News Briefs for May 23, 2025
Jump to:
[ General ] [ Bucks ] [Chester] [ Delaware ] [ Montgomery ] [ Philadelphia ]
The Lafayette Sycamore — a “witness tree” present at the Battle of the Brandywine in 1777 — stands next to the Gideon Gilpin House at Brandywine Battlefield historical park in Chadds Ford in a 2016 photo. A study of the battlefield’s history was recently published after 12 years in the making.
Photo: Ron Cogswell (CC BY 2.0)
NAR joins coalition supporting Housing Affordability Act
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has joined 14 other housing organizations in a letter supporting the bipartisan Housing Affordability Act (S.1527), sponsored by U.S. Sens. Reuben Gallego (D-AZ) and David McCormick (R-PA). The legislation updates the Federal Housing Administration’s multifamily loan limits to reflect current construction costs. The limits have remained unchanged since 2003, falling far behind today's construction costs. The outdated policy has become a barrier to building middle-income housing. Read more at the NAR website.
Source: NAR; 5/16/2025
U.S. House passes tax package
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a tax reform package that includes many priorities of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) advocacy team. The bill increases the qualified business income deduction from 20% to 23%, providing meaningful tax relief to the more than 90% of NAR members who are independent contractors or small business owners. It also quadruples the state and local tax deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,000 for households earning under $500,000, though the marriage penalty remains in place. The bill now moves to the Senate for further consideration.Read more at the NAR webpage.
Source: NAR; 5/22/2025
SEPTA board pressed for answers over proposed cuts
Dozens of SEPTA riders shared concerns with the agency’s board about how service cuts would affect their lives during the first round of public hearings over proposed, deep service reductions. SEPTA needs to fill a $213 million structural budget deficit. Its total taxpayer subsidy is closer to $1.2 billion. But there’s been significant pushback from Republicans in the state Senate against more public funding for the transit agency. SEPTA spends $65 million annually to lease Amtrak-owned tracks that carry riders on the Paoli-Thorndale, Chestnut Hill West, Trenton, Wilmington-Newark and Cynwyd Regional Rail lines. In 2026, all of those train lines would be suspended under SEPTA’s budget proposal. Various proposals, including allowing counties to levy new earned income, sales or transfer taxes, have been discussed to provide funding opportunities. Read more at WHYY.
Source: WHYY; 5/20/2025
The Philly region had some of the oldest homes sold in 2024
The Philadelphia metro area is in the top 10 metros with the oldest median homes sold in 2024, according to an analysis by the online real estate brokerage Redfin. Homes sold in the region were a median of 61 years old, built in 1963. Only 6% of homes sold last year were younger than five years old. About 78% were more than 30 years old. Nationwide, the typical home sold in 2024 hit a record age. But at 36, the national median was much lower than in the Philadelphia region.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/16/2025
Plan calls for fewer homes on Shady Brook Farm parcel in Middletown
Fox Lane Homes presented an updated plan for age-restricted housing on 53 acres bordering Shady Brook Farm in Middletown Township. The new plan calls for 150 carriage homes for residents 55 and older, which is down from the 161 units proposed in February. Joe Morrissey, founder of Fox Lane Homes, said the changes came after discussions with the township and nearby residents. The property is currently zoned R1, which allows for two dwellings per acre, and the Farm’s Edge project would require a zoning change from R1 to AQC (Age-Qualified Community) to proceed. Several supervisors were still concerned with the density of the project, and Morrisey countered by highlighting the financial benefits of an age-restricted community that will not add children into the school system and would generate more tax revenue than 32 single-family homes that are allowed by current zoning. The Farm’s Edge proposal is expected to return before the supervisors at their Monday, June 9, meeting for a full presentation and possible action.
Source: LevittownNow; 5/13/2025
Residents, businesses receive Middletown stormwater bills
Middletown Township residents and businesses began receiving annual stormwater management fee bills in May. The stormwater fee was approved by supervisors at the end of 2024. The fee is to fund more than $9 million in infrastructure improvements for stormwater management. According to township officials, existing stormwater management systems “are inadequate for modern needs and are in varying stages of disrepair.” Some areas of the township lack any stormwater infrastructure. The fee is $60 a year for single-family homes, condos, townhouses and duplexes. Commercial properties have a tiered fee that is based on the amount of impervious surfaces covering the property. Some large buildings and parking areas could pay up to $6,000 per year per building lot. Find out more on the township’s website, “Stormwater Impact Fee – What You Need to Know.”
