An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in optional affordable housing funding, further providing for affordable housing programs fee in counties and providing for reporting requirements and for Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; and imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.

PRINTER'S NO. 615
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 609
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY CAPPELLETTI, KANE, HAYWOOD, SAVAL, COSTA AND
SCHWANK, APRIL 9, 2025
REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, APRIL 9, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in optional affordable housing
funding, further providing for affordable housing programs
fee in counties and providing for reporting requirements and
for Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; and
imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 6011(b) of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
adding a subsection to read:
§ 6011. Affordable housing programs fee in counties.
* * *
(b) Limitation.--The additional fees levied by a governing
body of a county under subsection (a) shall not exceed 100% of
the amounts charged [on February 12, 1993.] by the county for
recording deeds and mortgages.
(c) Construction.--Subsection (a) shall not limit or
otherwise impact the authority of a county to alter the fees
levied by the county as of the effective date of this subsection
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for recording deeds and mortgages.
Section 2. Title 53 is amended by adding sections to read:
§ 6014. Reporting requirements.
(a) County reporting.--Beginning July 1, 2025, and no later
than each July 1 thereafter, a county collecting proceeds as a
result of the fee levied under section 6011(a) (relating to
affordable housing programs fee in counties) shall submit an
annual report to the advisory committee established under
section 6015 (relating to Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
Advisory Committee) on a form and in a manner prescribed by the
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
(b) Content of reports.--Each annual report required under
subsection (a) must contain all of the following information for
the preceding fiscal year:
(1) The total amount of money collected by the county as
a result of the fee under section 6011(a) and the total
amount allocated by the county from that money.
(2) Amounts and descriptions of the county's allocations
made from money collected as a result of the fee levied under
section 6011(a) to a separate account for the purpose of
funding affordable housing efforts as described in section
6012(b)(1) (relating to disposition of proceeds in counties).
(3) Amounts and descriptions of the county's allocations
made from money collected as a result of the fee levied under
section 6011(a) for the purpose of covering administrative
costs associated with the affordable housing efforts as
described in section 6012(b)(2).
(4) A description of the county's affordable housing
efforts funded by the money collected by the county as a
result of the fee levied under section 6011(a).
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(5) The county's recommendations, if any, regarding
additional needs of the county to address affordable housing
challenges.
(c) Duties of Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.--
(1) The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency shall
prescribe the form and manner of the annual reports required
under subsection (a).
(2) Annual reports submitted under this section shall be
posted to the publicly accessible Internet website of the
Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
§ 6015. Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
(a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
Advisory Committee is established within the Pennsylvania
Housing Finance Agency.
(b) Composition.--The advisory committee shall consist of
the following members:
(1) The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency or a designee. The designee under this
paragraph must be an employee of the Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency. The Executive Director or designee shall
serve as the chairperson of the advisory committee.
(2) The following individuals to be appointed by the
Governor within 30 days of the effective date of this
paragraph:
(i) Six individuals who:
(A) represent the counties collecting proceeds
as a result of the fee levied under section 6011(a)
(relating to affordable housing programs fee in
counties);
(B) are employed by counties involved in the
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operation of one or more affordable housing efforts
under this subchapter; and
(C) represent different geographical regions of
this Commonwealth.
(ii) One individual representing the Housing
Alliance of Pennsylvania.
(iii) One individual representing the Pennsylvania
chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
(iv) One individual representing residential real
estate developers.
(v) One individual representing construction trades.
(vi) One individual representing mortgage lenders.
(vii) One individual representing the interests of
persons with disabilities.
(viii) One individual representing home builders.
(ix) One individual representing neighborhood
groups.
(x) One individual representing low-income families.
(xi) One individual representing service providers
serving low-income families.
(xii) One individual representing nonprofit
community-based organizations and community development
corporations.
(xiii) One individual representing real estate
brokers or salespersons.
(xiv) One individual representing apartment owners.
(xv) One individual representing renters.
(xvi) One individual representing the manufactured
housing industry.
(c) Quorum and voting.--
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(1) Nine members of the advisory committee shall
constitute a quorum.
(2) A vote of the majority of the members of the
advisory committee shall prevail.
(d) Terms.--
(1) The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Housing
Finance Agency shall serve as a member and the chairperson of
the advisory committee if that individual continues to serve
in the official capacity of Executive Director.
(2) Advisory committee members appointed under
subsection (b)(2) shall be appointed to staggered three-year
terms, as determined by the Governor. An advisory committee
member may be reappointed for an additional term.
(3) (i) Subject to subparagraph (ii), an advisory
committee member whose term expires shall continue as a
member of the advisory committee until a replacement has
been appointed. The member shall have full voting rights
and count for purposes of establishing a quorum.
(ii) A member may not continue to serve on the
advisory committee beyond six months from the date of the
expiration of the member's term.
(4) An individual appointed to fill a vacancy on the
advisory committee under subsection (e) shall serve for the
unexpired term and shall be eligible for reappointment.
(e) Vacancies.--If a vacancy occurs on the advisory
committee, the Governor shall appoint a successor member within
30 days of the vacancy.
(f) Meetings.--The advisory committee shall meet in
accordance with the following:
(1) Advisory committee members shall meet no fewer than
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four times per year on a quarterly basis, but may hold
additional meetings as are called by the chairperson of the
advisory committee.
(2) The agenda for each meeting of the advisory
committee and all meeting minutes of the advisory committee
shall be posted on the publicly accessible Internet website
of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. Information
regarding the agendas and minutes shall be accessible for
inspection and duplication in accordance with the act of
February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know
Law.
(3) Meetings of the advisory committee shall comply with
65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
(g) Compensation and reimbursement.--
(1) Advisory committee members shall not be entitled to
compensation for their service as advisory committee members.
(2) Advisory committee members shall be entitled to
reimbursement in accordance with Commonwealth guidelines for
reasonable travel, lodging and other necessary expenses
incurred in the performance of their duties as advisory
committee members.
(h) Powers.--The advisory committee shall have the power to
advise and consult the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania
Housing Finance Agency and counties collecting proceeds as a
result of the fee levied under section 6011(a) on affordable
housing efforts as defined in section 6013 (relating to
a ffordable housing efforts in counties) and how to expand or
improve affordable housing efforts.
(i) Duties.--The advisory committee shall have the following
duties:
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(1) To meet to share, study and consider challenges to
county affordable housing efforts in addition to existing and
new affordable housing efforts that demonstrate success in
increasing access to affordable housing in the counties.
(2) To review the most recent annual reports submitted
by the counties under section 6014 (relating to reporting
requirements).
(3) Beginning no later than January 1, 2026, and by each
January 1 thereafter, to provide an annual report to the
chairperson and minority chairperson of the Urban Affairs and
Housing Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and
minority chairperson of the Housing and Community Development
Committee of the House of Representatives. Each annual
report:
(i) Must contain the following information:
(A) The activities of the advisory committee.
(B) A summary of the most recent annual reports
submitted by the counties under section 6014.
(C) Recommendations of the advisory committee
to:
(I) Address challenges to affordable housing
efforts.
(II) Improve the efficiency and value of
counties' use of proceeds collected in accordance
with section 6011(a) on affordable housing
efforts.
(III) Address new affordable housing efforts
that demonstrate success in increasing access to
affordable housing.
(ii) Shall be posted on the publicly accessible
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Internet website of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
Agency.
(j) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Advisory committee." The Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
Advisory Committee established under subsection (a).
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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