PAHRA Legislative Report Web Page
Housing Legislation: 2025-26 Legislative Session
All information is current as of January 12th, 2026
Whole Home Repairs / PA Home Preservation Program
An additional $50 million for home preservation and repair is an active proposal with bipartisan support. HB 1650 – PA Home Preservation Program, introduced by Representative Lindsay Powell, passed the House and is now under consideration in the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee as of June 30.
The legislation is sponsored by State Senators David Argall (R–Luzerne, Carbon, and Schuylkill Counties) and Nikil Saval (D–Philadelphia County) in the Senate, and State Representatives Lindsay Powell (D–Allegheny County), Brandon Markosek (D–Allegheny County), and Tim Twardzik (R–Schuylkill County) in the House.
As mentioned in previous reports, the major change to the legislation, modeled after the state Whole Home Repairs Program but not called WHR, is to make assistance only available to homeowners. Hardly any counties, to the Housing Alliance’s knowledge, provided the rental repair component of the program due to concerns about how the program was constructed and the requirements placed on both county administrators and landlords. Advocacy to include rental repair could be prioritized later when there is a proposal on how to structure the rental repair component.
Many WHR administrators from across the state, including several PAHRA members, were part of creating policy recommendations, including wider discretion to cover administrative costs, exemption from prevailing wage requirements, and easing the program’s regulations for small landlords so more forgivable loans can be administered to landlords for rental repair. Until additional funding is secured, these policy changes will take a backseat to ensure a focus on promoting the many positive aspects of the program rather than confusing the message.
PHARE Increase
HB 643 – Bringing More Affordable Housing to PA, was introduced by State Representative Sean Dougherty to increase the cap on Realty Transfer Tax (RTT) revenue deposited into the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) Fund. The bill raises the current $100 million limit by $10 million beginning in FY 2028–29, establishing a new annual cap of $110 million for that year and each fiscal year thereafter.
The bill passed the House on April 24 and is now under consideration in the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee.
Zoning Reforms
HB 1459 – Multi-Family Housing in Areas Zoned for Office Space, was introduced by Representative Joshua Siegel and has been referred to the Local Government Committee on May 13, 2025.
It is unclear when other bills that would provide a range of options to create basic, consistent, statewide standards for zoning will be introduced. As of this date, allowing for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) has received the most positive response from state legislators.
Blight Remediation Funding
SB 345 – Supporting the County Demolition Funding Program, introduced by Senator Argall was voted out of the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on June 11. On June 23, the bill was re-referred to Senate Appropriations.
In 2016, Act 152 was signed into law which allows counties to add a fee up to $15 for the demolition of blighted properties. Since this program was established, 26 counties have voluntarily joined the program which has raised millions of dollars to tear down dilapidated buildings. Every dollar raised remained in the county where it originated, as required by law.
To continue the progress we have made, Senator David Argall’s legislation increases the maximum allowable fee that can be collected by counties by $1 and permit yearly adjustments for inflation, again, at the discretion of each county. Due to inflation, the $15 fee now only brings a fraction of the benefits to the community today which it did in 2016.
Blight Remediation and Redevelopment Legislation
In addition to Senator Argall’s bill to increase funding for the Demolition Fund, several other bills this session aim to strengthen local tools for addressing blight and promoting community redevelopment.
SB 6 (New Bill) – Transparency in Permitting, introduced by Representative Robert Freeman, passed the Senate and was referred to the Intergovernmental Affairs & Operations Committee. This bill would streamline how state agencies administer permits by creating a centralized tracking system, establishing permit programs, and allowing third-party review when permit decisions are delayed. It also establishes the Pennsylvania Office of Transformation and Opportunity and the Economic Development Strategy Group to coordinate economic development efforts and ensure greater accountability in permitting.
SB 62 – Redevelopment Authority Loan Pilot Program, introduced by Senator Farry would establish a low-interest loan program to support the rehabilitation of blighted properties. Under the bill, redevelopment authorities could apply for loans to acquire, stabilize, or repurpose blighted structures, helping communities revitalize properties that might otherwise remain vacant or unsafe. The bill was reported from the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on June 11 and has been re-referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
HB 369 – Permitting Municipalities of Any Size to Establish a Land Bank, introduced by Representative Robert Freeman, passed the House and was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on March 26. This bill would expand access to this important revitalization tool beyond the larger municipalities currently eligible, enabling smaller communities to more effectively combat blight and return vacant properties to productive use.
HB 743 – Giving Municipalities More Tools to Redevelop Blighted or Vacant Properties, introduced by Representative Abigail Salisbury, received final passage in the House and was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on April 28. The bill would allow municipalities to designate specific properties for acquisition by a land bank, streamlining the process of transferring abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into local land banks for redevelopment or community reuse.
HB 1713 – Environmental Liability Exemption for Land Banks, introduced by Representative Robert Freeman, received final passage in the House and was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on December 2nd, 2025.
HB 1874– Flexibility for Redevelopment Authorities in TRIDs, introduced by Representative Lindsay Powell passed the house on October 8, and has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
Legislation that Would Impact Housing Authorities
SB 218 – Ensuring Illegal Migrants Are Not Eligible for Public Housing, introduced by Senator Wayne Langerholc, was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on February 3.
HB 822 – Housing Authority Police, introduced by Representative Robert Freeman, was reported from the House Local Government Committee and subsequently tabled on March 19. This bill would permit Housing Authorities in second- and third-class cities to establish their own police forces.
SB 670 – Public Housing Reform, also introduced by Senator Wayne Langerholc, was referred to the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee on April 28. This legislation would establish Public Housing Safety Committees within each Public Housing Authority to vet individuals with recent criminal records and determine whether they pose a threat to the health and safety of the community.
HB 1293 – Affordable Housing for Moderate-Income Individuals, introduced by Representative Jim Prokopiak, was referred to the House Housing and Community Development Committee on April 23. This legislation would allow Housing Authorities to develop housing for moderate-income families earning up to 120% of the area median income (AMI) to address the gap for those living paycheck to paycheck but earning too much to qualify for public housing.
Alternative Evidence for Housing Eligibility – a Co-Sponsorship Memo is circulating from Representative Dave Madsen. This proposal would amend the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act to require landlords who receive government housing subsidies to accept alternative evidence—such as pay stubs or bank statements—to demonstrate a tenant’s ability to pay rent, rather than relying solely on credit history.
Eviction Records Order of Limited Access
Open eviction records often prevent tenants from securing safe and affordable housing because many rental screening systems automatically deny applicants with any prior eviction filing—regardless of the outcome. Each year, approximately 20,000 Pennsylvania renters receive eviction records even though they are never actually evicted—their cases are withdrawn, settled, dismissed, or decided in their favor.
SB 549 – Fair Records for Renters, a companion bill introduced in the Senate by Senator Saval, has also been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
HB 1095 – Fair Housing Access: Sealing Eviction Records to Protect Tenants & Communities, introduced by Representative Smith-Wade-El, aims to address this issue by creating an Order of Limited Access for eviction records. The bill would seal eviction records after seven years, reducing the long-term harm caused by outdated filings. HB 1095 has received final passage in the House and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for consideration.