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 5/19/2025
Doylestown Borough debuts new interactive map
Doylestown Borough has a new interactive map showing everything the borough has to offer — arts and culture, bike lanes, food and drink spots, lodging, parking, parks, shopping, and more. Businesses can fill out a form on the map to get their name listed.
Source: Doylestown Borough; 5/2025
Council Rock introduces full-day kindergarten
Council Rock School District officials introduced parents and students to the new full-day kindergarten program at a community night event in early May. The school board approved a full-day program last June. The program will include expanded access to all district specials, not just art and library as was offered during the half-day program, adding music, physical education and STEAM. Find out more on Council Rock’s Full Day Kindergarten Resource Hub.
Source: Newtown Patch; 5/5/2025
Quakertown Community School District eyes tax increase
The Quakertown Community School Board approved a 2025-2026 proposed budget that includes a 2.5% tax increase. A proposed final budget is required to be submitted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and is not necessarily the final approved budget. If approved, the budget would increase the tax rate to 176.51 mills from the current 172.21 mills. The board is scheduled to adopt a final budget at the June 12 meeting.
Source: Town & Country; 4/30/2025
Coatesville Area School District considers 3.5% tax hike, spending cuts to close budget deficit
Lori Diefenderfer, director of business administration for the Coatesville Area School District, recommended the board pass a 3.5% tax increase to balance the 2025-2026 budget. The proposed spending plan in the preliminary budget shows $242 million in expenditures and $230.1 million in revenue. Diefenderfer said the $11.9 million gap between income and expenses will be made up by a tax increase, money from the fund balance and any spending cuts that can be found. There was no real estate millage rate projection at the time the preliminary budget was approved, but the state’s adjusted Act 1 index for the district limits the tax increase to a maximum of 5.1%. The current property tax rate is 42.864 mills. A 3.5% increase for a property assessed at $100,000 would add about 1.5 mills or roughly $150 to the tax bill. The budget will come to the full board for final adoption on Tuesday, June 10.
Source: Lancaster Online; 5/15/2025
Chester County releases 2024 Housing Report
Each year, the Chester County Planning Commission analyzes assessment data on sales and construction to understand housing trends in the county. Among the key points and trends from the 2024 Housing Report are:
- Both raw and inflation-adjusted housing prices have been steadily rising in the county, up to $525,000 in 2024.
- The number of annual sales in 2023 and 2024 were significantly lower than annual sales from 2012-2022.
- Median sales price for new homes was $589,902 in 2024.
- The county has been undersupplied in new housing construction. From 2005 to 2014, a total of 19,645 new units were added, compared to 18,597 from 2015 to 2024.
- Median housing prices for apartments and attached homes have been consistently lower than single-family attached homes.
- New housing units have been largely centered around growth areas, especially the county's boroughs.
- The Coatesville region has provided much of the county's affordable housing, while Tredyffrin Township has had the most substantial range of housing prices.
Source: Chester County Planning Commission; 5/16/2025
Malvern group to host open house, conduct survey
Malvern King Street Revitalization LLC will host an open house to introduce residents, property owners and businesses to ongoing efforts to enhance Malvern Borough’s King Street business district. The event will be held on Wednesday, June 11, and members of the public are invited to stop by any time from 6 to 8 p.m. at Unite for Her, 22 E. King St. Residents and business owners are also encouraged to take a brief Community Perception Survey to guide future revitalization efforts.
Source: Malvern Borough; 4/22/2025
Brandywine Battlefield historical study now complete
Over the past 12 years, a detailed study of the Battle of Brandywine has revealed the routes, roads, skirmish sites and historic buildings and landscapes connected with the critical Revolutionary War engagement. The actions and events of the battle, which spanned approximately 35,000 acres, have been revealed in a three-phase study that also uncovered French and German journal entries, and created 1777-era property mapping.
Source: Chester County Planning Commission; 5/14/2025
West Vincent issues reminder about rights-of-way
West Vincent Township has issued a reminder that all roadways in the township have right-of-way (ROW) easements. The size of the ROW varies between road segments and may extend beyond the paved road and shoulders. “Newer” township roads may have ROWs that extend well behind the curbs and sidewalks. Township code requires property owners to keep the ROWs free from plantings, trees, rocks, signs and other items. If property owners do not maintain their ROWs, the township is allowed to remove items with the owner incurring the expense. Per the township code, if the owner fails to pay or reimburse the township within 30 days, the township may record a lien against the property for the balance due.
