HARRISBURG, PA — A bipartisan group of state lawmakers on Monday unveiled a sweeping legislative package aimed at easing Pennsylvania’s housing crisis, warning that rising costs and restrictive local policies are pushing families, workers, and seniors out of the market.
State Reps. Jared Solomon, Joe Hogan, John Inglis, and Abby Major said the proposal targets long-standing barriers to housing development by cutting red tape, encouraging local reform, and establishing a clearer statewide housing policy framework.
“We have a housing crisis in PA and across the nation. Housing is too expensive — young and old are being priced out of the market,” Solomon said as the package was announced. He said the effort is designed to ensure Pennsylvanians have affordable places to live, raise families, and remain in their communities.
Solomon pointed to zoning rules and parking requirements as major contributors to the shortage, along with a sharp rise in housing costs since the COVID-19 pandemic. He said inflation in the housing market has climbed by roughly 42%, driving up monthly mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance costs.
“With that high inflation comes an increase in monthly payments, taxes, and insurance,” Solomon said. “We are here today to create a pro-housing agenda for Pennsylvania.”
The proposal seeks to make it easier for developers to build by streamlining permitting and reducing regulatory hurdles that lawmakers say have discouraged investment in communities across the state.
“For too long our state has made it too difficult for developers to invest in our communities,” Inglis said. He pointed to states such as Colorado, California, Texas, Florida, and North Carolina, which have moved to loosen regulations to spur housing construction. “It’s time Pennsylvania does the same. The time for affordable, abundant housing in Pennsylvania is now.”
Supporters said the legislation would encourage local governments to create more housing units, helping renters transition into homeownership and stabilizing communities strained by limited supply.
“This bipartisan package of bills looks at some of the root causes of higher prices built up over years,” Hogan said. He added that if Pennsylvania hopes to remain an economic leader in the Northeast, it must offer attainable housing to attract and retain a skilled workforce.
Major said the housing shortage threatens broader economic growth, even as the state works to expand jobs and investment. “As we are working to grow Pennsylvania’s economy, we need to make sure there is enough affordable housing,” she said, adding that she supports efforts to remove barriers and partner with local officials to increase options.
Lawmakers framed the initiative as both an economic necessity and a moral imperative, arguing that housing affordability cuts across party lines and regions.
“Every person deserves a safe place to call home and far too many Pennsylvanians don’t have access to that basic human right,” Solomon said. “Today was a call to action for my colleagues and I to work together to fix Pennsylvania’s housing crisis. This is an issue that we all can agree on — people deserve to live with dignity.”
Details of individual bills in the package are expected to be introduced in the coming weeks as lawmakers seek to build momentum for reform in the General Assembly.
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