Pennsylvania HB 1650: An Act providing for the Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program; and imposing duties on the Department of Community and Economic Development.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1972
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1650
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY POWELL, MARKOSEK, TWARDZIK, HILL-EVANS, RABB,
KRAJEWSKI, SCHLOSSBERG, SANCHEZ, GUENST, HOWARD, TAKAC,
CONKLIN, MERSKI, RIVERA, PARKER, D. WILLIAMS, STAATS,
FRANKEL, MAYES, SCOTT, SAMUELSON, MAJOR, KINKEAD, SMITH-WADE-
EL AND WAXMAN, JUNE 20, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
JUNE 20, 2025
AN ACT
Providing for the Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program;
and imposing duties on the Department of Community and
Economic Development.
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 Pennsylvania
Home Preservation 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.
"Existing home repair programs." Programs administered by
nonprofit organizations, governmental entities and public
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utilities, or the contractors and assignees of those entities,
that provide services to repair residential housing and that are
funded in accordance with or through, but not exclusively
limited to, the following programs:
(1) The weatherization assistance programs administered
as a part of the programs authorized under 42 U.S.C. Ch. 94
Subch. II (relating to low-income home energy assistance) or
42 U.S.C. Ch. 81 Subch. III (relating to energy conservation
and renewable-resource assistance for existing buildings).
(2) The Community Development Block Grant Program under
42 U.S.C. Ch. 69 (relating to community development).
(3) The HOME program under the act of December 18, 1992
(P.L.1376, No.172), known as the Pennsylvania Affordable
Housing Act.
(4) The Medical Assistance Community Health Choices
Program.
(5) The Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and
Rehabilitation Enhancement Program under Article IV-D of the
act of December 3, 1959 (P.L.1688, No.621), known as the
Housing Finance Agency Law.
(6) The Keystone Communities Program administered by the
department.
(7) Low-income usage reduction programs established
under 52 Pa. Code Ch. 58 (relating to residential low income
usage reduction programs).
(8) The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Program
established under 66 Pa.C.S. § 2806.1(b)(1)(i)(G) (relating
to energy efficiency and conservation program).
"Local government." Any county, city, home rule
municipality, town, borough or township in this Commonwealth
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that have experience creating or implementing programs that
restore or rehabilitate units.
"Program." The Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program
established under section 3.
"Unit." An owner-occupied house, condominium or other
dwelling area designed and used as a home for a single household
in a residential property.
Section 3. Establishment.
The Pennsylvania Home Preservation Grant Program is
established in the department for the purpose of providing
grants to local governments to improve existing housing stock in
this Commonwealth.
Section 4. Eligible applicants.
Consistent with section 10, a local government or a
combination of local governments, as determined by the
department that have experience creating or implementing
programs that restore or rehabilitate units, shall be eligible
to apply for a grant under this act. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to prohibit a local government that receives
a grant from the program from subgranting the money to another
entity approved by the department to perform any of the purposes
specified in section 5. A local government that subgrants money
received under the program to another entity shall notify the
department. The department shall maintain a list of the
applicants and subgrantees' public contact information on the
publicly accessible Internet website of the department.
Section 5. Eligible uses.
Money awarded under the program shall be used to create or
implement programs that will restore or rehabilitate units in
this Commonwealth under section 6. Eligible applicants may use
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up to 10% of the grant award for administration related
expenses, including personnel expenses. The department may award
additional grant money for the administration of applications
submitted jointly by two or more local governments.
Section 6. Requirements.
Expenditures by a local government or subgrantee under this
act may not exceed $50,000 per unit and must be used to:
(1) Address habitability concerns of units, improve
energy or water efficiency of units or to make units
accessible for individuals.
(2) Fund repairs for a unit owner