In recent weeks, both Philadelphia and the Bronx saw tragic fires in apartment buildings; in all, 29 lives were lost. These tragedies highlight the need for affordable, safe housing, and offer a grim reminder as well about the dangers of overcrowded housing.
The link between overcrowding and fire danger is complex, but a FEMA study concluded that the number of potential fire victims grows when multiple families or larger extended families share accommodations. Overcrowded and substandard housing conditions affect families in other ways, too, including the potential for widespread transmission of Covid-19, increased risk of meningitis, and other health problems.
Northeastern Pennsylvania’s housing situation differs from those of metros like Philadelphia and New York City, but the region has similar critical housing needs. Since the pandemic, for example, demand for housing has surged throughout the Scranton–Wilkes–Barre–Hazleton corridor and surrounding counties.
Indeed, though Luzerne and Lackawanna Counties saw relatively moderate population growth last decade, the region may be on the receiving end of a “great reshuffle” spurred by Covid-19. Analysis of Zillow data by the Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development, for example, showed that home values increased by nearly 14% between March 2020 and March 2021 – a higher growth rate than the state and nation as a whole and far above the previous five years’ average increase of 5% per year. Meanwhile, a study by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania similarly found an increase in property transfers in rural counties, with many buyers from New York and New Jersey. This growing trend appears unlikely to reverse itself in the foreseeable future, with significant job growth occurring in the region as the burgeoning transportation and logistics industry seeks to hire thousands of new employees in the coming years, some of whom may prefer the region’s relatively low cost of living and plentiful job openings.
But throughout northeastern Pennsylvania, the price increases of homes and apartments suggests that new housing construction, or the rehabilitation of older or blighted housing, may not be keeping pace. The region must address a critical question: How to approach housing for a growing region in a way that ensures suitable shelter is available and affordable?
Local land-use policies can be an impediment to construction of new housing, especially when NIMBYism – a “not in my backyard” view toward new development – results in exclusionary effects. When zoning ordinances disallow multifamily housing, require excessive lot sizes, or place burdensome requirements on developers, the housing supply is constrained, and prices go up. For instance, in California, where the housing-affordability crisis is particularly severe, it’s estimated that millions of new homes are needed to meet demand. Here in Pennsylvania, the fragmented nature of local zoning – where every city, borough, and township sets its own policies – is another barrier to planning regionally for adequate housing.
Municipalities should embrace collaborative regional planning and evaluate zoning codes to ensure minimal barriers to construction of new housing of varied types. Land banks are another mechanism that can return blighted or vacant lots to productive use, providing more opportunities for new housing and returning properties to the tax rolls.
Another piece of the puzzle are subsidies and incentives used to build affordable housing, particularly the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC). Federal, state, and local governments – in addition to community-development organizations and financial institutions – all play a role in ensuring feasible sources of capital for housing projects, including critical developments to house seniors, those with disabilities, and low- and moderate-income families. In 2020, the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed, and Gov. Tom Wolf signed, legislation that creates a state tax credit to mirror the federal LIHTC, creating a welcome new tool to support new affordable housing construction.
Finally, appropriate code enforcement is needed to ensure that housing is healthy and safe. Some cities have implemented rental registration ordinances to require regular inspection of units. However, the fragmentation of local governments is again a challenge, especially for smaller municipalities without sufficient resources for code enforcement. In the case of the tragedy in Philadelphia, building and public housing policies were already in place to prevent such loss of life – a reminder that enforcement and administration are often as important as the policies themselves.
In our growing region, we need policies that promote a housing supply that is ample, affordable – and safe.
Andrew Chew is the director of research at The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development.