Governor Shapiro Unveils Pennsylvania’s First-Ever Housing Action Plan to Build More Housing, Reduce Costs, and Create Opportunity for Every Pennsylvanian

The Commonwealth’s first-ever Housing Action Plan will build and preserve more homes, modernize housing regulations and zoning rules, and break down barriers preventing people from finding stable housing – all to grow Pennsylvania’s economy and improve Pennsylvanians’ health outcomes.

Governor Shapiro’s plan delivers commonsense solutions to everyday problems, ensuring every Pennsylvanian has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Read the Governor’s full Housing Action Plan online.

Philadelphia, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro announced Pennsylvania’s first-ever comprehensive Housing Action Plan to address critical housing needs across the Commonwealth, outlining the current state of housing, providing projections on housing needs, and offering nearly thirty strategic initiatives to ensure every Pennsylvanian has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

In September 2024, the Governor signed Executive Order 2024-03 directing his Administration to develop a comprehensive plan for building and preserving more homes, breaking down barriers preventing people from finding stable housing, and expanding housing opportunities to ultimately position the Commonwealth as a national leader on housing access and affordability by 2035.

“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,” said Governor Shapiro. “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 Governor’s Housing Action Plan was spearheaded by an executive committee of cabinet officials and senior leaders from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS), Governor’s Office of Policy and Planning, Legislative Affairs, and Budget Office; and Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA).

For over a year, the Shapiro Administration engaged thousands of residents, local leaders, developers, and housing advocates from every corner of the Commonwealth:

• Hosting 18 Regional Roundtables with Pennsylvanians in each of the Commonwealth’s five regions.
• Attending Statewide Housing Conferences to receive feedback from housing developers, property managers, and other professional attendees.
• Conducting Statewide Surveys which collected nearly 2,500 survey responses from each of Pennsylvania’s 67 countries.

Governor Shapiro made today’s announcement alongside DCED Secretary Rick Siger, DHS Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh, local leaders, housing advocates, developers, tenant advocates, housing service providers, and organized labor during a visit to the Tower at Henry Avenue, a 173-unit mixed-use housing development in Philadelphia owned by NewCourtland. NewCourtland is a non-profit organization that provides low-income seniors and underserved individuals with affordable housing, operating over 600 affordable housing units, three senior centers, and a 180-bed rehabilitation and long-term care nursing home.

The Tower at Henry Avenue, one of six NewCourtland-owned properties that has been supported by the PHFA, received $966,590 in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) support.

“NewCourtland remains committed to advancing health equity through innovative housing solutions that can be replicated and scaled, ensuring long-term impact for residents and neighborhoods alike,” said Joe Duffey, President and CEO, NewCourtland. “Thank you to the Shapiro Administration for being here today, and we look forward to collaborating with the Governor on his long-term plan to build more affordable and inclusive housing in Pennsylvania.”

Addressing Pennsylvania’s Housing Needs

Access to safe, stable, and affordable housing helps families thrive, attracts new residents, grows the economy and workforce, and provides stability in our communities.

Yet, even as Pennsylvania sees a booming workforce and is home to the Northeast’s only growing economy, workers struggle to find affordable homes near new job opportunities, housing costs continue to rise at a rate faster than wages, over one million households in Pennsylvania are spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing, and more than 50 percent of the Commonwealth’s housing stock is over 50 years old — making it increasingly more expensive to maintain.

Under current projections, Pennsylvania will fall short by roughly 185,000 homes by 2035 without further action.

“In order to support economic growth, we must ensure there are abundant housing options that meet the needs of our residents and workers. Pennsylvania has an opportunity to lead the nation in housing access availability and affordability,” said Secretary Siger. “With this plan – and with the commitment of residents, local governments, developers, labor, and advocates – we can chart a bold new course. Together, we can ensure that every Pennsylvanian has not just a roof overhead, but the stability, security, and dignity of a true home.”

“Too often when a person doesn’t have stable housing, they must either rely on emergency departments and hospitals to provide care, or they go without care completely. Both options come at great cost, either to Medicaid and the health care system of providing more intensive care, or the short- and long-term health effects on a person of not having their condition treated and managed sooner,” said Secretary Dr. Arkoosh. “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. When a person has a place to call home, they can consistently access community resources and health care services. This greatly improves their health and well-being over time, relieves stress on already overtaxed health care systems and hospitals, and makes it easier to find and keep a job. Helping these Pennsylvanians get on their feet in a way that is sustainable will ultimately benefit every community where they live.”

