Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
03/02/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/02/2026 14:50
Shapiro Administration Highlights Need to Build More Housing, Reduce Costs, and Create Opportunity for Every Pennsylvanian During Tour of Downtown Reading
March 02, 2026- Reading, PA
Shapiro Administration Highlights Need to Build More Housing, Reduce Costs, and Create Opportunity for Every Pennsylvanian During Tour of Downtown Reading
Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger joined local leaders to tour housing development projects in downtown Reading, highlighting the urgent need to expand housing opportunity and increase affordability for all Pennsylvanians.
Under current projections, Pennsylvania will face a shortage of roughly 185,000 homes by 2035 without further action. Housing costs continue to rise at a rate faster than wages, with over one million households in Pennsylvania spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing, and more than 50 percent of the Commonwealth's housing stock is over 50 years old - making it increasingly more expensive to maintain.
To address these issues, Governor Josh Shapiro created Pennsylvania's first-ever Housing Action Plan, which will build and preserve more homes, modernize housing regulations and zoning rules, and break down barriers preventing people from finding stable housing - all to grow the Commonwealth's economy and improve Pennsylvanians' quality of life.
"The exciting projects we toured today in Reading are an outstanding example of government, private industry, and the non-profit sectors working together to bring more housing to the market," said Secretary Siger. "Governor Shapiro created Pennsylvania's Housing Action Plan to align state and local leaders, builders, advocates, and communities around a shared vision - building and preserving more homes, stabilizing housing outcomes, and expanding housing opportunity for all Pennsylvanians."
Speakers Include:
Secretary Rick Siger, DCED
Mayor Eddie Morn, Reading
Donna Reed, Council President
Senator Judy Schwank
Representative Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz
Alan Shuman, Shuman Development Group
Doug Long, Habitat for Humanity of Berks County
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