<![CDATA[Delaware County Chamber of Commerce - The Biz Brief]]>Thu, 27 Aug 2026 15:45:22 -0700EditMySite<![CDATA[June-July 2026 Legislative and Policy Report]]>Wed, 12 Aug 2026 18:54:04 GMThttps://www.delcochamber.org/bizbuzz/june-july-2026-legislative-and-policy-report ]]><![CDATA[Main Street Matters applications being accepted for Pa.]]>Wed, 05 Aug 2026 17:39:00 GMThttps://www.delcochamber.org/bizbuzz/main-street-matters-applications-being-accepted-for-pa-small-businesses-downtownsThe Shapiro administration announced applications are being accepted for Main Street Matters funding to support downtown revitalization and small business growth.

Gov. Josh Shapiro secured $20 million for the Main Street Matters program in the 2026-27 budget he signed on July 12.

“Main streets and small businesses are the heart of our communities — fueling economic growth across Pennsylvania,” Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger said in a statement. “Governor Shapiro created the Main Street Matters program to keep our downtowns healthy and thriving. Thanks to the governor’s efforts to secure $20 million for the program in the 2026-27 budget, Pennsylvania’s rural, urban, and suburban communities will continue to receive the support they need to attract visitors, businesses, and residents and be successful for years to come.”

DCED is accepting funding applications through Aug. 31. Eligible applicants include local governments, redevelopment and/or housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, community development corporations, and business/neighborhoods/downtown improvement districts.

Community revitalization efforts in planning, business support, aesthetic improvements, and the increase of safety and security are all supported by Main Street Matters funding. Specific uses include planning activities, façade grant programs, business improvement grant programs, accessible housing programs, and district development grants.
 
Created in 2024 as part of Governor Shapiro’s 10-year Economic Development Strategy, Main Street Matters supports Pennsylvania’s downtown cores and surrounding neighborhoods with the tools needed to create healthy, vibrant, and welcoming communities, according to a release. More than $34 million has been invested in 137 revitalization projects through the Main Street Matters program since its creation.​

As part of the program, communities can apply to become a designated Main Street or Elm Street. Designation creates the opportunity for targeted investment and development through the identification of specific needs for investment and/or the design, development, and implementation of a strategy to address those needs.

The Shapiro administration earlier this year awarded over $17.2 million across 56 community projects that strengthen local economies and support downtown revitalization efforts. In its latest round of funding, Main Street Matters received more than 220 applications requesting more than $68 million, an indication of the growing need for sustained investment.

]]><![CDATA[The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11.]]>Mon, 27 Jul 2026 18:34:35 GMThttps://www.delcochamber.org/bizbuzz/the-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-became-law-on-july-11The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11. Passed with strong bipartisan margins, the Act's central aim is housing affordability, tackled through a mix of supply-side incentives, loosened rules for manufactured and modular construction, expanded homeownership and lending access, and new limits on institutional investors buying up single-family homes.
Notable provisions:
  • HUD must issue guidelines permitting single-stairway residential buildings up to six stories, backed by pilot grants to test the approach
  • A new $200 million-per-year competitive "Innovation Fund" rewards local governments that demonstrably boost housing supply via zoning reform, faster permitting, or density bonuses. 
  • The permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes is eliminated. 
  • A pilot program of FHA-backed small-dollar mortgages (loans under $100,000).
  • Institutional investors holding 350+ single-family homes are barred from acquiring more.
  • The HOME Investment Partnerships program is reauthorized with reforms.
  • Banks now qualify for longer examination cycles at a higher asset threshold, raised from $3 billion to $6 billion.
The Act comes against a backdrop of national median home prices hitting $446,000 in June, with 30-year fixed mortgage rates sitting around 6.5%.
On the state level, two companion bills in Pennsylvania — SB1346 from Sen. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland) and HB2186 from Rep. John Inglis (D-Allegheny) — would grant homeowners the right to build accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for single-family use. Rep. Inglis framed ADUs as a way to add housing stock without altering neighborhood character, noting that whether it's a garage apartment, backyard cottage, or converted basement, these units give homeowners more flexibility while expanding affordable housing options.​

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