Weekly roundup of real estate news, compiled by Suburban Realtors? Alliance-week of: 12/24/2021
A Barn at Heckler Plains Farmstead in Lower Salford Township, Montgomery County. The township passed a $9.9 million budget for 2022 with no tax increase.
Weekly News Briefs
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BUCKS ?
General
SEPTA expands Regional Rail service
SEPTA has announced a?new schedule ?that is designed to better serve existing riders and those expected to return for in-person events in 2022. The change will bring Regional Rail service levels to 75% of pre-pandemic levels. The service increase comes as ridership has only risen to roughly 40% of pre-pandemic levels, but ridership is expected to increase in the coming months.
Source: LevittownNow.com; 12/19/2021
Deadline for PA Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program is Dec. 31
Older adults and people with disabilities have until Friday, Dec. 31, to apply for rebates on property taxes and rent paid in 2020. The rebates are available through the Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program, which benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older, widows and widowers age 50 and older, and people with disabilities age 18 and older. Eligible applicants are encouraged to visit?the state’s MyPath website ?to electronically file their rebate applications.
Source: LevittownNow.com & PA Department of Revenue; 12/15/2021
NAR-endorsed bill that includes affordable housing support passes
On Dec. 15, as a result of the National Association of Realtors’ (NAR’s) advocacy and a broad and robust coalition of housing and transit organizations, the U.S. Senate passed the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The act includes a provision with the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act, sponsored by Rep. Adam Smith (D, WA-9). The legislation cleared the House on Dec. 8 and now heads to President Biden's desk for his signature. The bill is focused on facilitating creative ways to develop new, affordable housing units near city centers or along accessible transit lines. Specifically, the bill establishes a process by which transit agencies can convey land with federal share at zero cost to nonprofit or eligible third-party organizations for affordable housing development. NAR supported the legislation because of its possible positive impact on housing inventory and affordable transit-oriented development. NAR will continue to advocate for federal policies that will help achieve housing equity, eliminate systemic barriers to real estate development, and create more homes.
Source: Nar.realtor; 12/17/2021
NAR writes to FHFA, recommends changes to recent condo rules at Fannie Mae
The National Association of Realtors (NAR) wrote to the acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Sandra Thompson, regarding recent changes made by Fannie Mae to its underwriting requirements for condominium projects. NAR agrees with changes intended to ensure the safety of condominium projects. However, the lack of publicity and speed of implementation of the changes could undermine many purchases and refinances and may have a disproportionate impact on underserved communities. NAR’s second concern is that the change follows another change last December in which vague language around financing of short-term rentals inadvertently expanded the definition of the proscribed class to include many second home properties, often condos. Read the full letter?here .?
Source: Nar.realtor; 12/17/2021
Happy Holidays from Suburban Realtors? Alliance
The Suburban Realtors Alliance office will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24, and Friday, Dec. 31, in observance of the holidays. The municipal database and other resources will continue to be available?on the Alliance website . The next edition of the weekly news briefs will be sent on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022.?
Bucks
Springfield Township facing funding crisis
Springfield Township is facing another year of deficit. The 2022 budget brings a $316,000 deficit in the general fund. As a result, supervisors voted 4-1 to raise the millage rate from 12 to the maximum of 14. That amounts to an increase of about $80 for a property assessed at $40,000. Supervisors acknowledged that years of zero tax increases, lack of regular road maintenance and failure to grow a business base had contributed to the grim financial picture, heightened by budget projections that show mounting labor and emergency service expenses, and a steady deficit rising to a high of nearly $475,000 by 2026.??
Source: Bucks County Herald; 12/16/2021
Upper Makefield rejects Toll plan near national cemetery
A residential development that has been discussed and challenged in Upper Makefield Township again found its way in front of the supervisors at the Dec. 7 meeting. Developer Toll Brothers is seeking to build 77 new homes on about 99 acres on Stoopville Road near the Washington Crossing National Cemetery. The supervisors voted to reject the plan for the property that is often referred to as the White Farm. A previous plan for the land received approval from supervisors in 2007, but after a group of citizens appealed the decision and the plan landed back in Upper Makefield’s hands, it was denied for failure to comply with stormwater management requirements. Township officials are anticipating a court challenge for the latest rejection.
