Shapiro signs executive order to create plan to address Pennsylvania’s housing shortage

Photo Commonwealth Media Services Governor Josh Shapiro signed an executive order to create Pennsylvania’s first comprehensive Housing Action Plan on Sept. 12.

PHILADELPHIA – As Pennsylvania risks falling behind other states on public housing and homelessness, Gov. Josh Shapiro signed an executive order Thursday creating the Commonwealth’s first comprehensive Housing Action Plan.

“We need a coordinated, comprehensive statewide housing solution,” Shapiro said during a news conference at Wynne Senior Residences in West Philadelphia. “One that builds on Pennsylvania’s unique challenges but also leverages our unique opportunities.”

The executive order directs the state Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and Department of Human Services (DHS) to create a housing action plan by working with stakeholders to create a plan to build more affordable housing while addressing homelessness. Shapiro called it a big task and said the agencies have a year to develop a strategic plan.

The plan will be “data-driven,” according to the executive order, and agencies will provide recommendations on ways to increase housing supply and support the preservation of existing housing.

As part of the Housing Action Plan, DCED and DHS will:

— Assess and identify housing needs throughout the Community and region

— Set goals with “measurable results,”

— Review existing housing programs and resources provided by Commonwealth agencies for “effectiveness” and

— Making recommendations on housing programmes, investments and policy-making, including strategic planning initiatives to be implemented over the next five years.

“I want to be clear,” Shapiro said. “This is not a need that’s unique to Philadelphia or Pennsylvania.” Other states, such as Michigan, Massachusetts and New York, have invested heavily in addressing housing shortages.

“States across the country are struggling with this,” he added. “But Pennsylvania, we are falling behind some of our neighboring states, including some of our neighboring states.”

Shapiro said the state’s homeownership rate has fallen since 2010, and the supply of new housing has not kept up with demand. He said he believes 100,000 additional housing units are needed to meet current demand. Shapiro also said nearly 60% of Pennsylvania’s housing was built before 1970.

“We can’t expect people to be healthy, productive and able to give back to others if they don’t have stable housing,” Shapiro said. “If they don’t have a safe roof over their heads.”

State Sen. Vince Hughes (D-Philadelphia) said Thursday that the executive order was once a bill that was introduced to the state Legislature in 2022 but did not pass.

“And in case you haven’t heard, we have a surplus of dollars in Pennsylvania,” Hughes said.

“Why not use those surplus dollars for housing,” he added. “Why not?”

Shapiro told reporters that while the state needs to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and make targeted investments in several distinct areas: education, economic development and public safety, he would consider using surplus funds to address the issue of affordable housing.

“I raised this issue during the last budget cycle and will raise it again in the future,” Shapiro said.

“So we want to make sure that we’re investing those dollars that taxpayers are sending to the capital for their benefit, either by cutting their costs and putting more money in their pockets or by investing in critical areas that help them recover,” he added. “And housing is one of those areas.”

State Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia), who authored the Whole-Home Repair Program, which provided assistance to eligible homeowners and renters across the state for critical home repairs, said Thursday’s executive order “could not be more timely” to address the state’s housing crisis.

While the executive order mandates that the plan be completed within a year, Shapiro noted that his administration has addressed public housing in a number of ways to date, including expanding property tax/rent relief and improving child and dependent care, expanding public housing by increasing the Pennsylvania Home Affordability and Rehabilitation Assistance (PHARE) Fund, and, for the first time ever, investing in access to legal counsel for people facing eviction.

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