READING, PA − December 17, 2025 − Today, Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Nick Miller held a hearing to examine housing affordability in the Commonwealth.
“Rising rents are making it harder for families to realize their dreams of owning a home, while at the same time putting a strain on household budgets,” she said. Senator Miller. “We must take steps to improve affordability and reduce the financial burden of finding housing in Pennsylvania. Today’s hearing underscores the urgency of this issue and our commitment to ensuring that Pennsylvanians can thrive.”
“Strong neighborhoods and strong communities depend on the availability of safe and affordable housing,” she said Senator Schwank. “We’re seeing everyone from young families to seniors struggle to afford housing and buy homes as prices skyrocket. This is not a problem that will solve itself and we need to better understand the problem if we are going to implement solutions in Berks County and beyond.”
Rick Siger, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, shared insights from roundtable discussions held across the Commonwealth in which local communities expressed their concerns about housing.
“While each of these communities faced unique challenges, certain themes consistently emerged,” Siger said. “Through difficulties in financing affordable housing projects, delays and additional construction costs resulting from bureaucratic red tape, and lack of resources for basic services to support residents at risk of housing insecurity, each community cited various obstacles that have made the development of additional housing units significantly more difficult.”
Becky A. Bradley, executive director of the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission, explained from her perspective the significant mismatch between mixed-income households and affordable housing.
“So while we often read about the ‘missing middle’ housing sector, we have found that in Lehigh and Northampton counties we actually have extreme shortages of upper- and lower-income housing, which is compressing the middle-income market,” Bradley said. “It’s a missing housing problem, not just one income threshold or another. In other words, there is a significant disparity between households of all incomes and affordable housing in the Lehigh Valley. “
Katherine Duque, chief operating officer of Community Action Lehigh Valley, spoke about the urgency of support for aid that has significantly helped residents.
“As we focus on tackling affordable rental housing, high eviction rates and rising homelessness in our region, I implore the Senate to do the same,” Duque said. “Affordable housing is a complex problem requiring comprehensive solutions. Meeting such a multi-faceted challenge requires coordinated strategies.”
Steve Gieringer, CEO of Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks and president/CEO of Pennsylvania Home Lending Collaborative, spoke on the structural housing affordability crisis.
“Home prices are up 35 to 60 percent. Rehab costs routinely range from $80,000 to $120,000,” Gieringer said. “Mortgage rates have doubled, reducing the purchasing power of working families by almost 40 percent. Employers in every sector are struggling because their employees cannot afford to live in the communities where they work. It is now an issue of workforce and economic competitiveness.”
Zachary L. Adams, executive director of the Pennsylvania Rural Center, testified about the Center’s research on rural housing.
“Although rural residents make up a smaller percentage of the nation’s total population, Pennsylvania’s rural population is significant in absolute terms and spans all regions of the Commonwealth,” Adams said. “Rural communities are home to older industrial towns, agricultural regions, energy-producing areas, and small municipalities that face disparate housing market conditions. As a result, rural Pennsylvania’s housing affordability challenges are not isolated issues; they impact labor force participation, health care access, economic development, and community stability across the state.”
Gale Schwartz, director of programs and outreach for the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, spoke about their support for strengthening communities and improving solutions.
“Across Pennsylvania, too many families face impossible choices between rent, food and medicine,” Schwartz said. “Aging homes, rising rents and stagnant wages are burdening communities. The housing crisis cannot be solved overnight, but with vision, clear priorities and sustained action, we can build lasting change.”
The following testified at today’s hearing:
- PA Department of Community and Economic Development
- Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
- Community Housing Services of Greater Berks, Inc.
- PA Association of Realtors
- Cortex estate
Senator Nick Miller was elected political chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus in December 2024.
Video footage of the hearing and written testimony from the panel are available at: PASenatorMiller.com/Policy. Downloadable photos and videos are available upon request.
For more information on AP Senate Democrats’ priorities, visit www.pasenate.com.
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