SB 609 — 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
 1   Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in optional affordable housing
 3      funding, further providing for affordable housing programs
 4      fee in counties and providing for reporting requirements and
 5      for Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Advisory Committee; and
 6      imposing duties on the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
 7      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 8   hereby enacts as follows:
 9      Section 1.    Section 6011(b) of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
10   Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by
11   adding a subsection to read:
12   § 6011.    Affordable housing programs fee in counties.
13      * * *
14      (b)    Limitation.--The additional fees levied by a governing
15   body of a county under subsection (a) shall not exceed 100% of
16   the amounts charged [on February 12, 1993.] by the county for
17   recording deeds and mortgages.
18      (c)    Construction.--Subsection (a) shall not limit or
19   otherwise impact the authority of a county to alter the fees
20   levied by the county as of the effective date of this subsection
 1   for recording deeds and mortgages.
 2      Section 2.     Title 53 is amended by adding sections to read:
 3   § 6014.    Reporting requirements.
 4      (a)    County reporting.--Beginning July 1, 2025, and no later
 5   than each July 1 thereafter, a county collecting proceeds as a
 6   result of the fee levied under section 6011(a) (relating to
 7   affordable housing programs fee in counties) shall submit an
 8   annual report to the advisory committee established under
 9   section 6015 (relating to Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
10   Advisory Committee) on a form and in a manner prescribed by the
11   Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
12      (b)    Content of reports.--Each annual report required under
13   subsection (a) must contain all of the following information for
14   the preceding fiscal year:
15             (1)   The total amount of money collected by the county as
16      a result of the fee under section 6011(a) and the total
17      amount allocated by the county from that money.
18             (2)   Amounts and descriptions of the county's allocations
19      made from money collected as a result of the fee levied under
20      section 6011(a) to a separate account for the purpose of
21      funding affordable housing efforts as described in section
22      6012(b)(1) (relating to disposition of proceeds in counties).
23             (3)   Amounts and descriptions of the county's allocations
24      made from money collected as a result of the fee levied under
25      section 6011(a) for the purpose of covering administrative
26      costs associated with the affordable housing efforts as
27      described in section 6012(b)(2).
28             (4)   A description of the county's affordable housing
29      efforts funded by the money collected by the county as a
30      result of the fee levied under section 6011(a).

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 1             (5)   The county's recommendations, if any, regarding
 2      additional needs of the county to address affordable housing
 3      challenges.
 4      (c)    Duties of Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.--
 5             (1)   The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency shall
 6      prescribe the form and manner of the annual reports required
 7      under subsection (a).
 8             (2)   Annual reports submitted under this section shall be
 9      posted to the publicly accessible Internet website of the
10      Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
11   § 6015.    Pennsylvania Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
12      (a)    Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
13   Advisory Committee is established within the Pennsylvania
14   Housing Finance Agency.
15      (b)    Composition.--The advisory committee shall consist of
16   the following members:
17             (1)   The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Housing
18      Finance Agency or a designee. The designee under this
19      paragraph must be an employee of the Pennsylvania Housing
20      Finance Agency. The Executive Director or designee shall
21      serve as the chairperson of the advisory committee.
22             (2)   The following individuals to be appointed by the
23      Governor within 30 days of the effective date of this
24      paragraph:
25                   (i)   Six individuals who:
26                         (A)   represent the counties collecting proceeds
27                   as a result of the fee levied under section 6011(a)
28                   (relating to affordable housing programs fee in
29                   counties);
30                         (B)   are employed by counties involved in the

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 1              operation of one or more affordable housing efforts
 2              under this subchapter; and
 3                     (C)    represent different geographical regions of
 4              this Commonwealth.
 5              (ii)    One individual representing the Housing
 6          Alliance of Pennsylvania.
 7              (iii)    One individual representing the Pennsylvania
 8          chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
 9              (iv)    One individual representing residential real
10          estate developers.
11              (v)    One individual representing construction trades.
12              (vi)    One individual representing mortgage lenders.
13              (vii)    One individual representing the interests of
14          persons with disabilities.
15              (viii)       One individual representing home builders.
16              (ix)    One individual representing neighborhood
17          groups.
18              (x)    One individual representing low-income families.
19              (xi)    One individual representing service providers
20          serving low-income families.
21              (xii)    One individual representing nonprofit
22          community-based organizations and community development
23          corporations.
24              (xiii)       One individual representing real estate
25          brokers or salespersons.
26              (xiv)    One individual representing apartment owners.
27              (xv)    One individual representing renters.
28              (xvi)    One individual representing the manufactured
29          housing industry.
30    (c)   Quorum and voting.--

