The Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg. WILKES-BARRE — State Sen. Katie Muth (D-Chester/Montgomery/Berks), chair of the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic Policy Committee, joined Sen. Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia) and state Rep. Ismail Smith-Wade-El (D-Lancaster) to host a joint policy hearing on homelessness and the housing crisis in Pennsylvania.
The hearing featured two panels of discussion highlighting the experiences of homeless individuals in Pennsylvania, and how the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson ruling by the Supreme Court is emboldening local governments to arrest and punish people for being homeless and sleeping outside.
“Homelessness and our overall housing crisis are problems that needs to be addressed by all 67 counties — this is a dignity issue and not just a big city problem,” Muth said. “No one wants to be homeless but those who are need our help – they do not need their existence to be criminalized,” Muth said. “Legislative leaders at all levels of government need to protect the human rights of all individuals and need to prioritize initiatives and legislation that addresses the underlying social and economic factors contributing to homelessness — insufficient wages, lack of affordable housing, domestic violence, and mental health.”
In a 6-3 decision in June in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that cities can enforce bans on people sleeping outside even when they have nowhere else to go. The Court argued such a ban does not violate the Eighth Amendment’s protections against cruel and unusual punishment, thereby criminalizing sleeping in public areas.
The Grants Pass decision permits localities to impose criminal penalties for acts such as public camping and public sleeping, even if individuals lack sufficient shelter space to accommodate the community’s unhoused population.
Discussion at the hearing also focused on policy priorities in Pennsylvania that can address homelessness and enhance the accessibility and affordability of housing in the Commonwealth. Some suggestions included funding for eviction prevention programs and emergency temporary shelter, increasing funding for housing vouchers, increasing Pennsylvania’s minimum wage, and increasing permanent housing options for low-income residents.
Gov. Shapiro signs Executive Order creating action
plan to increase affordable housing, address homelessness
Gov. Josh Shapiro this week signed Executive Order 2024-03, directing his Administration to create Pennsylvania’s first comprehensive Housing Action Plan to address the state’s housing shortage, address homelessness, and expand affordable housing options — ensuring Pennsylvanians have access to safe, affordable housing and attracting more people to live here in the Commonwealth.
The Executive Order tasks the Department of Community & Economic Development (DCED) with leading the plan’s development, working alongside various stakeholders to identify housing needs and devise a strategic response. The Housing Action Plan will guide efforts to expand affordable housing and provide support to the unhoused. It will also ensure a coordinated, multi-agency approach involving state, local, and federal partners, as well as private organizations.
“To make Pennsylvania more competitive, we must cut costs, grow our workforce, and attract more people to live and work in the Commonwealth,” Shapiro said. “A key challenge we face in attracting new residents is the lack of safe, affordable housing — which is why my Administration is focused on delivering commonsense solutions to expand affordable housing and lower housing costs for Pennsylvanians. We recognize that Pennsylvania faces unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to housing — that’s why we need a comprehensive, coordinated statewide housing plan.”
“When we created the state’s economic development strategy last year, we heard from stakeholders across Pennsylvania about the urgent need to address our housing challenges in a comprehensive way,” DCED Secretary Rick Siger said.
While progress has been made, the Housing Action Plan will address continuing challenges in Pennsylvania, including:
• Declining home-ownership since 2010 — the number of people who now rent has gone up by nearly 200,000 households, from 1.47 million to 1.64 million renters.
• Rising housing costs — with many spending over 30 percent of their income on housing, and the need for 100,000 additional housing units to meet current need.
• Tackling Homelessness — over 12,000 Pennsylvanians reported homeless in 2023.
Under the Governor’s Executive Order, the Housing Action Plan will be a data-driven statewide plan with recommendations for increasing housing supply and supporting the preservation of existing housing, including:
• Assess and determine Commonwealth-wide, regional, and local housing needs.
• Identify goals with measurable outcomes, available resources, and other items DCED believes may be necessary for achieving the goals outlined in the Housing Action Plan.
• Identify, review, and assess the effectiveness of housing programs and resources offered by Commonwealth agencies.
• Provide recommendations for (a) state housing programs, investments, and policy-making initiatives, and (b) leveraging best practices from the public and private sector to improve housing outcomes across the Commonwealth.
• Recommend strategic planning initiatives that may be implemented over the next five years.
Rep. Meuser supports legislation to safeguard
American agriculture from foreign ownership
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, this week voted in favor of H.R. 9456 — the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 — which will safeguard U.S. farmland and agricultural industries from hostile foreign interests.
Meuser said this legislation directly addresses the alarming trend of foreign adversaries, such as China, acquiring American farmland and responds to the growing threat these foreign acquisitions pose to the security and sovereignty of America’s food supply and rural economy. He said a recent Department of Agriculture report revealed that China alone owns an astonishing 384,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land, with ownership increasing by 30% from 2019 to 2020.
Meuser said H.R. 9456 strengthens oversight by adding the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This ensures that foreign agricultural acquisitions are subject to enhanced oversight. He said by flagging and reviewing transactions involving foreign adversaries, this legislation takes a decisive stand in defending American resources from dangerous foreign control.
“Foreign ownership of U.S. farmland isn’t just an economic issue — it’s a serious national security threat,” Meuser said. “Our agricultural industry is crucial to our food supply and rural economy, and allowing nations like China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran to gain control over this sector endangers America’s food security, economic stability, and national defense. I strongly urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass H.R. 9456. This bill is essential for protecting our land and resources by preventing foreign adversaries from gaining dangerous leverage over our nation’s future.”
H.R. 9456 passed the House by a bipartisan vote of 269-149 and was referred to the Senate for further consideration.
Rep. Meuser’s bill to streamline regulatory
review for small businesses passes committee
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser this week released a statement after the House Small Business Committee marked up and passed his legislation — H.R. 9085, the Regulatory Review Improvement Act of 2024.
Meuser said the legislation requires federal agencies to regularly review regulations on the books and consider their impact on small businesses when determining if they should remain in place.
Under current law, Meuser said agencies must review their rules every 10 years, but they can delay these reviews for up to five years without providing an explanation. He said this legislation aims to reform that process by limiting the delay to just one year and requiring a clear justification for any postponement.
Additionally, Meuser said the legislation requires agencies to conduct both a qualitative and quantitative analysis of their regulations — looking at the actual costs, compliance burdens, and paperwork hours required since the rule was implemented. He said this is crucial for understanding the real-world impact these regulations have had on small businesses and communities. The bill also requires agencies to determine whether regulations should remain on the books.
“We must hold federal agencies accountable for the regulations they impose,” Meuser said. “Burdensome rules can’t be allowed to accumulate year after year without proper review. Excessive regulations hit small businesses the hardest. It’s our responsibility to keep the federal bureaucracy in check and ensure they are not perpetually burdening small businesses with regulations.”
The Regulatory Review Improvement Act will now move to the full House for further consideration, and I strongly encourage my colleagues to support this practical legislation.”
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