Source: Bucks County Herald; 12/16/2021
Lower Makefield apartment plan meets with opposition
A plan to renovate a circa 1800s house in Lower Makefield Township’s Edgewood Village section has met with some opposition. Developers Cameron and C.T. Troilo presented a plan for 17 apartments on a 0.75-acre tract at Edgewood and Langhorne-Yardley roads. Supervisors voted 3-2 to oppose some of the variances needed for the project, citing concerns with density and a proposal to use the nearby township-owned Veterans Square Park for 12 leased “overflow” parking spaces. At the request of the supervisors, the zoning hearing board agreed to postpone consideration of the variances until the Feb. 15, 2022, meeting. That will give the township’s architectural review board and historic commission more time to study the proposal.?
Source: Bucks County Herald; 12/16/2021
Taxes steady in Yardley?
Yardley Borough Council passed a final $2 million budget for 2022 that holds the line on taxes. The 30-mill tax rate means a resident with a property assessed at the borough average of about $27,640 will again pay $829 a year in municipal property taxes. Property taxes are the main source of revenue for Yardley. The borough does not levy an earned income tax.?
Source: Bucks County Herald; 12/16/2021?
Chester
Malvern raises its realty transfer tax
Malvern Borough Council unanimously voted to raise its local realty transfer tax from the current 1% rate to 1.5%. The Suburban Realtors Alliance sent?a letter ?to borough council members urging them to reject the tax increase, which would be an unstable source of revenue and place unequal burdens on a small number of residents. Realty transfer taxes are typically capped at 1% by the state, but Malvern Borough is a home rule municipality, which allows it to exceed the cap. The majority of residents in attendance at the meeting spoke against the increase, and more than 60 messages were sent to council in opposition to the increase ahead of the meeting.?
Source: Daily Local; 12/13/2021
Natural Lands intends to preserve Crebilly forever
The owner of the 322-acre Crebilly Farm in Westtown recently approached Natural Lands, a nonprofit land conservation organization, to possibly preserve the land. The Robinson Family recently ended a contingency sale agreement with builder Toll Brothers. Toll had unsuccessfully submitted plans to the township to build 319 homes on the land, which is the last large open space tract along the Route 202 Corridor between King of Prussia and Wilmington. Opponents of the Toll plan cited its historical significance — Revolutionary War troops likely crossed the property during the 1777 Battle of Brandywine — and the impact on heavily used nearby roads, including the Route 202 and Street Road intersection. Jack Stefferud, senior director of land protection for Natural Lands, is confident that the property can be preserved. Westtown supervisors voted to allow the conservation organization to apply for federal, state and county funding on the township’s behalf to permanently preserve the land. The existing buildings would likely remain in private ownership.?
Source: Daily Local; 12/22/2021
Chesco’s challenge is to create more ‘missing middle’ housing
With housing prices increasing faster than incomes in Chester County, officials are looking for ways to create more homes affordable to middle-income and smaller families. The county’s population has quadrupled over the past 90 years to 534,000 residents, and it has the highest median housing value in the state at $375,000. With the county’s median household income of about $100,000 per year, many people in the county’s workforce cannot afford to live in the county. “Our residents need homes that are affordably priced and that fit into the community,” County Commissioners Chair Marian Moskowitz said. “The number of one- and two-person households is increasing, which leads to more demand for smaller homes that are affordable for people living alone or on a fixed income.” Chester County’s comprehensive plan, Landscapes3, addresses these changing needs, and a forthcoming report from the county planning commission will make recommendations to expand housing options in the “missing middle.” They include zoning for smaller housing, encouraging infill development and providing other county resources. At the same time, county officials say they must balance resident concerns about density, loss of green space and potential traffic congestion. A discussion of these topics can be viewed in the 2021 Housing Forum on the?planning commission YouTube page .