Source: West Vincent Township; Spring 2025
PA Supreme Court hears arguments on CWA asset ownership
In what may turn out to be a $410 million question in the City of Chester’s historic bankruptcy, the state Supreme Court heard arguments over who owns the Chester Water Authority (CWA) and who has the right to sell it. State law clearly gives the city control over the assets, said Chester attorney Matthew White. Noting that only a minority of its customers are in Chester, the water authority in effect is the province of “multiple jurisdictions,” countered CWA attorney Kevin Kent. The authority wants the court to overturn a 2021 Commonwealth Court ruling that Chester was the sole owner of the authority and thus could entertain suitors. That decision came after Aqua Pennsylvania offered to buy the authority for $410 million, representing about six times the city’s annual budget. After listening to the arguments from attorneys, including those representing Delaware and Chester counties and Aqua, the state high court said it would take the case under advisement. The city has been in bankruptcy since November 2022, and a sale of the water assets would mean avoiding drastic cuts in services and retirement benefits. Read the full story in the Inquirer.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/14/2025
Chadds Ford supervisors approve conservancy plans
The Chadds Ford Township Board of Supervisors approved several proposals from the Brandywine Conservancy as it continues to recover from the effects of Hurricane Ida. Those approved proposals include a consolidation of 11 parcels, the demolition of six buildings that can no longer be used, and the renovation of 6 Station Way Road. The lot consolidation, a reverse subdivision, will bring the 11 parcels into one zoning district, the Cultural Campus Zoning District that was created last year. With damaged buildings being demolished, the renovation of 6 Station Way Road will allow that structure to house the offices that were destroyed in the flood from Ida.
Source: Chadds Ford Live; 5/19/2025
Upper Darby mayor to host walking talk on Underground Railroad Trail
Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown invites residents to join him for a walking tour along the township’s historic Underground Railroad Trail. The Walk and Talk tour will take place on Saturday, May 24, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Upper Darby Underground Railroad Trail, 3218 Garret Road, Drexel Hill.
Source: Upper Darby Township; 5/16/2025
Brandywine Battlefield historical study now complete
Over the past 12 years, a detailed study of the Battle of Brandywine has revealed the routes, roads, skirmish sites and historic buildings and landscapes connected with the critical Revolutionary War engagement. The actions and events of the battle, which spanned approximately 35,000 acres, have been revealed in a three-phase study that also uncovered French and German journal entries, and created 1777-era property mapping.
Source: Chester County Planning Commission; 5/14/2025
Plans filed for redevelopment of former country club in Cheltenham
Revised land development plans were submitted in April for the “Enclave at Melrose,” a major redevelopment proposal for the shuttered Melrose Country Club in Cheltenham. The plans call for 330 total units, with 134 townhomes and a 24-unit multifamily building being designated as 55 and over. The proposal also includes medical office space, assisted living, retail and non-age-restricted townhomes in later phases. The sprawling mixed-use development would span both sides of Tacony Creek and Tookany Creek Parkway, with a 101-townhome development sitting on the south bank of the creek just up against the Philadelphia border, and the rest of the development would be to the north. The former Melrose Country Club opened in 1926 as a public course. It is not the first golf course to be redeveloped in Cheltenham; Ryan homes is building a mix of single-family and townhomes on the former Ashbourne Country Club just to the north.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 5/8/2025
Norristown zoning board grants variance for homeless facility
The Norristown Zoning Hearing Board recently granted a four-year variance that would allow a “temporary housing facility” to operate in the municipality’s office commercial retail district. The approval will allow Montgomery County’s plans to open a 50-bed supportive, short-term housing facility to take a major step forward. The vote followed almost six hours of testimony and public comment. Philadelphia-based Resources for Human Development will operate the proposed supportive short-term housing model that would accompany wraparound services for those experiencing homelessness in the Norristown area. “This is one piece for a broader plan that we have in Montgomery County to address affordable housing and homelessness,” said Montgomery County Commissioners Vice Chairwoman Jamila Winder.
Source: The Reporter; 5/19/2025
Towamencin announces final comp plan meeting, new supervisor
The final public meeting to present Towamencin Township’s comprehensive plan update will be held on Tuesday, May 27, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the municipal complex, 1090 Troxel Road, Lansdale. Residents are encouraged to attend and share input on the future of the community. In other news, the board of supervisors welcomed Amer Barghouth as the township’s newest supervisor. Barghouth was appointed to the seat by the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas after township supervisors were unable to agree on a candidate to fill a vacancy. The seat was left vacant following the resignation of Vice Chair Laura Smith. Barghouth will serve the remainder of a term that ends Dec. 31.
