RHLS and CSH Applauds Governor Shapiro’s Executive Order Creating Pennsylvania’s First Housing Action Plan 

man holding a gavel in one hand and a pen in the other signs a document. a small wooden house sits in the foreground

The first-ever comprehensive Housing Action Plan comes after RHLS and CSH’s collaborative advocacy and will guide efforts to increase housing availability, affordability, and quality. 

In a landmark move to address homelessness and housing instability across Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro has announced the creation of the state’s first-ever comprehensive Housing Action Plan. This decision comes in response to our joint advocacy efforts and is supported by nearly 130 housing and homeless organizations across Pennsylvania. 

The executive order directs his administration to develop a plan that addresses rising homelessness and widespread shortages of affordable housing. 

The governor’s order comes several months after we submitted a report and called for the governor to establish an interagency council tasked with advancing affordable housing, supportive housing, and essential support services for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Over the past two years, CSH and RHLS conducted extensive listening sessions with 120 organizations across 50 counties. CSH and RHLS published their findings in May 2023, highlighting the urgent need for state-level change to enhance resources and scale housing solutions. 

Read the full press release.