Source: Chester County; 12/15/2021
County officials renew support for Coatesville revitalization
The Chester County commissioners recently renewed the county’s partnership with the Coatesville 2nd Century Alliance, which supports the revitalization and economic development of the city. The extended contract provides for funding in support of two full-time staff positions — an economic development administrator and a community coordinator. In recent years, the group has secured a Wells Fargo grant for a neighborhood-strengthening initiative that focuses on improving homeownership rates and public safety. State funding has also driven public and private support for Coatesville’s downtown revitalization, resulting in the appointment of a downtown manager, clean-up and planting programs and initiatives to retain and recruit businesses.
Source: Daily Local; 12/21/2021
Ethics complaint against Kennett Township manager rejected
The Pennsylvania Ethics Commission has rejected a complaint by a former candidate for Kennett Township supervisor against Kennett Township Manager Eden Ratliff. The complaint by Peter Doehring alleged Ratliff’s work to help create a solution to improve fire and EMS response times among six municipalities was unethical and designed to get Ratliff’s wife, Gabriella, a job with Longwood Fire Co., thereby creating a conflict of interest. In denying Doehring’s request, the commission ruled Doehring had presented no evidence of his claims.
Source: Daily Local; 12/21/2021
Perrone retires as borough manager
West Chester Borough Manager Mike Perrone is retiring after 41 years in public service and 36 years for the borough. He worked as the director of building, housing and codes enforcement and as fire marshal prior to a four-year run as borough manager. Borough Council President Michael Galey thanked Perrone for leading the borough during renovations at Borough Hall, which came in under budget, hiring the borough’s first sustainability director, his astute budgeting skills and as an impeccable representative of West Chester. “We appreciate your willingness to step into a role that is thankless,” Galey said about Perrone’s assuming the borough manager’s role. Perrone was lauded by several board members for his extensive work on national and international building boards.
Source: Daily Local; 12/22/2021?
Delaware
Reminder: New RTT takes effect in Upper Darby on Jan. 1
Upper Darby Township’s local realty transfer tax will increase to 1.5% starting Jan. 1, 2022 — with 0.75% going to the township and 0.75% going to Upper Darby School District. Previously, the 1% collected in Upper Darby Township went entirely to the school district. The new tax rate will impact any agreement that settles after Dec. 31, 2021.
领英推荐
Clearview project gets $30M bump in federal funds
Gov. Tom Wolf joined U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D, PA-5), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to announce a $30 million cash infusion to finish cleanup at the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund site and Clearview Landfill. The funding comes via the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in November. Wolf said the additional money would see the landfill site capped and finished by 2023. The entire site encompasses 64 acres straddling Philadelphia and Darby Township, including 40 acres of privately owned land and 24 acres of public land. So far, the project’s cost has totaled about $45 million. The $30 million in new funding will translate to more workers and equipment on the ground to move in and place 300,000 cubic yards of material needed to complete the 35-acre landfill cap and finish stabilizing the Darby Creek stream bank. In addition to the environmental benefits of cleaning up decades of hazardous waste, Scanlon said completing these types of projects is about justice for underserved communities that have had to live with the effects of having their homes built on contaminated soil or living close by Superfund sites.
Source: Daily Times; 12/18/2021
Delco 911 Center receives $4.5M state grant for radio upgrades
The Delaware County 911 radio system is getting a boost through a $4.56 million grant to improve the aging 911 system. The funds come from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program and will be added to a $1.5 million grant the county was awarded in an earlier round of funding. “Delaware County has been on a two-year journey to improve our radio system,” said Timothy Boyce, director of emergency services. “We’ve studied it, we know what the issues are, and now we’re ready to move forward with an advanced system.” Boyce said the new system requires infrastructure, such as buildings, towers and communications equipment. The total cost could reach $50 million to improve the radio system, which in recent years had issues with radio interference from other telecommunications bleeding through frequencies.
