TAMAQUA — Regional housing developers and business leaders gathered at Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Tamaqua campus today to review current housing challenges and strategies to encourage new development.
Hosted by Sen. Dave Argall (R-29) and local state representatives, the event featured a presentation from Samar Jha, government affairs director at AARP.
The discussion focused on barriers to new housing construction, ways to streamline planning and permitting for residential projects, zoning challenges, available federal and state funding programs and innovative housing legislation implemented in other states.
“While we have made progress, there is no issue I hear more about from local employers and employees than the need for more quality housing options,” Argall said. “Building new homes and fixing up old homes takes too long and costs too much in northeast PA. Solving this crisis will take increased cooperation from all levels of government and private partners in our communities. I look forward to pursuing the strategies we reviewed today with the 102 communities, large and small, I represent in Schuylkill, Carbon and Luzerne counties.”