An Act establishing the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and the Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.

PRINTER'S NO. 3235
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 2430
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, HOGAN, MAJOR, KHAN, BURGOS, HILL-EVANS,
SANCHEZ, K. HARRIS, WAXMAN, MADDEN, MADSEN, GALLAGHER,
SHUSTERMAN AND SMITH-WADE-EL, APRIL 20, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
APRIL 21, 2026
AN ACT
Establishing the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and
the Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of
Transformation and Opportunity Act.
Section 2. 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
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Office." The Office of Transformation and Opportunity
established under section 3.
"Officer." The Chief Transformation and Opportunity Officer
appointed under section 3.
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Section 3. Office of Transformation and Opportunity.
(a) Establishment.--The Office of Transformation and
Opportunity is established within the Office of the Governor.
(b) Purpose.--The office shall:
(1) Facilitate the implementation of transformational
economic development projects, which will result in
substantial quality job opportunities and capital investment
in this Commonwealth by coordinating and expediting
interagency cooperation.
(2) Marshal Federal and State resources to maximize
economic development opportunities for this Commonwealth to
compete, grow and thrive in a global economy.
(3) Leverage the role of the Governor as chief executive
of the Commonwealth to engage the global business community
on the Commonwealth's behalf.
(c) Responsibilities.--The office shall:
(1) Create a systematic process for managing economic
development projects involving the resources of multiple
Commonwealth agencies to facilitate project management.
(2) Establish and monitor the progress of additional
areas of economic development project support, including:
(i) Serving as a one-stop-shop for coordination of
Commonwealth agencies.
(ii) Expediting Commonwealth agency permit and
license reviews.
(iii) Ensuring speed of business review and approval
of Commonwealth economic incentive programs.
(3) Work in partnership with the department and all
relevant Commonwealth agencies in reviewing Federal and State
funding applications to ensure that the applications maximize
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the opportunity to attract transformational economic
development projects.
(4) Establish objectives and targets for the
implementation of transformative economic development.
(5) Establish and monitor time-based standards for
completion of each phase of a transformative economic
development project.
(6) Work in partnership with the department and all
relevant Commonwealth agencies and coordinate with the
Governor's Office to ensure that thorough due diligence is
performed for prioritized projects, which shall include:
(i) Overall economic impact of the project.
(ii) The validity of the project's business model
and likelihood of positive impact on an identified
priority industry or sector.
(iii) The impact on communities that have been
disadvantaged and underserved.
(iv) The strength of commitments for private
financing of the project.
(7) Work in partnership with the department, all
relevant Commonwealth agencies and the Governor to develop an
overall economic development blueprint and strategy for this
Commonwealth in identifying key industries and sectors where
this Commonwealth has competitive advantages.
(8) Employ a Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman to
coordinate policies and adjudicate disputes across
Commonwealth agencies in recognition of the critical social,
economic and workforce needs within the residential housing
industry.
(d) Staffing and administration.--
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(1) The Governor shall appoint a Chief Transformation
and Opportunity Officer of the office, who shall serve at the
pleasure of the Governor and who shall coordinate the
implementation and development of the responsibilities under
subsection (c).
(2) The officer may hire staff, including economic
development specialists, to perform the responsibilities
assigned to the office under subsection (c).
(3) The officer shall report directly to the Governor,
and the office shall be housed within the Governor's Office.
(e) Annual report.--
(1) The office shall prepare and issue an annual report
to the Governor no later than December 31 of each year.
(2) The annual report shall include an analysis and
examination of significant economic development opportunities
gained and lost by this Commonwealth within an identified
time period and recommendations for improvement.
(3) The report shall be delivered to the Governor or the
Governor's designee.
(f) Responsibilities of Commonwealth agencies.--All
Commonwealth agencies shall cooperate with and provide
assistance to the office with respect to its purpose and
responsibilities as provided under this act.
(g) Construction.--
(1) Nothing in this act shall be construed to impair or
otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive
department, agency, office, board, commission or council or
the head thereof.
(2) This act is not intended to and does not create any
right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at
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law or in equity by any party against the Commonwealth, its
departments, agencies or entities, its officers, employees or
agents or any other person.
Section 4. Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.
The Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman designated under section
3(c)(8) shall:
(1) Coordinate and report on the activities undertaken
by Commonwealth agencies related to residential construction
permits.
(2) Issue a report to the following summarizing work
performed under this act:
(i) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Urban Affairs and Housing Committee of the Senate.
(ii) The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
Housing and Community Development Committee of the House
of Representatives.
(3) Facilitate and participate on the office's behalf in
discussions between units of State government, local
government and housing developers to assist with navigation
through permitting requirements and processes.
(4) Evaluate if there are opportunities for the
Commonwealth to acquire land to further housing development
project opportunities.
(5) Evaluate methods to improve the housing building
materials supply chain in this Commonwealth.
(6) Gather and compile information on local permitting
and planning and zoning processes throughout this
Commonwealth and identify hurdles to timely housing
development in those processes.
(7) Track the progress of housing development projects
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throughout this Commonwealth and provide periodic updates to
office leadership and the Governor's Office on housing
production in this Commonwealth.
(8) Provide binding determinations on substantive
disputes between developers and Commonwealth agencies that
negatively impact housing development timelines.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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