Source: Daily Times; 12/21/2021
Media Borough receives grant to create pedestrian mall
Media Borough was awarded $500,000 to convert the three-block Plum Street pedestrian mall between Front and Baker streets into a shady, ADA-accessible park with trees, stormwater planters, seating and tables. The upgrades will also include a splashing fountain, a trellised performance area and decorative lighting. Walking areas will be surfaced with a distinctive pattern of permeable unit pavers in red, dark gray and light gray. A stormwater tree trench bumpout along State Street will provide a green frame to the park entrance, offering wide curb cuts with comfortable ADA access. Karen Taussig-Lux, grants administrator for Media Borough, said input from the public was the driving force behind improvements to the mall, which was opened over 30 years ago. The borough has also received a $250,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. She said stakeholders and borough council will come up with final plans with the hope to break ground on improvements in 2023.
Source: Daily Times; 12/21/2021
Curry sworn in as the new state rep from the 164th
State Rep. Gina Curry (D-164), of Upper Darby, was sworn into office following a special election in November. Curry, 48, previously served on the Upper Darby School Board, being elected in 2017 and re-elected in 2019. She is the owner of Coach Your Vision LLC, a consulting firm that provides training and coaching for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The 164th legislative district includes Upper Darby Township, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, Millbourne and Yeadon. Former Rep. Margo Davidson resigned in July amid criminal charges.
Source: Daily Times; 12/15/2021?
Montgomery
$31 million mixed-use development planned for the heart of Norristown
MM Partners, a Philadelphia real estate company known for its development in Brewerytown, is planning a $31 million apartment complex in the heart of Norristown. The development will consist of a seven-story building with 111 market-rate apartments and 12,000 square feet of commercial space at the intersection of Main Street and DeKalb Street. The project could spur other developers to explore opportunities in Norristown, which is trying to undergo a revitalization. Read the full article from the Philadelphia Business Journal?here .
Source: Philadelphia Business Journal; 12/20/2021
Interim borough manager named in Hatfield
Hatfield Borough Council unanimously named Jaime E. Snyder as interim manager of the borough. Snyder had served as assistant borough manager since 2014. She is a lifelong resident of Hatfield Borough and was recently named a certified borough official by the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs. Longtime Borough Manager Michael J. DeFinis announced his retirement in November.
Source: North Penn Now; 12/17/2021
Pottstown economic development agency rebrands
The lead economic development organization in Pottstown has completed a rebranding process. The former Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc. (PAID Inc.) has changed its name to Pottstown Area Economic Development Inc. (PAED Inc.) to better reflect its focus on the economic revitalization of Pottstown. According to PAED executive director Peggy Lee-Clark, the shift from the “I” for industrial to the “E” for economic is symbolic for Pottstown. “It is a reflection of where we have been, and where we are going. It is a combination of the revitalization and growth Pottstown has been experiencing over the past several years, with a commitment to the future through innovation and a re-imagining of an economic hub in western Montgomery County,” she said. For more information, visit?the PAED website .?
Source: Pottstown Mercury; 12/6/2021
Lower Salford passes budget, allocates funding
Lower Salford supervisors approved a $9.9 million budget for 2022 that maintains the current property tax rate of 2.689 mills. The owner of a home assessed at the township average of about $197,000 can expect a municipal property tax bill of about $529. A mill is a tax of $1 for each $1,000 of assessed property value. The township also made some decisions on what to do with the over $800,000 the township will be receiving from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 stimulus funding. The township will receive half of the stimulus in 2021 and the remainder in 2022. Township Manager Joe Czajkowski said the majority of the funding will go to make up for lost revenue during the pandemic, including: $409,460 to the township general fund; $41,460 to the liquid fuels fund; $55,617 to Harleysville Community Fire Company; $13,485 to Harleysville Area Emergency Medical Services; and $6,517 to Indian Valley Public Library.?
