{"id":7245,"date":"2026-02-19T08:40:48","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T13:40:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=7245"},"modified":"2026-02-19T08:40:49","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T13:40:49","slug":"housing-affordability-buzz-pennsylvanias-governor-just-laid-out-the-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/housing-affordability-buzz-pennsylvanias-governor-just-laid-out-the-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Housing Affordability Buzz: Pennsylvania\u2019s Governor Just Laid Out the Plan"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For many Pennsylvanians, deeds are out of reach. Housing is relatively scarce in some of its most popular areas: the Philadelphia suburbs, Harrisburg, York, and Lancaster, and its northeastern cities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The governor has a plan to make housing attainable. Housing costs are rising, Josh Shapiro told Pennsylvanians. \u201cAnd the housing we do have is getting older and is in need of more repairs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

States across the nation<\/a> are realizing that they have to act. Now, Governor Shapiro has announced a plan for housing breakthroughs in Pennsylvania. Will all hands jump on deck to back it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Lagging Behind, But Looking for Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In some parts of Pennsylvania, demand is far outstripping supply. And housing costs are painful where the shortages are felt the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On top of this, Pennsylvania wage growth is not keeping up with the monthly cost of living in a home. This is one big reason why residents are, more and more, facing foreclosure today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another pressing issue is the lack of small homes. The demand for smaller units is surging. Many more people are living alone than in the past. The average household size in Pennsylvania is shrinking and development hasn\u2019t caught up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For well over a year now, Governor Shapiro has been working to form a broad coalition that can make legislation happen. Lindsay Powell, a State Representative for Pittsburgh and Housing Caucus co-chair, thinks there are ways to make change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other states have been passing laws that allow for \u201cupzoning\u201d\u2014that is, finding ways for land owners to create extra units.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet zoning transformations are rarely easy<\/a>. They come down to local processes. And local rules and expectations are hard to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meeting People Where They Are: How a Budget Took Shape<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Pennsylvania certainly hasn\u2019t rushed into this. It\u2019s number 44 out of all states in new housing development in recent years. At the same time, it has a growing population. Given the demand for housing, official estimates put Pennsylvania at about half a million units short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than half of Pennsylvania homes are 50+ years old. Repairs and renovations on older homes can be costly, of course. (Last year, the governor pressed for a $50 million repair initiative, but that was dropped from the budget that lawmakers ultimately passed.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is more action on Pennsylvania housing coming to the forefront now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was late 2024 when a concerned Governor Shapiro signed an executive order. It instructed Pennsylvania\u2019s Department of Community and Economic Development to review current housing initiatives, and design something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department began the assignment by inviting comments from interested people and groups. Hundreds of submissions flowed in. The Department also held outreach sessions where people\u2019s concerns and ideas were heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Informed by the process, Shapiro discussed housing costs in his annual budget address to the legislature this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

February 2026: Shapiro Reads a New Budget Speech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Key points in Shapiro\u2019s speech included these:<\/p>\n\n\n\n