Democratic Leaders Applaud Shapiro’s ‘Bold and Broad’ Action on Housing

Democratic Leaders Applaud Shapiro's 'Bold and Broad' Action on Housing

September 12, 2024

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 12, 2024- Senate Democrats today applauded Gov. Josh Shapiro's "bold and broad" action to address Pennsylvania's growing housing crisis.

At a senior housing development in Philadelphia that was built with the help of public financing incentives, Shapiro signed an executive order commanding agencies at his disposal to conduct a year-long assessment of the commonwealth's housing adequacy and issue a "Housing Action Plan" for the General Assembly to implement.

Sen. Vincent Hughes, the Democratic Appropriations Chairman, lauded the governor's "bias toward action."

"The need to build more, preserve more and own more is all across the commonwealth," he said. "In some neighborhoods, adequate housing is a challenge. In others, it's a crisis," I applaud the governor for taking this broad and bold action. I look forward to working with him to make sure we utilize good data and find new resources to meet the need of this crucial problem."

Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa said housing instability is not just unfair, but unhealthy for Pennsylvania's people and economy.

"I am so grateful Governor Shapiro's leadership in making safe, affordable housing for every Pennsylvanian a top priority. We know that countless families struggle to keep up with the cost of housing, leading to interruptions in education, worse health outcomes, and job instability," he said. "I look forward to working closely alongside the Shapiro administration and my colleagues in the House and Senate as we embark on a revolutionary endeavor to create a plan that meets the scale, scope, and urgency of the housing challenge facing our commonwealth."

Sen. Nikil Saval, whose groundbreaking "Whole Home Repairs" initiative caught the attention of housing advocates nationwide last year, said the Housing Action Plan again puts Pennsylvania in a leadership role.

"This action could not be more timely. As the housing crisis reaches new heights, we hear of states and local governments struggling with what to do and failing the people who depend on them. Not here," he said "This executive order shows the commitment of our governor, and our government, to meeting the real needs of our neighbors throughout Pennsylvania. Once again, our commonwealth is showing itself as a model for our nation."

The Executive Order Signed today directs the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to prepare and present the Housing Action Plan to the Governor within one year. Modeled on and informed by the economic development strategy released by DCED in February, it will provide concrete goals, recommendations, and initiatives for the next five years to improve housing outcomes across the commonwealth. DCED will work with other commonwealth agencies, external stakeholders in the public and private sector, as well as the General Assembly to formulate the recommendations. The Department of Health and Human Services will also work with stakeholders to recommend policies and practices to address homelessness in the commonwealth.