committee will present as they continue to define flood issues and derive a plan for mitigation and flood prevention. The Downingtown Flood Committee will present potential projects it has developed for the sub-catchment area, including projects submitted by Caln and East Caln townships. Fund chairman Barry Cassidy will outline the plan, which will include recruiting volunteer case managers and a method of systematic application of letters of floodplain amendments. The fund will also act as a repository for donations after flooding, which will be dispersed as cash grants for those affected.
Source: Daily Local; 3/13/2024

‘Cheers Trail’ highlights Chesco wineries, breweries
The Office of Chester County Tourism is promoting Chester County Cheers, a brochure and website with information on 50 breweries, wineries, tasting rooms and distilleries from Phoenixville to Oxford. Residents and visitors who register for the Chester County Cheers Trail can receive points simply by stopping by any of the 25 breweries throughout the county. The points can be redeemed for prizes like hoodies, T-shirts, baseball caps, winter caps and beer glasses, all with the Chester County Cheers Trail logo emblazoned on them.
Source: Chester County Press; 3/13/2024