The Governor’s Housing Action Plan lays out five core goals:

• Build and Preserve Pennsylvania’s Housing Stock. Pennsylvania needs more homes for today and tomorrow, but we must also protect the ones that have long anchored our neighborhoods. By building new houses at a pace that keeps up with our economy and safeguarding the homes we already have, we can ensure that safe, stable, and affordable housing is available to residents for generations to come.
• Expand Housing Opportunity for All Pennsylvanians. A dignified, secure home should never be out of reach. By breaking down barriers, expanding homeownership opportunities, and strengthening tenant protections, we can build a Commonwealth where every resident has the security of a safe, stable, and attainable home.
• Provide Pathways to Housing Stabilization and Sustainability. A strong system supports those residents who are most vulnerable. By connecting Pennsylvanians to resources that prevent displacement and by supporting households during times of crisis, we can reduce housing insecurity – giving our residents the stability they need to grow and our communities the resiliency they need to thrive.
• Modernize Pennsylvania’s Housing Development Regulation. Outdated rules and unnecessary delays drive up costs and slow down progress. By modernizing regulations, cutting red tape, and streamlining development, we can make it easier and more affordable to build homes across the Commonwealth – encouraging investment and helping to ensure that housing is developed where it is needed most.
• Improve coordination and accountability. Pennsylvania’s housing systems work best when they work together. By aligning local and state efforts, sharing data, and coordinating across agencies, we can deliver results efficiently and stay accountable to the residents we serve.

Governor Shapiro’s 2026-27 proposed budget takes the first steps to implement this plan, calling for investments and reforms to expand housing access, protect renters and homeowners, and strengthen coordination across state agencies to further strengthen his Housing Action Plan. The Governor’s budget proposal includes:

• Critical Infrastructure Investment Fund to Build More Homes: One of the best ways to lower the cost of housing is to build more homes. The Governor’s budget proposal creates a new $1 billion initiative supported through the issuance of general obligation bonds, with proceeds deposited into the Capital Facilities Fund. This initiative would provide flexible funding for major infrastructure projects across the Commonwealth, including building and preserving more housing, bringing new energy generation onto the grid, and upgrading school and municipal facilities.
• Protecting Renters and Promoting Housing Stability: Establishes a statewide cap on rental application fees tied to the actual cost of screening and prohibits fees before a property is viewed; affirms a tenant’s right to terminate a lease due to domestic violence without financial penalty; seals eviction records for individuals who were not actually evicted; and advances fair-chance housing reforms to regulate when and how criminal history may be considered in rental decisions; and invests $1 million in an Investments in Health pilot, leveraging federal funding to total $2.5 million to connect Pennsylvanians experiencing homelessness or housing instability with housing-related supports.
• Supporting Manufactured Homeowners: Limits annual lot rent increases in manufactured home communities and requires advance notice of increases, protecting residents — many of whom own their homes but rent the land beneath them — from sudden and unaffordable cost spikes.
• Addressing Tangled Titles and Preserving Generational Wealth: Authorizes transfer-on-death deeds for primary residences, providing a streamlined way for homeowners to pass property to heirs, avoid costly probate, access home repair programs, and reduce blight in communities across the Commonwealth.
• Strengthening Housing Coordination and Accountability: Creates a Deputy Secretary for Housing at DCED to coordinate housing policy and oversee implementation of the Housing Action Plan.
• Modernizing Local Planning and Permitting: Updates the Municipalities Planning Code to reduce regulatory barriers to residential development, improve permitting processes, and incentivize county and regional planning that reflects the diverse housing needs of Pennsylvania’s communities.

Philadelphians who could benefit from the Governor’s housing plan joined him and local leaders at today’s event, sharing firsthand how difficult it can be to find affordable, safe housing.

