An Act amending the act of June 27, 1996 (P.L.403, No.58), known as the Community and Economic Development Enhancement Act, renaming the Department of Community and Economic Development to the Department of Housing and Community Development; and making a repeal and editorial changes.

PRINTER'S NO. 2803
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2160
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY SCOTT AND SANCHEZ, JANUARY 28, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
JANUARY 28, 2026
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 27, 1996 (P.L.403, No.58), entitled "An
act to enhance community and economic development in this
Commonwealth by restructuring certain administrative
functions and entities; changing the name of the Department
of Commerce to the Department of Community and Economic
Development; transferring functions of the Department of
Community Affairs into the Department of Community and
Economic Development and other agencies; providing for a
Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs and Development in the
Department of Community and Economic Development;
establishing the Center for Local Government Services and the
Local Government Advisory Committee; establishing the Small
Business Advocacy Council; conferring powers and duties on
the Legislative Reference Bureau; and making repeals,"
renaming the Department of Community and Economic Development
to the Department of Housing and Community Development; and
making a repeal and editorial changes.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The title and sections 101 and 102 of the act of
June 27, 1996 (P.L.403, No.58), known as the Community and
Economic Development Enhancement Act, are amended to read:
AN ACT
To enhance [community and economic] housing and community
development in this Commonwealth by restructuring certain
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administrative functions and entities; changing the name of
the [Department of Commerce to the] Department of Community
and Economic Development to the Department of Housing and
Community Development; transferring functions of the
Department of Community Affairs into the Department of
[Community and Economic] Housing and Community Development
and other agencies; providing for a Deputy Secretary for
[Community Affairs and] Housing and Community Development in
the Department of [Community and Economic] Housing and
Community Development; establishing the Center for Local
Government Services and the Local Government Advisory
Committee; establishing the Small Business Advocacy Council;
conferring powers and duties on the Legislative Reference
Bureau; and making repeals.
Section 101. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the [Community
and Economic] Housing and Community Development Enhancement Act.
Section 102. Declaration of purpose.
It is the purpose of this act to more effectively address the
problems of Pennsylvania's communities by recognizing that
[community development and economic] housing and community
development are inextricably linked, by expanding and providing
for the more efficient delivery of local services, by effecting
the maximum feasible coordination of [community and economic]
housing and community development resources to restore and
maintain the vigor of our communities, by advancing the economic
well-being of communities through the maximization of [community
and economic] housing and community development resources, by
promoting housing and community revitalization in conjunction
with economic development activities, by providing greater
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opportunity for local jurisdictions to be fully represented in
State government and by providing a one-stop agency to carry out
the [community and economic] housing and community development
programs which are of vital importance to all areas of this
Commonwealth.
Section 2. The definitions of "department" and "secretary"
in section 103 of the act are amended to read:
Section 103. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Department." The Department of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development of the Commonwealth.
"Secretary." The Secretary of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development of the Commonwealth.
* * *
Section 3. Sections 104, 301 heading, (a) introductory
paragraph, (b) and (c), 302 heading and introductory paragraph,
305(a), 306(a), 502, 901, 1103(b), 1104, 1107 and 2103(c) of the
act are amended to read:
Section 104. Name change.
To reflect the enhancement and consolidation of [community
and economic] housing and community development functions, the
[Department of Commerce shall hereafter be known as the]
Department of Community and Economic Development shall hereafter
be known as the Department of Housing and Community Development.
Section 301. To Department of [Community and Economic] Housing
and Community Development.
(a) Transfers.--The following functions of the Department of
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Community Affairs are transferred to the Department of
[Community and Economic] Housing and Community Development:
* * *
(b) Functions to be consolidated.--The functions transferred
to the department shall be consolidated within the department
into a bureau, division, section or other organizational entity
devoted to [community and economic] housing and community
development. The Governor shall appoint a Deputy Secretary for
[Community Affairs and] Housing and Community Development. The
deputy secretary shall have the powers and perform the functions
and duties transferred to the department in subsection (a) as
well as other such functions and duties authorized by the
Governor.
(c) Center for Local Government Services established.--A
Center for Local Government Services shall be established and
maintained in the department to serve as the link between the
Commonwealth and local governments. The center shall be a
provider of services to local governments, shall serve as the
point of contact for local governments on issues and problems of
local concern, shall be responsible for coordinating State
program resources in response to local issues and problems and
shall establish a systematic process for addressing local issues
and problems involving the resources of more than a single
agency. In carrying out its responsibilities, the center shall
use and have access to the information, services, functions and
other resources transferred under subsection (a). The center
shall, when authorized by the Governor, use and have access to
any other information, services, functions and other resources
in the possession of executive agencies under the Governor's
jurisdiction deemed necessary to the fulfillment of its
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responsibilities. The center shall provide to local governments,
at no cost, information on purchase contracts for materials,
supplies and equipment entered into by the Department of General
Services in which local governments may participate pursuant to
the provisions of section 2403(h) of The Administrative Code of
1929. The Deputy Secretary for [Community Affairs and] Housing
and Community Development shall be responsible for the
administration of the center and shall report in writing to the
Governor and Lieutenant Governor on the activities of the
center. The center shall have permanent staff both in its
headquarters as well as in the regional offices of the Governor
and shall additionally make a toll-free telephone number
available to local governments to assist the center in
accommodating requests for assistance. Funding for the center
shall be provided by the department.
