“Here in Chester, affordable housing is our front yard,” Mayor Stefan Roots said.  Across the street from Greek Row on 13th Street in the City of Chester, men and women in suits gathered inside Lathem Hall, a stately old building that resembles a church on Widener University’s campus. State Representative Carol Kazeem , the local Democratic assemblywoman in Harrisburg, convened a policy hearing March 30 to talk about our current housing crisis and lift up the Governor’s Housi

Manufactured homes, despite recent sharp rent increases in some communities , remain an affordable option for many Americans. A federal bill that now awaits further action in the U.S. House will perhaps pave the way for more manufactured home construction. H.R. 6644 — the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act  — is a major federal bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing the U.S. housing supply, modernizing federal housing programs, and lowering construction barriers. It has pa

The old adage “If you don’t ask, the answer is always ‘no’” has some applicability to housing advocacy.  Elected municipal officials often find themselves casting votes related to land development proposals from developers. In some instances, those developers ask for waivers or variances from certain code requirements. Currently in Lansdale Borough, council members and the planning commission are in active talks with W.B. Homes over a 74-townhome proposal at 1180 Church Road.

I would imagine most of the 1-out-of-every-3 Pennsylvanians who rent their home want a few basic things:   A safe dwelling where all the systems work; A landlord who is responsive to basic repairs and maintenance, who does not increase the rent exorbitantly from one year to the next.  Pretty basic and fair, right? These things were obviously important to me for the 18 years that I rented apartments – from Spring City to Ardmore.  Landlords, understandably, want tenants who pa

Partnerships and deep collaboration were at the heart of two major housing milestones this month in Montgomery County.  On Friday in Lansdale, officials unveiled Todi’s Place of Hope with a ceremonial ribbon cutting and open house. The 20-bed supportive housing community at North Wales Road and E. Main Street will operate year-round beginning Feb. 23, thanks to a contract between Montgomery County and RHD. Lansdale Borough was credited for being a willing partner, which shoul

One of the most powerful people in Pennsylvania - Gov. Josh Shapiro - delivered his 2026-27 budget address  on Tuesday. And while it was invigorating to see our state’s housing shortage and possible solutions receive attention from the first-term Democrat, our commonwealth is still a place that  prioritizes local control .  That’s why I am excited to host another policy forum this week in Lansdale with locally elected supervisors, commissioners, and council members from acros

I’ll never have the level of fortitude and toughness required to sleep outside in the middle of winter.  Yet people do – equipped with tarps, pallet structures, tents, camp fires, thermal blankets, and more.  Thursday, January 22, was the night of the annual “Point in Time” count in Montgomery County. Volunteers with Your Way Home dispersed to select areas in our county to take a count of people experiencing homelessness. The statistics, required by HUD for federal funding p

The federal government’s pausing of food assistance benefits late last year caused national panic – and rightfully so. Much less well-known – but perhaps just as catastrophic – is a change in how federal dollars are awarded to housing providers throughout the United States. It has the potential to exacerbate homelessness and set off a chain of events whereby families and individuals who were making progress end up stumbling backwards on their road to independence.  In early 2

Winter is inherently a fraught time to talk about homeless encampments. We are starting with the presupposition that no one should be sleeping outside in below-30 degree temperatures.  It’s obviously deadly.  But what happens when construction crews begin mobilization work this coming spring in Upper Gwynedd Township on 60 apartments and encounter people camped out? At the township commissioners meeting Nov. 17  when Cornerstone at Pennbrook received final approval, represent

In the company town once known for its employer-provided housing and self-sustaining community, housing advocates and professionals gathered in Hershey last week for the annual Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania’s Homes Within Reach conference.  A myriad of panels, breakout sessions, and luncheons featured a range of topics and organizations, including the Pennsylvania Land Bank Network , Lehigh University’s Small Cities Lab , and YIGBY (Yes, in God’s Backyard), as well as stra

Government budgets are documents that express our collective will and values. And the values being reflected at the federal and county levels are in stark contrast right now.  This week, Montgomery County residents will have a few opportunities for input on the county’s 2026 budget. For housing advocates, it occurs in the wake of a major announcement  from the Trump Administration and the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) that will cut housing assistance

Note: A previous version of this article incorrectly quantified cost-burdened households in Montco. Approximately 1-out-of-2 rental households spends more than 30% of their paycheck on housing.  After more than two years of contentious community debate, the Upper Gwynedd Township Board of Commissioners closed the book on a workforce housing proposal that will net 60 apartment homes near the Pennbrook train station.  As a result, five dozen families and individuals will get to

More than 30 residents, advocates, and local leaders gathered Saturday at Parkside Park in Upper Gwynedd Township to rally in support of the Cornerstone at Pennbrook Station  development ahead of the Township Board of Commissioners’ final vote on Monday, November 17 at 7 p.m. Organized by the Montco 30% Project  and co-hosted by North Penn Advocates  and the Bucks-Mont Collaborative , the rally brought together a cross-section of neighbors and community partners calling for m

In the Norristown area, several races for municipal council and township commissioner are on the ballot this Tuesday, Nov. 4.  The aspiring public servants in Montgomery County’s 62 municipalities have broad latitude over policy decisions related to community development, land use, zoning, and much more.  You can learn more from Montgomery County Voter Services , including sample ballots.  Responses were received from Marty Miller, an incumbent commisioner in West Norriton To

Pottstown Borough has a competitive mayor’s race and several council seats on the ballot.  The aspiring public servants in Montgomery County’s 62 municipalities have broad latitude over policy decisions related to community development, land use, zoning, and much more. They appear on your local ballot this November 4, 2025.  **Note that write-in candidates were not contacted for this article. The requirement to get on the primary ballot is a minimum of 10 petition signatures.

Do you know who is running for local office in your town?  Aspiring public servants in Montgomery County’s 62 municipalities have broad latitude over policy decisions related to community development, land use, zoning, and much more. They appear on your local ballot this November 4, 2025.  You can look up your sample ballot , thanks to Montgomery County Voter Services. Beginning Monday, Oct. 21, we will begin posting responses from candidates in high-interest municipalities s

I had long given up on the dream of owning a home when a Bridgeport apartment fire  in February had me on the move for the fourth time in...

Freddy Hill Farms, a short walk from my childhood home, will officially close for good Sept. 28. That’s the same week I will close on my...

Developer interest in downtown Pottstown could create opportunities to build workforce/affordable housing.  Across the street from the...

Political pressure and media attention appear to be having at least a marginal impact on the 50% lot rent hike in Limerick Township.  For...