Lt. Gov. Austin Davis Touts Administration’s Housing Action Plan, Emphasizes Need to Increase Housing Supply to Lower Costs for Pennsylvania Families

Sharpsburg, PA – Today, Lt. Governor Austin Davis visited Sharpsburg as part of his statewide "Putting More Money Back in Your Pockets” tour and emphasized the need to build more homes to help bring down housing costs for Pennsylvania families.

Davis has previously visited Montgomery, Luzerne, Fayette and Carbon counties to host events focused on affordability and the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s ongoing efforts to cut taxes, lower costs and grow the economy.

“When we bought our home several years ago, we put in offers on eight different houses before we had an offer accepted,” said Davis. “That’s because the housing market is out of whack, with too few homes that are available and affordable for young families like ours. We need to increase supply and build more homes, which is why the Shapiro-Davis Administration wants to create a new Critical Infrastructure Fund that would encourage the development of more housing and other infrastructure needs. It’s part of our Housing Action Plan, the Commonwealth’s first-ever strategic plan for housing.”

He was joined by Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, Sharpsburg Borough Councilman Dave Breingan, and representatives from the Allegheny County Housing Authority, ACTION-Housing, and Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters.

"I appreciate Lieutenant Governor coming to Sharpsburg to discuss the Administration's Housing Action plan. Housing has been a number one priority for my administration, and we're seeing the need across every community in Allegheny County, " said Innamorato. "We need to increase supply and keep prices affordable for working families, and I appreciate everything the Shapiro-Davis administration is doing to make that a reality."

“Action Housing commends Lieutenant Governor Davis for bringing together key stakeholders to tackle Pennsylvania's housing affordability crisis,” said ACTION-Housing CEO Lena Andrews. “Pennsylvania's first-ever Housing Action Plan is a critical step forward — because one solution to high housing costs is straightforward: we need to build more homes. We look forward to working with the Administration to turn this plan into real relief for Pennsylvania families."

Steve Mazza with the Carpenters emphasized how building and rehabilitating more homes would lead to more work for his members.

“Building and rehabilitating more homes means more good jobs for skilled carpenters,” said Mazza. “Every housing project puts our members to work, strengthens the workforce, and helps communities meet real needs. Investing in housing is a direct investment in family‑sustaining union jobs.”

In February, the Shapiro-Davis Administration 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. The Housing Action Plan calls for the creation of a Critical Infrastructure Fund, a new $1 billion initiative supported through the issuance of general obligation bonds. 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.

The Shapiro-Davis 2026-27 proposed budget takes the first steps to implement this plan, including the following: 

• 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. 

Earlier this week, the Shapiro-Davis Administration also launched DCED’s Mixed-Use Housing Development Pilot Program. Through this program, the Shapiro-Davis Administration is investing $10 million in seven projects to support the creation of more than 1,400 new homes and apartments across Pennsylvania. These projects will development or convert buildings or land for mixed-use, requiring a portion of the project be used to create new residential homes.

These projects will development or convert buildings or land for mixed-use, requiring a portion of the project be used to create new residential homes.