* * *
Section 302. To Department of [Community and Economic] Housing
and Community Development.
The functions of the Department of Community Affairs provided
for in the following statutes, or selected portions of statutes,
are transferred to the Department of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development:
* * *
Section 305. Subjects of transfer.
(a) General rule.--The subjects of transfer from the
Department of Community Affairs under this chapter are
transferred to the Department of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development, the Pennsylvania Historical
and Museum Commission, the Pennsylvania Emergency Management
Agency and the Department of Transportation, respectively, with
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the same force and effect as if those subjects of transfer had
originally belonged to or had been incurred or entered into by
those entities.
* * *
Section 306. Regulations.
(a) Authorization.--The Department of [Community and
Economic] Housing and Community Development, the Department of
Transportation, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
Commission and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
shall have the power and duty to promulgate regulations to
administer the respective functions transferred to each under
this chapter.
* * *
Section 502. Powers and duties.
The Local Government Advisory Committee shall serve as an
advocate and representative of local government before both the
Governor and the Center for Local Government Services in the
Department of [Community and Economic] Housing and Community
Development. It shall, among other things, make recommendations
to the Governor and the center with regard to both the needs of
local governments and the best manner in which the center can
service those needs. The committee shall provide advice to the
center with regard to the promulgation of forms and regulations
in connection with performance of the functions transferred to
the department under this act.
Section 901. Board of Property.
The Board of Property as provided for in section 202 of the
act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The
Administrative Code of 1929, is hereby placed and made a
departmental administrative board in the Department of
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[Community and Economic] Housing and Community Development.
Section 1103. Membership on Pennsylvania Housing Finance
Agency.
* * *
(b) Chairperson.--The Secretary of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development shall continue to be a member
of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and on and after the
effective date of this act, the Secretary of Banking shall serve
as chairperson of that agency.
Section 1104. Membership on the Board of Property.
In place of the membership of the Secretary of Community
Affairs on the Board of Property under section 406 of the act of
April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative
Code of 1929, the Secretary of [Community and Economic] Housing
and Community Development shall serve on that board. The General
Counsel shall be a member of the Board of Property in place of
the Attorney General, and on and after the effective date of
this act, the Secretary of the Commonwealth shall be the
chairperson of the Board of Property.
Section 1107. Membership on the Community Service Advisory
Board.
In place of the membership of the Secretary of Community
Affairs on the Community Service Advisory Board as provided in
section 2207-B(b) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175),
known as The Administrative Code of 1929, the Secretary of
[Community and Economic] Housing and Community Development shall
serve on that board.
Section 2103. Repeals and references.
* * *
(c) References.--
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(1) In accordance with subsection (b), all references to
the Department of Community Affairs, which shall cease to
exist pursuant to this act, and to the Secretary of Community
Affairs in affected acts and portions of acts shall now be
deemed to refer to the Department of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development and Secretary of [Community
and Economic] Housing and Community Development,
respectively, unless otherwise provided by this act.
(2) All references to the Department of Commerce and the
Secretary of Commerce in affected acts and portions of acts
shall now be deemed to be references to the Department of
[Community and Economic] Housing and Community Development
and the Secretary of [Community and Economic] Housing and
Community Development, respectively, unless otherwise
provided by this act.
(3) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph
all references to the Deputy Secretary for Community Affairs,
shall now be deemed to refer to the Deputy Secretary for
Housing and Community Development unless otherwise provided
by this act.
(4) Beginning on the effective date of this paragraph,
references to the Department of Community and Economic
Development and the Secretary of Community and Economic
Development in affected acts and portions of acts shall now
be deemed to be references to the Department of Housing and
Community Development and the Secretary of Housing and
Community Development, respectively, unless otherwise
provided by this act.
Section 4. Section 2104 of the act is repealed:
[Section 2104. Implementation.
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Implementation of the provisions of this act shall begin
immediately and shall be fully completed on or before July 1,
1996.]
Section 5. Sections 2105 and 2106 of the act are amended to
read:
Section 2105. Performance audit.
The House of Representatives shall direct the Legislative
Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a performance audit
every two years on the Department of [Community and Economic]
Housing and Community Development. The final audit shall be
concluded four years from the effective date of this act. The
audit shall specifically include a comprehensive program
evaluation of all community development programs administered by
the department in conjunction with the provisions of this act.
In addition, the audit shall evaluate the delivery costs of the
local government service provided by the department.
Section 2106. Existing office supplies and materials.
The Department of [Community and Economic] Housing and
Community Development shall continue to use or recycle all
forms, stationery, business cards and other office supplies or
materials which contain references to its predecessor department
until the existing supplies and materials are depleted.
Section 6. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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