What the Pennsylvania Apartment Association is Fighting For and Why It Matters.
PAA Advocacy Update: Fighting for Housing Providers Across Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania Apartment Association (PAA) continues to advocate at the state and local levels on legislation that directly impacts the cost of operating, developing, and maintaining multifamily housing.
Our approach is straightforward: support policies that expand housing opportunities and improve communities, oppose legislation that creates unnecessary burdens, and advocate for practical amendments when legislation can be improved.
WHAT WE SUPPORTED
HB 2085 – Legionnaires’ Disease Risk Management
PAA supports the bill’s goal of protecting residents from Legionella exposure and appreciates its reliance on nationally recognized standards, including ASHRAE Standard 188 and Guideline 12.
At the same time, PAA testified before the House Committee on Consumer Protection, Technology and Utilities advocating for amendments to ensure the legislation is risk-based, practical, and appropriately allocates responsibility between public water systems and property owners.
HB 2186 – Accessory Dwelling Units
PAA supports expanding housing options through statewide authorization of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), helping create opportunities for seniors, multigenerational households, and additional housing supply.
HB 2109 – “Golden Girls Law”
PAA supports modernizing occupancy standards and providing greater flexibility for shared housing arrangements.
WHAT WE OPPOSED
HB 140 – Algorithmic Rent-Setting Software
PAA opposed legislation that would broadly prohibit the use of algorithmic software in rental housing. We raised concerns about the bill’s impact on legitimate property-management technology and the need for a more targeted approach to addressing potential anticompetitive conduct.
UPDATE: HB 140 was pulled from committee consideration.
SB 1152 – Source-of-Income Mandate
PAA opposes legislation that would prohibit housing providers from considering lawful sources of income, particularly where it could undermine the voluntary structure of rental assistance programs. PAA remains open to supporting legislation if rental assistance programs are expressly excluded from the mandate.
SB 1148 – Disability-Related Modifications
PAA has concerns with provisions that could shift substantial financial responsibility to property owners and create accelerated lease termination rights without adequately accounting for circumstances outside the landlord’s control.
HB 2125 – Landlord-Tenant Act Enforcement
PAA opposes expanding Attorney General jurisdiction over the Landlord and Tenant Act and treating violations as consumer protection violations without a clear policy justification.
HB 2023 – Eviction Writ Restrictions
PAA is monitoring legislation that would delay execution of writs of possession during certain extreme weather conditions. We are advocating for clear, objective standards and workable implementation requirements.
HB 2590 – Bulk Internet Services
PAA opposes the bill as currently drafted because it could undermine legitimate bulk internet arrangements, restrict recovery of reasonable administrative costs, and create new litigation and rent-deduction exposure for housing providers.
WHERE PAA IS MAKING AN IMPACT
PAA’s advocacy is producing results beyond simply taking positions.
HB 140 was pulled from committee after PAA opposition and engagement.
PAA testified directly before the General Assembly on HB 2085, offering specific amendments designed to protect residents while ensuring that housing providers are not subjected to unclear or disproportionate mandates.
On Philadelphia’s Safe Healthy Homes legislation, PAA continues to engage Council members and advocate for changes that preserve legitimate tenant protections while protecting housing providers from unnecessary operational and legal exposure.
PAA is actively engaged in Pittsburgh as the new administration pursues permitting reform and policies designed to increase housing supply.
Our Advocacy Matters.
Every conversation with a legislator, testimony at a hearing, coalition meeting, and member story helps ensure that policymakers understand the real-world impact of housing legislation.
PAA will continue to be at the table—advocating for housing providers, protecting housing affordability, and working to expand Pennsylvania’s housing supply.