Mayor Parker Transmits First HOME Initiative Bills to City Council-
During Thursday’s meeting, City Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr. (District 5) introduced a bill that would eliminate specialized zoning overlays in his...more
Dems Propose “Transit For All PA” Funding Package-
Democratic state lawmakers have introduced the “Transit For All PA” Funding Package to provide dedicated funding for public transit systems in order to prevent service cuts...more
5/2/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Healthcare Facilities ,
Marijuana ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Transit ,
Reproductive Healthcare Issues ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures
NEW YORK—Mayor Adams, CTO Announce City’s First Crypto Summit-
New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser will host New York City’s first Crypto Summit next month, bringing together...more
Hospital Closures Renew Push to Limit Private Equity in Health Care -
The closure of Crozer Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, resulting in over 2,600 job losses, has prompted Pennsylvania legislators to push for...more
4/29/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare ,
Hospitals ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Private Equity ,
Proposed Legislation ,
SCOTUS ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
Mayor Cherelle Parker unveiled details about the programs to be funded by her signature Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative on Monday. More than 75% of the $800 million bond amount will be allocated to seven key...more
Gov. Shapiro Orders Flags to Half-Staff in Honor of Pope Francis-
Governor Josh Shapiro (D) has ordered U.S. and Commonwealth flags to be flown at half-staff across Pennsylvania in honor of Pope Francis, who passed away...more
4/23/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Budget Cuts ,
Federal Budget ,
Healthcare ,
Marijuana ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
Trump Administration ,
USDA
Gov. Shapiro Addresses Arson Incident -
During a press conference following the opening of the Hershey Corporation’s new manufacturing plant, Governor Josh Shapiro made his first public comments since the arson at the...more
4/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Clean Energy ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Transportation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tariffs ,
Trump Administration
Mayor Parker's Housing Plan Relies on $800M in Bonds-
Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative aims to build or preserve 30,000 housing units in Philadelphia, primarily funded through $800...more
4/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Bonds ,
Budget Cuts ,
City Councils ,
Housing Market ,
Interest Rates ,
Mayors ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government
BALTIMORE—City Files Lawsuit Against DraftKings, FanDuel -
The City of Baltimore filed a lawsuit against DraftKings and FanDuel, alleging that the sports betting companies exploit vulnerable gamblers through promotional...more
4/17/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
New York ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
Public Transportation ,
Sports Betting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Taxes ,
Wage and Hour
Mayor Parker Announces Continued Support for SEPTA Fare Subsidies -Mayor Cherelle Parker announced plans to maintain funding for SEPTA fare subsidy programs that provide City employees and low-income residents with free rides...more
Last week, Mayor Cherelle Parker announced the appointment of Tyrell Brown as Director of LGBTQ+ Affairs, Andy Toy as Director of the Home Appraisal Program, Robin Torrance as Director of Pan Hellenic & HBCU Engagement, and...more
CHICAGO—City Begins Converting Loop Office Buildings to Housing -Chicago’s La Salle Corridor Revitalization Initiative kicked off last week, beginning with the transformation of a historic 14-story Loop office building into...more
Gov. Shapiro Fights USDA Funding Cuts for PA Farmers, Food Banks -Governor Josh Shapiro is challenging the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) decision to cancel $13 million in funding for Pennsylvania farmers who supply...more
During her speech outlining details of her proposed $2 billion Housing Opportunities Made Easy (HOME) Initiative on Monday, Mayor Cherelle Parker urged the City Council to streamline redevelopment processes and consider...more
Governor Josh Shapiro announced that Pennsylvania’s Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Pilot Program—in partnership with OpenAI and Carnegie Mellon—saved employees an average of 95 minutes per day and improved efficiency...more
3/26/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Energy Sector ,
Healthcare ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Machine Learning ,
Pennsylvania ,
State and Local Government ,
Technology Sector ,
Transportation Industry ,
Trump Administration
CHICAGO—City Incentives Aim to Attract Data Centers -
Chicago is positioning itself to capitalize on the data center boom, with the City Council adopting an ordinance offering incentives for developers to store municipal...more
3/20/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Data Centers ,
Employment Policies ,
Gig Economy ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
Property Tax ,
Public Health ,
Real Estate Development ,
State Taxes ,
Tax Incentives ,
Technology
On Thursday, March 13, Mayor Cherelle Parker delivered her second annual Budget Address to the Philadelphia City Council, unveiling her $6.77 billion FY26 Budget proposal—an approximately $400 million increase over the FY25...more
3/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Business Taxes ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Public Safety ,
Real Estate Development ,
Renewable Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development
Mayor Parker Delivers FY26 Budget Address-
Mayor Cherelle Parker presented her $6.7 billion FY26 budget proposal to the Philadelphia City Council today, highlighting an $800 million housing plan, significant business tax...more
Gov. Shapiro Announces $5M Investment to Address Nursing Shortage -During a visit to Temple University Hospital last week, Governor Josh Shapiro announced a $5 million investment to strengthen Pennsylvania’s nursing pipeline...more
3/11/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Environmental Justice ,
Grants ,
Healthcare ,
LGBTQ ,
Nurses ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Candidates ,
State and Local Government ,
Voting Rights ,
Water Quality
City Council Green Lights Bike Lane Expansion-
During Thursday’s meeting, the City Council approved legislation introduced last week by Councilmember Jeffery Young, Jr. (District 5) to add bike lanes to high-traffic streets...more
Tax Reform Commission Recommends Eliminating BIRT, Reducing Wage Tax -
The Philadelphia Tax Reform Commission released its interim report this week, proposing that the City eliminate the Business Income & Receipts Tax...more
Pennsylvania officials are awaiting further guidance on federal funding cuts — impacting infrastructure, energy, transit, and more — with Governor Josh Shapiro’s office suing five federal agencies over $1.2 billion in...more
2/21/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Agricultural Sector ,
Data Privacy ,
Economic Development ,
Energy Policy ,
Energy Projects ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ,
Federal Funding ,
Infrastructure ,
Marijuana ,
Nuclear Power ,
Pennsylvania ,
State and Local Government
Mayor Parker Appoints New Housing Initiative Leader -
Mayor Cherelle Parker appointed Angela Brooks, who currently serves as director of the Corporation for Supportive Housing in Illinois, to oversee the Housing...more
2/21/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Community Development ,
Education Reform ,
Housing Developers ,
Local Elections ,
Mayors ,
Political Candidates ,
Public Policy ,
Public Schools ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
Mayor Parker Unveils “Mission 30,000” Housing Plan -
Mayor Cherelle Parker outlined her “Mission 30,000” plan to build, preserve, and repair 30,000 housing units in Philadelphia during the Chamber of Commerce for Greater...more
2/14/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
City Councils ,
Housing Market ,
Low Income Housing ,
Municipalities ,
Property Tax ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Reform ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Gov. Shapiro’s Prison Closure Plan Sparks Debate Over Savings, Community Impact -
Governor Josh Shapiro's proposal to close two Pennsylvania prisons and two community corrections centers aims to save $110 million annually,...more
2/12/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Economic Development ,
Employee Benefits ,
Federal Funding ,
Healthcare ,
Healthcare Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Paid Leave ,
Pennsylvania ,
Prison ,
Sports ,
State and Local Government ,
Tax Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
Unions