Airbnb is recruiting PA farmers to host guests
Pennsylvania is home to tens of thousands of farms, and Airbnb wants to turn them into short-term rentals. The company is partnering with the American Farmland Trust and recruiting farmers to host guests and tap into the growing agritourism industry. The average farmstay listing on Airbnb, the company said, can make an extra $9,600 per year. Nationwide, farms — particularly smaller operations — struggle to stay profitable and find alternate sources of revenue, and agritourism is offering a new revenue stream. Farmers could use Airbnb grants of up to $10,000 to renovate or prepare their properties to host overnight guests and launch farm-based experiences. Interested farmers can learn more and sign up for informational webinars at the American Farmland Trust website.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 9/28/2026

PAR to host webinar on ‘The Data Behind Data Centers’
Data centers are making headlines and expanding into communities across Pennsylvania, raising important questions about land use, economic development, energy consumption and local impact. The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (PAR) is hosting a webinar, The Data Behind Data Centers, designed to break down what data centers are and how they operate, why they are growing across Pennsylvania, and what the potential impacts on local communities might be. The webinar will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 6, at noon. Register at the PAR website. PAR also recently hosted a webinar with Penn State Extension’s Tom Beresnyak about the basics of data centers and the factors influencing data center development in Pennsylvania. A recording is available here, along with other informational resources on the topic. 
Source: PAR; 9/2026

SEPTA unveils plan for improvements
SEPTA has unveiled “Accelerate,” a 10-year vision for expanding and improving transit service across the Philadelphia region, including more frequent Regional Rail service, new subway and trolley vehicles, and full accessibility at stations. The plan aims to increase the number of people living within a quarter-mile of frequent transit from about 900,000 to more than 2 million and connect nearly half the region’s jobs to frequent transit, but its implementation depends on securing reliable, long-term funding. SEPTA projects a $192 million operating deficit for the coming fiscal year, while temporary state funding is set to expire next July. Officials say additional investment would be needed to expand service beyond current levels and fund major capital improvements.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 9/22/2026 and PlanPhilly; 9/22/2026

Contact your state rep — SB 838 prevents burdens for real estate schools
The Pennsylvania Association of Realtors (PAR) is continuing its call to action, asking all members to contact their state representatives and urge them to vote for SB 838, the Private Licensed School Act amendments. Without SB 838, real estate and appraiser schools could face new licensing, course approval and fee requirements from the Pennsylvania Department of Education. The added costs and requirements could make it harder for smaller schools to stay open and increase the costs of continuing education for Realtors and appraisers. Read more about SB 838 and respond to the call to action (scroll down to the bottom of the page, if necessary) on the PAR website.
Source: PAR; 9/16/2026

Middletown to refund Pennswood Village after state Supreme Court rules stormwater ‘fee’ is a tax
Middletown Township will reimburse the Pennswood Village senior living facility $6,000 after a state Supreme Court ruling that a municipal "stormwater impact fee" is effectively a tax that cannot be applied to nonprofits. Township solicitor Jim Esposito said other nonprofits and tax-exempt property owners are also seeking refunds. The April 2026 decision in Borough of West Chester v. Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education set a binding statewide precedent, and although Middletown's fee was not the subject of that case, it is similar to the one struck down. The township's fee charges homeowners a flat $60 a year and bases commercial charges on the size of impervious surfaces like parking lots. It raises about $2 million annually to help meet an estimated $1.5 million per year in stormwater infrastructure needs plus $200,000 per year in maintenance. Esposito said settlement agreements include a provision allowing the township to reinstate the charge on exempt properties if case law or legislation later permits it, but the budget impact remains unclear.
Source: Bucks County Courier Times; 9/23/2026

Upper Southampton to consider amendments to U&O ordinance
Upper Southampton Township supervisors will consider adopting an ordinance amending Chapter 134 of the township code, which governs sales of real estate and the issuance of certificate of use and occupancy requirements. A public hearing is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the Lower-Level Meeting Room of the township library at 947 Street Road. The full text of the proposed ordinance is available for public review at the township building, 939 Street Road, during normal business hours. The Suburban Realtors Alliance reviewed the draft and submitted a letter to township officials, noting provisions in the proposal may not comply with state law.
Source: Upper Southampton Township