Source: Towamencin Township; 5/2025
Upper Moreland Township School Board vacancy
The Upper Moreland Township School District Board of Directors is seeking resumes from qualified residents who wish to serve on the school board for a term ending Dec. 1. Find out more on the school district website.
Source: Upper Moreland Township School District; 5/2025
City council introduced some of Mayor Parker’s housing initiative legislation
Philadelphia City Council has introduced all but one of the bills Mayor Cherelle L. Parker sent city lawmakers in her initial batch of legislation related to her $2 billion Housing Opportunities Made Easy, or H.O.M.E, initiative, which aims to build or preserve 30,000 housing units. That’s a good sign for Parker, who is hoping council approves much of her plan before it adjourns for summer break in mid-June. Council members showed no signs of movement when it came to parts of Parker’s housing proposal that would limit their near-total control over the city’s land disposition process — a key component of Parker’s plan — as the mayor hopes to rapidly sell off city-owned parcels to developers for housing construction.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/15/2025
Philly remains the nation’s 6th-largest city, but its lead over No. 7 is narrowing
Philadelphia remains the sixth-most-populous city in the country, fending off fast-growing San Antonio, Texas, for another year. But Philly’s population gains coming out of the pandemic have been somewhat anemic compared with peer cities, and San Antonio continued to close the gap. Between July 2023 and July 2024, Philadelphia gained roughly 10,500 residents, a 0.7% increase in its population and the first increase after four consecutive years of losses. As a result, Philly’s population stood at 1,573,916 residents, about 1.9% lower than at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Compared with other large peer cities, Philadelphia’s growth rate was among the lowest, and below the national average of 1% for cities with 50,000 or more residents. Cities of all sizes, however, showed faster growth and larger gains in 2024 compared with the previous year.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/15/2025
Philly homeowners can get help paying for repairs through Restore, Repair, Renew
Philadelphia homeowners have access to a home repair loan through the city’s Restore, Repair, Renew program, which gives city homeowners access to 10-year, low-interest loans ranging from $2,500 to $50,000. Homeowners can use the loans to address repairs related to health, safety, weatherization, accessibility and quality of life. David Thomas, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Development Corp., which created the program, said Restore, Repair, Renew was “designed to help people who have nowhere to turn” — those who make too much money to qualify for most assistance but who aren’t able to walk into a bank and get a loan.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/19/2025
Philadelphia Housing Authority spent $235M in 9 months to buy 1,300 apartments across the city
The Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) has been the most active buyer of multifamily units in the city since September, gobbling up properties in Port Richmond, Grays Ferry, University City and Wynnefield Heights.The city agency has spent $235 million to acquire 1,329 units as part of its Opening Doors initiative to grow its portfolio citywide. The housing authority typically aims to dedicate 60% of its units for affordable housing and 40% of its units for market-rate housing. PHA projected it would cost about $225,000 on average to buy housing units through Opening Doors, and the recent acquisitions came in 21% under that estimate at an average of $177,000 per unit. The acquisition cost is far less than the $550,000 per unit PHA estimates it would require to build new apartments, the key factor influencing the ongoing buying spree. PHA is taking advantage of market conditions that are leading apartment owners to consider selling their properties, with the combination of high interest rates and a glut of new apartments in the city making it more of a challenge to lease up residential units. PHA, which is almost entirely funded by the federal government, plans to spend $900 million to acquire 4,000 housing units in the next two years. PHA CEO Kelvin Jeremiah described the acquisitions as "a strategic investment."
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 5/19/2025
New $48M pedestrian bridge connects Schuylkill Banks in Center City to Grays Ferry
The $48 million Christian to Crescent Trail Connector that stretches 2,800 feet, including the 650-foot bridge with its commanding river view, has finally opened. The long-anticipated link erases a gap in Schuylkill Banks — that portion of the Schuylkill River Trail threading from Center City through South Philadelphia. The connector carves a fresh route past a defunct coal tower and rail corridor that once obstructed access. The segment includes lighting, benches, trash cans, and newly planted trees and perennials. It allows trail users to pass through the tunnel to continue onto the Grays Ferry Crescent segment of trail. The bridge is the centerpiece of the new segment. Tyler Barile, assistant chief construction engineer with the city’s streets department, said the bridge is the first of its kind in Philadelphia, and only the second in Pennsylvania.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/16/2025
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.