Federal shutdown may impact real estate transactions
Federal operations may experience disruptions after Congress failed to pass funding legislation by the Sept. 30 deadline. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) is closely monitoring the situation and working with Congress, the administration and industry partners to address impacts on NAR members. NAR has outlined eight programs where NAR members may experience an impact during the shutdown:

• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
• Government-Sponsored Enterprises (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac)
• Internal Revenue Service
• Rural Housing Programs
• Veterans Affairs
• Environmental Protection Agency 
• HUD Programs
• Small Business Administration

Read more details about those impacts here. NAR has also provided an online update on what Realtors may see during the shutdown.
Source: PAR JustListed; 10/1/2025

Millennials are quitting the homebuying hunt as Gen Z steps up
One in six aspiring buyers has abandoned their dreams of homeownership in the past six years because they couldn't afford a house that they liked, according to a new Bankrate survey. Homeownership is typically seen as a pillar of the American Dream, but the punishing combination of rising home prices, high mortgage rates and a looming housing shortage has kept purchasing out of reach for many. Millennials are the most likely generation to have given up on their dreams of purchasing a home, at 22%, while only 12% of Gen Z, the youngest searchers, have abandoned the hunt. Read more here.
Source: Axios; 10/1/2025

PA lawmaker revives state police funding debate
State Rep. Justin Fleming (D-105), of Dauphin County, is reviving a long-standing debate over whether the state should bill municipalities that lean on coverage from state troopers instead of providing their own police forces. Fleming says the system isn’t fair to taxpayers who support the Pennsylvania State Police while also footing the bill for their local police departments. Fleming’s plan calls for communities that benefit from state police coverage to pay for the services directly, phasing out state police reimbursements from the motor vehicle fund, which is meant to finance transportation projects. Similar proposals have failed to gain traction in the past.
Source: Hanover Evening Sun; 9/26/2025

$85M available for PA affordable housing projects
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency has put out a request for proposals soliciting applications from businesses and organizations for projects to improve the availability and affordability of housing. Over $85 million in funding is available from the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund. PHARE receives its funding from the impact fee levied on natural gas drilling companies and a portion of the realty transfer tax. The deadline for application submission is Thursday, Nov. 20, at 2 p.m. Find out more here.
Source: Central Penn Business Journal; 9/17/2025 

Chalfont to replace use and occupancy inspection ordinance
Chalfont Borough Council will conduct a public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. to consider the adoption of proposed Ordinance No. 476 that will repeal and replace Ordinance No. 335 — Certificates of Occupancy. The public notice states the change in the ordinance is “to address the changing real estate market within the community.” The proposed ordinance adds language related to a sewer lateral inspection requirement at point-of-sale that was earlier adopted per Ordinance No. 474. The Suburban Realtors Alliance is reviewing the proposed changes.
Source: Chalfont Borough; 9/2025

Plumstead residents challenge livestock feed mill project
The Plumstead Township Planning Commission was faced with a standing-room-only crowd at its Sept. 18 meeting. Dozens of residents attended to express opposition to a proposed animal feed mill on a 37-acre parcel along Potters Lane. Bright Feeds is seeking approval to add a 14,000-square-foot addition to an existing 20,000-square-foot vacant warehouse on the site to create a plant that would process “pre-consumer food waste” into “high-quality” animal feed. The operation would run 24/7, and company representatives estimated that approximately 20 trucks per day would enter and leave the site with no truck traffic between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Residents came with knowledge of another Bright Feeds facility in Connecticut that has a documented history of odor and noise problems. Bright Feeds installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) at the Connecticut facility and stated that the Plumstead operation would be equipped with an RTO from the start. The land is zoned for industrial use, and the township’s zoning officer has deemed the project would fall within the permitted uses. Planning Commission Chair Gary Talbot reminded those in attendance that board members are bound by Pennsylvania's municipal planning laws and cannot deny a project without a legal reason. The project next appears before the Plumstead zoning and hearing board to review and rule on requested variances, then back before the planning commission for possible recommendation to the township supervisors.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 9/22/2025