Source: The Reporter; 12/6/2021
Reminder: Norristown lead paint inspection ordinance starts Jan. 1
Norristown Municipal Council unanimously passed an ordinance that will require lead paint testing for all property resales and rental licenses beginning on Jan. 1, 2022. See the news archive?here . The SRA has reached out to Norristown for specific guidelines to pass onto Realtors for the lead paint testing program, but none have yet been made available.?
Philadelphia?
Voters to decide in May on zoning board overhaul?
Philadelphia voters will soon decide whether city council should have more say over who sits on the Zoning Board of Adjustments, the independent board empowered to make legally binding decisions about what proposed developments get built. Residents will be asked via ballot measure in the May 2022 primary election whether the city should: amend its charter to expand the zoning board from five to seven members; require city council confirmation of the mayor’s appointees to the board; and require that positions be filled by people with professional qualifications and sensitivity to community concerns. The measure, approved over objections from the Kenney administration, comes amid a development boom that’s raised the blood pressure of some Philadelphians, particularly those in swiftly gentrifying sections, where demolitions and construction have become part of the daily soundtrack. Read more?here .
Source: PlanPhilly; 12/16/2021
Philadelphia International Airport to receive $30M from infrastructure law
U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D, PA-5) recently announced that $30.7 million in new federal funding under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is headed to Pennsylvania to make much-needed improvements to Philadelphia International Airport. Northeast Philadelphia Airport will receive $763,000. “Philadelphia International Airport is an economic engine for our area, and PHL’s vision for the use of these funds through a robust cargo expansion means new opportunities for individuals in PA-05 and beyond,” Scanlon said. Philadelphia International will receive a similar tranche of funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law each year for the next five years, as part of a program for airport development. The allotted funds could vary from year to year, as it reflects how many people use the airport each year. In addition to the guaranteed funds, the airport can compete with other airports for grants from an additional $5 billion nationally for terminal and landside improvements.
Source: Daily Times; 12/20/2021
Philly wants new regulation to stop people from being priced out
City council passed a bill that would require affordable units be included in large residential developments in parts of North, West and Northeast Philadelphia where residents are seeing rents rise. The measure requires any development with 10 or more housing units to set aside 20% of the units as affordable. Known as inclusionary zoning, the policy is a tool for keeping housing accessible in fast-developing areas, and has been used in cities like New York and Washington D.C. The new bill only applies in the 3rd and 7th Council Districts, represented by co-sponsor councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Maria Qui?ones-Sánchez, respectively. “The continued growth of our city is important, but it’s unacceptable if it comes at the detriment of vulnerable Philadelphians,” Gauthier said in a statement. “With many developers prioritizing profits, regardless of the social repercussions, the best way for us to ensure that affordable housing options remain available in desirable neighborhoods over the long term is to enact policy change.”
Source: PlanPhilly; 12/16/2021
Clearview project gets $30M bump in federal funds
Gov. Tom Wolf joined U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D, PA-5), and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan to announce a $30 million cash infusion to finish cleanup at the Lower Darby Creek Area Superfund site and Clearview Landfill. The funding comes via the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enacted in November. Wolf said the additional money would see the landfill site capped and finished by 2023. The entire site encompasses 64 acres straddling Philadelphia and Darby Township, including 40 acres of privately owned land and 24 acres of public land. So far, the project’s cost has totaled about $45 million. The $30 million in new funding will translate to more workers and equipment on the ground to move in and place 300,000 cubic yards of material needed to complete the 35-acre landfill cap and finish stabilizing the Darby Creek stream bank. In addition to the environmental benefits of cleaning up decades of hazardous waste, Scanlon said completing these types of projects is about justice for underserved communities that have had to live with the effects of having their homes built on contaminated soil or living close by Superfund sites.
Source: Daily Times; 12/18/2021?
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