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PRINTER'S NO. 1603
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 278
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY STREET, TARTAGLIONE, CAPPELLETTI, LAUGHLIN,
HAYWOOD, COMITTA, VOGEL, COSTA AND KANE, APRIL 17, 2026
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, APRIL 17, 2026
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of April 2026 as "Fair Housing Month" in
Pennsylvania and designating April 30, 2026, as "Affordable
Homeownership Day" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, April is recognized nationally as "Fair Housing
Month" to commemorate the passage of the Fair Housing Act of
1968, landmark Federal legislation enacted in the aftermath of
the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
in Memphis, Tennessee, which brought new urgency to the
unfinished work of equal access and justice in the United
States; and
WHEREAS, The legacy of Dr. King's sacrifice in Memphis
carries a particular and solemn weight in this Commonwealth,
where the work of expanding access to safe, affordable and
equitable housing remains both a moral imperative and an
economic priority; and
WHEREAS, The National Association of Real Estate Brokers
(NAREB), founded in 1947 and the oldest minority professional
real estate trade association in the United States, has served
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for more than seven decades as the premier network of Black real
estate professionals committed to the principle of democracy in
housing; and
WHEREAS, Under the national leadership of President Ashley
Thomas III, NAREB launched the strategic initiative "Closing the
Gap: Advocacy, Affordability, and Access," with a focused agenda
targeting underwriting inequities, affordability barriers and
the persistent gap in Black homeownership as critical challenges
to closing the racial wealth divide; and
WHEREAS, President Thomas has called for a return to
"optimistic underwriting" in the mortgage and lending
industries, advocating for systems that presume creditworthiness
rather than demand that prospective homebuyers prove their
worth, and has led active engagement with the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Federal
Housing Administration on the community property fairness
initiative and other policy reforms; and
WHEREAS, The national homeownership rate for Black households
stands at approximately 44.7%, compared to approximately 72.4%
for white households, a gap of nearly 28% that reflects the
compounding effects of historical redlining, discriminatory
lending practices and systemic disinvestment in communities of
color; and
WHEREAS, The median net worth of Black families remains
approximately $44,100, compared to $282,310 for white families,
a disparity directly tied to homeownership attainment, making
the expansion of affordable homeownership one of the most
consequential tools available for building intergenerational
wealth in Black communities; and
WHEREAS, In 2026, NAREB launched a national eight-city
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Affordable Homeownership Bus Tour as a grassroots outreach
initiative to connect families in underserved communities with
real estate professionals, lending resources, homebuyer
education and policy advocacy across the country; and
WHEREAS, The recognition of "Affordable Homeownership Day" in
this Commonwealth aligns with the State's commitment to expand
economic opportunity, support working families and invest in the
stability of communities across all regions of this
Commonwealth; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
recognize the month of April 2026 as "Fair Housing Month" in
Pennsylvania and designate April 30, 2026, as "Affordable
Homeownership Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
commend the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, under
the national leadership of President Ashley Thomas III, for its
unwavering commitment to expanding homeownership access for
Black families and underserved communities across the nation
through advocacy, affordability initiatives and community-
centered outreach; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
encourage all Pennsylvanians, financial institutions, community
organizations and local governments to join in the effort to
remove barriers to homeownership, support equitable lending
practices and invest in the communities that have long been
denied fair access to housing and the generational wealth it
creates; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
Ashley Thomas III, National President of the National
Association of Real Estate Brokers, as a symbol of the esteem
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and respect in which the Senate of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania holds the work of NAREB and its members.
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