PCRG Connect: May Policy Brief

Local feats 

Congratulations to PCRG members Fineview and Perry Citizens, as well as affordable housing non-profit developers City of Bridges Land Trust on their zoning victory at City Council. Leaders from these organizations worked with City Councilman Bobby Wilson to revamp the zoning code that would allow for attached single family homes. This followed a drawn-out court case involving some residents who believed that the attached homes would have negative effects on their property values. The delays cost the project valuable time and money.  

Big news for NAP 

The Pennsylvania Senate now has a bill pushing to expand the Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP). SB 1181, sponsored by Senators Gene Yaw and Nick Miller, is identical to Rep. Aerion Abney’s HB 1429 which aims to expand the NAP from $36 million to $72 million and increase the corporate investment limit to $2.5 million. PCRG and a coalition of groups worked closely with legislators and staffers to make it happen.  Check out the PCRG NAP landing page to get the latest advocacy news and updates around NAP.

We’re short on housing 

If you haven’t checked out the new Pennsylvania Housing Financing Agency (PHFA) Comprehensive Housing Study -- you should. PHFA and their partners at the Housing Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, concluded that there is a shortage of 25,000 housing units across the state for residents who earn 80% or less of their region’s median income.  

Talking neighborhood revitalization 

PCRG’s Director of Policy Chris Rosselot participated in the Statewide Bight Task Force meeting. The bipartisan and bicameral legislative working group is dedicated to eliminating neighborhood blight and works to find legislative remedies to address neighborhood deterioration. During the meeting, legislators and advocates provided updates on ongoing legislation such as Neighborhood Assistance Program expansion (see above), vacant property registration, a local code enforcement study and a conversation on the continuing problems with shadow LLC purchasers and absentee LLCs. Serious efforts need to be made to claw back corporate entities to allow for the identification of individuals and provide full transparency so communities can hold absentee LLCs accountable.  

Also discussed at the task force meeting was the Neighborhood Revitalization and Land Banking Act, introduced by Senators Casey (D-PA) and Capito (R-WVA). Sen. Casey’s office worked with national organizations, as well as land banks, non-profits, and organizations throughout Pennsylvania prior to introducing this legislation. The bill would create a pilot program under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide under resourced land banks with technical assistance, a blight remediation fellowship program, as well as planning and implementation grants.