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 1            (1)   Nine members of the advisory committee shall
 2      constitute a quorum.
 3            (2)   A vote of the majority of the members of the
 4      advisory committee shall prevail.
 5      (d)   Terms.--
 6            (1)   The Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Housing
 7      Finance Agency shall serve as a member and the chairperson of
 8      the advisory committee if that individual continues to serve
 9      in the official capacity of Executive Director.
10            (2)   Advisory committee members appointed under
11      subsection (b)(2) shall be appointed to staggered three-year
12      terms, as determined by the Governor. An advisory committee
13      member may be reappointed for an additional term.
14            (3)   (i)    Subject to subparagraph (ii), an advisory
15            committee member whose term expires shall continue as a
16            member of the advisory committee until a replacement has
17            been appointed. The member shall have full voting rights
18            and count for purposes of establishing a quorum.
19                  (ii)   A member may not continue to serve on the
20            advisory committee beyond six months from the date of the
21            expiration of the member's term.
22            (4)   An individual appointed to fill a vacancy on the
23      advisory committee under subsection (e) shall serve for the
24      unexpired term and shall be eligible for reappointment.
25      (e)   Vacancies.--If a vacancy occurs on the advisory
26   committee, the Governor shall appoint a successor member within
27   30 days of the vacancy.
28      (f)   Meetings.--The advisory committee shall meet in
29   accordance with the following:
30            (1)   Advisory committee members shall meet no fewer than

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 1      four times per year on a quarterly basis, but may hold
 2      additional meetings as are called by the chairperson of the
 3      advisory committee.
 4             (2)   The agenda for each meeting of the advisory
 5      committee and all meeting minutes of the advisory committee
 6      shall be posted on the publicly accessible Internet website
 7      of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. Information
 8      regarding the agendas and minutes shall be accessible for
 9      inspection and duplication in accordance with the act of
10      February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know
11      Law.
12             (3)   Meetings of the advisory committee shall comply with
13      65 Pa.C.S. Ch. 7 (relating to open meetings).
14      (g)    Compensation and reimbursement.--
15             (1)   Advisory committee members shall not be entitled to
16      compensation for their service as advisory committee members.
17             (2)   Advisory committee members shall be entitled to
18      reimbursement in accordance with Commonwealth guidelines for
19      reasonable travel, lodging and other necessary expenses
20      incurred in the performance of their duties as advisory
21      committee members.
22      (h)    Powers.--The advisory committee shall have the power to
23   advise and consult the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania
24   Housing Finance Agency and counties collecting proceeds as a
25   result of the fee levied under section 6011(a) on affordable
26   housing efforts as defined in section 6013 (relating to
27   affordable housing efforts in counties) and how to expand or
28   improve affordable housing efforts.
29      (i)    Duties.--The advisory committee shall have the following
30   duties:

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 1        (1)   To meet to share, study and consider challenges to
 2    county affordable housing efforts in addition to existing and
 3    new affordable housing efforts that demonstrate success in
 4    increasing access to affordable housing in the counties.
 5        (2)   To review the most recent annual reports submitted
 6    by the counties under section 6014 (relating to reporting
 7    requirements).
 8        (3)   Beginning no later than January 1, 2026, and by each
 9    January 1 thereafter, to provide an annual report to the
10    chairperson and minority chairperson of the Urban Affairs and
11    Housing Committee of the Senate and the chairperson and
12    minority chairperson of the Housing and Community Development
13    Committee of the House of Representatives. Each annual
14    report:
15              (i)    Must contain the following information:
16                     (A)   The activities of the advisory committee.
17                     (B)   A summary of the most recent annual reports
18              submitted by the counties under section 6014.
19                     (C)   Recommendations of the advisory committee
20              to:
21                           (I)    Address challenges to affordable housing
22                     efforts.
23                           (II)    Improve the efficiency and value of
24                     counties' use of proceeds collected in accordance
25                     with section 6011(a) on affordable housing
26                     efforts.
27                           (III)    Address new affordable housing efforts
28                     that demonstrate success in increasing access to
29                     affordable housing.
30              (ii)    Shall be posted on the publicly accessible

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1            Internet website of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance
2            Agency.
3      (j)   Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
4   words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
5   subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
6      "Advisory committee."      The Pennsylvania Affordable Housing
7   Advisory Committee established under subsection (a).
8      Section 3.      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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