Pennsbury School District faces $12.5M deficit 
Pennsbury School District's projected budget shortfall has grown from $4.4 million in June to $12.5 million, according to new CFO Kimberly Steffy, and covering it from savings would leave only about $734,000 in the fund balance plus $3.6 million in the debt service account. The increase stems mainly from health care costs that ran $5 million over projections after the district moved to a self-insurance plan, as well as fewer staff retirements than budgeted, and special education spending that came in $5 million over budget, driven partly by soaring transportation costs. Board members criticized the state for mandating special education services without adequate funding, noting a mere 0.6% state funding increase this year. To close the gap, the administration is using a three-tiered approach that begins with zero-based budgeting, leaving vacancies unfilled and cutting staff travel, then examines instructional ratios, and lastly considers electives and student activities. Residents urged the board to preserve the Pre-K Counts program and objected to the consolidation of four fourth-grade classes into three at Quarry Hill Elementary, which raised average class size from 19 to 27.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 9/23/2026

Central Bucks School District to hold community forums
Central Bucks School District's new superintendent, Joanna Wexler, is hosting three community forums on Mondays in October — Oct. 5 at Central Bucks West High School, Oct. 12 at Holicong Middle School, and Oct. 26 at Jamison Elementary School, each running from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The superintendent will hear directly from parents, students, teachers, staff and other community members. Walk-ins are welcome, but attendees are encouraged to preregister through the form on the district's website under the “October Meet and Greet” link.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 9/10/2026

Bucks County adds new locations for ‘on-demand’ voting
The Bucks County Board of Elections recently approved four new temporary satellite election offices to expand access to "on-demand" mail-in voting, where voters apply in person for a mail-in ballot and receive it during the same visit. Expected to open in early October, the new sites are at the three campuses of Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Bristol and Perkasie, and at the Warminster Township Free Library. The increase brings the total to seven locations, joining the existing offices at the main Board of Elections in Doylestown and the Government Services Centers in Quakertown and Levittown. Each new site will also handle voter registration requests and include a secure ballot drop box, with hours to be announced in the coming weeks. Learn more at the county website.
Source: Bucks County; 9/2026

75-acre West Sadsbury development site sells for $23M
A construction and development firm has paid $23 million for 75 acres of land in West Sadsbury Township near the western edge of Chester County, a prime location for additional commercial development along Route 30. Ephrata-based Benchmark Construction purchased the property at 3783-3975 W. Lincoln Highway in Parkesburg from an entity affiliated with Mark Bedwell and West Chester construction management firm The Bedwell Co. The property sits along the north side of West Lincoln Highway, or Route 30, between Route 10 to the east and Moscow Road to the west. A Wawa gas station and convenience store adjacent to the property was not included in the transaction. Across Route 30 from the property, West Sadsbury Commons is anchored by Home Depot and Walmart. As Benchmark weighs options for the property, future development could still be years away, given the time it takes to form plans and work through West Sadsbury Township approvals.
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 9/27/2026

Tredyffrin targets landlords over student housing concerns
A new ordinance seeks to give Tredyffrin officials more power to address unruly student tenants. The township’s seven supervisors voted unanimously to approve a new ordinance regarding student housing that changes the enforcement mechanism, allowing them to go after the landlords who rent to students — rather than the students themselves. Tredyffrin first adopted a student housing ordinance more than a decade ago in response to concerns. The measure limited household occupancy to three students and prohibited the houses from being too close together, though the properties along Mount Pleasant were grandfathered in. The new ordinance — a much more robust measure — notes that the owner of the student house will be “directly responsible” for the behavior of student tenants and their guests. It gives the township the ability to inspect the home if there are suspicions that there are more than three students living in the house. It allows the township to direct the landlord to evict students if three violations occur within the same year. Landlords can be fined up to $1,000 for violations of the ordinance.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 9/22/2026

West Chester considers tax increase in 2027 budget
West Chester Borough Manager Sean Metrick has proposed a preliminary 2027 budget that would increase the property tax rate by 1.02 mills, generating an additional $785,000 in revenue following the repeal of the borough’s stormwater protection fee. The proposed tax increase is not final. Borough council is expected to develop a preliminary budget in October before adopting a balanced budget by Dec. 31. Metrick said the borough plans to reduce the scope and cost of its stormwater program by 30%, resulting in a longer replacement schedule and fewer capital projects. The borough is also pursuing staffing efficiencies, reducing the vehicle fleet and requiring passenger vehicles to get at least 34 mpg. One challenge for the borough in creating a budget is that approximately one-third of property in the borough is tax-exempt, including West Chester University, schools, churches and county government.
Source: Daily Local; 9/18/2026

13 acres permanently preserved in North Coventry
A 13-acre property near the intersection of Routes 724 and 422 has been preserved through a conservation easement agreement thanks to the efforts of the French and Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust and North Coventry Township. The property, owned by Bernie and Kathleen McElroy, is actively farmed and features ecologically valuable wetlands and a small stream corridor that drains into the Schuylkill River.
Source: Daily Local; 9/22/2026