PHILADELPHIA, PA — Governor Josh Shapiro today rolled out Pennsylvania’s first-ever comprehensive Housing Action Plan, warning the Commonwealth could face a shortfall of roughly 185,000 homes by 2035 without aggressive action to expand supply, cut red tape, and protect renters and homeowners.
Announced in Philadelphia, the plan outlines nearly 30 strategic initiatives aimed at building and preserving more homes, modernizing development regulations and zoning rules, and breaking down barriers that prevent residents from finding stable, affordable housing.
“For too many families in Pennsylvania, housing prices are rising faster than their paychecks and the American dream of owning a home no longer feels possible, but it doesn’t have to be this way,” Shapiro said. “This plan meets Pennsylvania’s housing needs head-on — building more homes, cutting red tape, protecting renters and homeowners, and ensuring our Commonwealth remains the place for people to put down roots, live with the dignity they deserve, and build a future of real opportunity”.
The administration said more than one million Pennsylvania households now spend over 30 percent of their income on housing, while more than half of the state’s housing stock is over 50 years old, increasing maintenance costs and limiting available inventory.
The plan was developed following Executive Order 2024-03, which directed state agencies to craft a long-term strategy to position Pennsylvania as a national leader in housing access and affordability by 2035. Over the past year, the administration hosted 18 regional roundtables, attended statewide housing conferences, and collected nearly 2,500 survey responses from all 67 counties.
Five core goals anchor the plan: building and preserving housing stock; expanding housing opportunity; providing pathways to stabilization; modernizing development regulations; and improving coordination and accountability across agencies.
To begin implementation, Shapiro’s proposed 2026-27 budget calls for a $1 billion Critical Infrastructure Investment Fund backed by general obligation bonds to support housing construction and preservation, energy projects, and facility upgrades.
The proposal also seeks to cap rental application fees at actual screening costs, prohibit charging fees before property viewings, seal eviction records for individuals not ultimately evicted, allow tenants to terminate leases without penalty in cases of domestic violence, and advance fair-chance housing reforms regulating how criminal history is considered in rental decisions.
Additional measures would limit annual lot rent increases in manufactured home communities, authorize transfer-on-death deeds to simplify property transfers and reduce blight, establish a Deputy Secretary for Housing within the Department of Community and Economic Development, and update the Municipalities Planning Code to streamline permitting and reduce regulatory barriers.
Health officials and economic leaders joined the governor, arguing housing instability strains Medicaid systems and emergency departments while limiting workforce growth.
“Investing in safe, stable housing is not only the right thing to do for our fellow Pennsylvanians, but it creates real benefits for the Commonwealth,” said Department of Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh.
Since taking office, the administration has increased funding for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Enhancement Fund, launched the state’s first Right-to-Counsel initiative for tenants facing eviction, expanded the Whole-Home Repairs program, and boosted homelessness prevention efforts.
Shapiro framed the Housing Action Plan as both an economic development strategy and a quality-of-life imperative, saying the Commonwealth’s future growth depends on whether residents can afford to live where they work.
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