From staff reports

HARRISBURG — A series of hearings held by the Pennsylvania House Republican Policy Committee highlighted concerns about housing affordability, workforce housing shortages and barriers to homeownership across the state.

The three-part hearing series, chaired by Rep. David H. Rowe, included testimony from builders, developers, municipal officials, housing advocates and real estate professionals who discussed challenges ranging from rising construction costs to regulatory hurdles and limited housing inventory.

According to Rowe, witnesses consistently pointed to a shortage of attainable housing driven by increasing construction expenses, permitting delays, labor shortages, utility costs, zoning restrictions and environmental regulations.

“For generations, homeownership represented stability, opportunity, and the ability to build a future,” Rowe said. “Today, too many working families feel like that dream keeps moving further out of reach.”

The first hearing, held May 21 in Lancaster County, focused on development barriers and housing supply. Witnesses testified that Pennsylvania’s more than 2,600 municipalities often operate under differing zoning and permitting requirements, creating delays and uncertainty for builders. Developers also cited rising infrastructure costs, including stormwater management requirements, as a significant factor affecting housing prices.

Testimony indicated Pennsylvania’s median home listing price rose from about $185,000 in 2016 to approximately $325,000 in 2025. Witnesses also discussed the decline of so-called “missing middle” housing, including starter homes, duplexes and townhouses that traditionally provided affordable options for first-time

homebuyers.

A second hearing, held May 26 in Pike County, examined workforce housing and inventory shortages. Testimony highlighted rising construction costs, environmental and permitting requirements, and growing competition from second-home buyers in some regions of the state. Witnesses estimated Pennsylvania’s housing shortage at between 98,000 and 137,000 homes.

Local real estate professionals testified that entry-level housing options have become increasingly scarce and that home prices in Pike and Wayne counties have more than doubled over the past decade.

The final hearing, held May 27 in Lebanon County, focused on workforce housing, downtown revitalization and housing instability. Witnesses discussed challenges related to converting vacant downtown buildings into housing units, as well as the impact of housing costs on low-income residents and seniors.

Testimony showed that nearly 45% of Pennsylvania renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, a commonly used measure of housing cost burden. Witnesses also noted that housing-related concerns account for a significant share of requests for assistance through community service organizations.

Throughout the hearings, lawmakers and stakeholders agreed that no single solution exists but emphasized the need for a combination of regulatory reforms, increased housing development and public-private collaboration to improve housing affordability across Pennsylvania.

“What we heard throughout this series is that there is no single silver bullet,” Rowe said. “But we also heard that there are practical reforms and collaborative solutions that can help more Pennsylvanians achieve stability, opportunity, and a place to call home.”