“On August 31, 2021, my daughter and I lost a very important person in both of our lives — her father, Stanley Tysheen Carter… My daughter was too young to take over the property and Tysheen and I were not legally married… Not only were we dealing with the loss of our loved one, but we were also in danger of losing our family home and heading for foreclosure,” said Eunique Carr, a Client of Community Legal Services. “I would like to thank Governor Shapiro for announcing his new housing plan, including reforms to help other families going through the same hardship.”

“The best social program is a great union job and great housing, and Dr. Martin Luther King said the fierce urgency of now is never a bad time to do the right thing. This is the right thing,” said Ryan Boyer, President of the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council. “Housing is about dignity, it’s about hope, and it’s about connectivity… We have the need and we have the prescription for the need. We can be the problem solvers.”

Building on Three Years of Progress

Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has laid a strong foundation helping address the Commonwealth’s housing needs while protecting renters and homeowners:

• In 2024, Governor Shapiro secured a $10 million annual increase until 2027 for the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Enhancement (PHARE) Fund — PHARE has funded over 1,000 projects to build or repair more than 8,200 housing units since 2023.
• In his FY 2024-25 budget, Governor Shapiro launched Pennsylvania’s first statewide Right-to-Counsel initiative, investing $2.5 million to provide legal counsel for people facing evictions. He secured the same funding in FY 2025-26.
• Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, DCED has awarded over $120.3 million through the Whole-Home Repairs program to the 64 counties who joined the program, helping low and moderate income homeowners and landlords repair, adapt, and weatherize their homes.
• In his FY 2024-25 budget, Governor Shapiro secured a $5 million increase for the Homeless Assistance Program (HAP) to strengthen county-level homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, and rapid rehousing efforts across Pennsylvania.
• The Shapiro Administration also invested $2.5 million in Emergency Housing Support for local governments, providing municipalities with flexible resources to respond quickly to urgent housing needs and help stabilize families at risk of displacement.

“For years, advocates, organizers, and Pennsylvanians in every county have worked hard to make visible the devastating impact of the housing crisis,” said Senator Nikil Saval, Chairman of the Senate’s Philadelphia Delegation and Democratic Leader for the Urban Affairs and Housing Committee. “To gain ground against this crisis, we must tackle it from every direction. This means preserving and repairing the homes we have, producing the homes we need, and protecting people’s access to homes that exist, whether those homes are rented or owned.  This work isn’t over until all our neighbors are safe and healthy in homes they can afford.”

“Governor Shapiro is yet again taking action to help address housing affordability and access,” said Senator Vincent Hughes, Senate Democratic Appropriations Chair. “Senate Democrats have been proud to work with the Governor to make progress with other affordable housing initiatives like PHARE, the Housing Options Program, and Whole Home Repairs. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to see how we can put this new plan into action and make a real difference for people who are looking for an affordable, safe, and welcoming place to call home.”

“You can’t have life or liberty or pursue happiness without a home — and where you put your head down at the end of the night should be a right guaranteed to all of us,” said Representative Jordan Harris, Democratic Appropriations Chair. “I’m grateful for the Governor’s leadership and grateful to all of my colleagues in the General Assembly. We will do the work necessary to address this issue, not just because it’s nice to have, not because it looks cute, but because it is a must-have for all Pennsylvanians.”

“When I’m knocking doors in the neighborhood, I hear this a lot from people — rent is too damn high and the cost of living is too damn high,” said Representative Tarik Khan, PA’s 194th House District. “And I’m thankful that the Governor, his Administration, and the House of Representatives are listening, because this is what we need in Pennsylvania — common sense reforms that make housing more affordable. We’re going to get this done.”

“I commend Governor Shapiro for his visionary plan to address our housing crisis,” said Rep. Brandon Markosek, Housing and Community Development Committee Chair. “As Chairman, I expect the Housing & Community Development Committee to be busy passing components that collectively will make more housing available and attainable.”

Governor Shapiro remains committed to ensuring every Pennsylvanian has the dignity and security that comes with a safe, affordable place to call home.

Watch the Governor’s full budget address to a joint session of the House and Senate online and read the Governor’s full remarks as prepared for delivery online.

Read the Governor’s 2026-27 budget in brief online.

For more information about the Department of Community and Economic Development, visit the DCED website, and be sure to stay up-to-date with all of our agency news on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn.

# # #