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Read. Follow. Verify.Pennsylvania Establishes Smart Growth Zoning Program and Fund to Incentivize Attainable Housing
Last action · February 10, 2025: Referred to HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Feb. 10, 2025Sponsors: Jim Prokopiak and 14 others
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What This Bill Would Do
Pennsylvania House Bill 529 establishes the Smart Growth Zoning and Housing Program and the Smart Growth Zoning District Fund to distribute financial incentives and s to municipalities that adopt approved smart growth zoning districts. The legislation sets minimum density requirements, mandates that at least 20% of residential units in projects exceeding 12 units be , and takes effect in one year.
Municipalities that adopt qualifying zoning ordinances become eligible for upfront incentive payments ranging from $10,000 to $600,000 based on projected units, plus $3,000 per unit created, while facing repayment obligations if construction deadlines are missed or ordinances are repealed.
- House Bill 529 was introduced in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on February 10, 2025, by Representative Prokopiak and 14 cosponsors, and was referred to the House Committee on Housing and Community Development. context
- Title 53 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes governs municipalities generally across the Commonwealth. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Municipalities
Municipalities may adopt smart growth zoning ordinances, apply for program approval, receive state incentive and density bonus payments, and assume responsibility for project reviews and repayments.
Developers
Developers proposing residential or mixed-use projects within approved smart growth districts are subject to specific density, design, and attainable housing requirements, and benefit from streamlined municipal review procedures.
Department of Community and Economic Development
The department is required to establish program guidelines, review and approve municipal applications, administer the fund, issue certificates of compliance, and submit annual reports to the General Assembly.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is considered attainable housing under this program?
How much are municipalities paid when they establish a smart growth zoning district?
What happens if a municipality applies for a smart growth district and the department does not respond?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Feb 10, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, Feb. 10, 2025
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
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Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Tying Discretionary Funding to Smart Growth
Section 6307 coordinates policy across the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Environmental Protection, and the Department of Transportation to favor municipalities with approved smart growth districts when awarding discretionary infrastructure and housing money.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.palegis.us
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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