January 2025 | Legislative Update

What will be in the Governor’s Housing Action Plan? They are Listening.

Four months following Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order calling for a statewide housing action plan, Administration officials from the Governor’s Office, Department of Community and Economic Development, and Department of Human Services have convened listening sessions throughout the Commonwealth to hear what we believe should be in the plan.

This is a big deal since it’s the first time a Pennsylvania Governor has directly sought the advice of housing providers on a large scale. The Housing Alliance was pleased to host a virtual listening session with Administration officials on January 16th to gather feedback from housers, developers, and human services professionals from across the state.

HAP has also compiled written recommendations for the Administration to consider. Our recommendations largely come from the community that we engage with and includes suggestions to improve the government’s interface with end users, preventing homelessness, creating more affordable housing, and allowing for the greatest program flexibility that supports staffing needs.

Here are some of the highlights from our many recommendations that cover a wide range of housing issues. Click here for the full list of HAP’s recommendations.

A reoccurring theme in the listening sessions so far has been the need to bring more resources to rural communities and / or make existing state resources work in communities of every size. Not only is the need for rural housing often overshadowed by our urban centers, but when policies limit the extent to which funding can be used in certain communities, local and state elected officials take note and might not be as eager to support increased investments.

Also, contractors of every size should be able to take advantage of state programs for home repairs / construction without the additional hurdles of prevailing wage requirements. Reporting to the state is considered a significant burden to both large and small contractors.

HAP’s recommendations to help prevent homelessness include reallocating unutilized Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) towards comprehensive eviction prevention; incentivizing health care providers, including Medicaid managed care health plans, to increase investments in housing as a social determinant of health; and protecting those living in encampments from criminal prosecution.

We look forward to continuing our work with the Shapiro Administration and all of you to shape a Housing Action Plan that will help deliver resources to our communities and form a permanent foundation for the future of housing in Pennsylvania.