Program meant to lower farm property taxes mostly benefits nonfarmers in Bucks
A Pennsylvania program called Clean and Green (Act 319 of 1974), created to help farmers keep their land by lowering property taxes, now largely benefits nonfarming landowners in Bucks County. More than 5,000 Bucks County property owners pay lower property taxes through enrollment in the state program, an amount that totals about $3 million in tax cuts. Although Clean and Green is a state program that Bucks County is required to offer, the money diverts not from Pennsylvania's coffers, but from the county, towns and school districts, with other property owners making up the difference. A 1995 analysis found that Act 319 tax cuts only drew about 1% from Bucks County’s overall tax base, but other counties in the state have lost nearly 20% of their tax base due to the program. Some officials have argued the program needs reform to better target working farmers, not wealthy landowners, and although studies show narrowing eligibility to protect true farmers has public support, legislative reform in Pennsylvania is difficult.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 9/29/2025 

Open houses planned for Delaware River Bridge Project
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority are hosting two in-person, public meeting open house events and one virtual public meeting for the Delaware River Bridge Project, which will rehabilitate or replace the bridge. The meetings will provide an opportunity for the public to view updates on the project and learn the results of the alternatives analysis, potential environmental impacts and next steps. The Pennsylvania in-person open house will be held on Wednesday, Oct.15, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Benjamin Franklin Middle School, 6401 Mill Creek Road, Levittown. Material can be viewed on the project website, and feedback will be accepted from Oct. 14 through Nov. 14.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 9/24/2025 

Presentation details worsening lack of attainable housing in Chester County
The New Garden Township supervisors meeting on Sept. 15 included a discussion about housing inequity led by Burt Rothenberger and Cheryl Miles, who are members of the Southern Chester County Council on Housing Affordability. “It comes as no surprise to any of us that we have a housing crisis here in Chester County,” Rothenberger told the board. “There are parts of our county where reasonably priced dwellings to rent or purchase just aren’t available.” He called for the county to develop moderately priced housing. He said the 2024 median home sale price in Chester County was $525,000, with only 6% of homes sold under $250,000. The median apartment rental stood at $1,719 as recently as 2023 and continues to climb, which is about $400 a month higher than rental costs in nearby Lancaster and Delaware counties. Read more at Chester County Press.
Source: Chester County Press; 9/24/2025

Kennett Township addresses 2026 capital projects and priorities
Kennett Township supervisors on Sept. 17 reviewed almost $1 million in capital budget requests as they began preparing the 2026 budget, with police and public works topping the spending priorities. Police requested $60,000 for a new vehicle, $11,000 annually over five years to upgrade tasers, and $10,000 for a drone that would also serve public works. Public Works sought $240,000 for a dump truck, $220,000 for a road bank mower, $28,000 for a street sweeper attachment, and $118,000 for a lift to aid in tree and light maintenance. Longer-term plans include redesigning the Five Points intersection at a projected township cost of $105,000 and $876,000 in paving over the next three years. Supervisors will hold public budget meetings Oct. 8, Oct. 22 and Nov. 5, and are expected to adopt the 2026 budget on Dec. 3. Read more at the Chester County Press.
Source: Chester County Press; 9/24/2025

Chester County establishes human relations commission
Chester County has taken the first step in establishing a human relations commission. The new body will be dedicated to protecting all residents from discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations. Ordinance 2025-3 was approved in a two-to-one vote, with Commissioners Josh Maxwell and Marian Moskowitz voting in favor and Commissioner Eric Roe voting against. Seven to 13 volunteer members will be appointed by the county commissioners to serve three-year terms. Applications will be available on the Chester County website.
Source: Chester County; 9/24/2025

Coatesville school board mulls tax assistance for housing development
A municipal planner has asked the Coatesville Area School District to consider a property tax exemption for a planned housing development on the city’s last large undeveloped tract. At a Sept. 9 school board finance committee meeting, consultant David Babbitt said the 75-acre site at 320 Adams Drive is approved for 266 apartments, with a second phase of about 300 townhouses awaiting approval. The developer, Brandywine View Tri-Corner, is seeking relief under the state’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance Act (LERTA), which allows tax exemptions in struggling areas. The proposal would grant a full tax break in the first year, with reductions decreasing by 10% annually until fully expiring after 10 years. Developer Jon Juffe said the steeply sloped property is too costly to develop without the incentive. Babbitt estimated the project would add 68 students to the district at a cost of nearly $2 million a year. After the exemption expires, the new units are projected to generate $3.37 million in annual tax revenue, leaving the district with a net gain of about $1.4 million. Liz Muirhead, the school board’s finance chair, said the board will review the proposal and gather community input before taking action.
Source: Lancaster Online; 9/16/2025