Harrisburg, PA − April 2, 2025 − Senate Democrats held a press conference on Wednesday to kick off Fair Housing Month, observed nationally every April, and call for state action on Housing.
Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa was joined by Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes, Senator Wayne Fontana, Senator Tim Kearney, Senator Sharif Street, Senator Tim Kane, Senator Lindsey Williams, Senator Maria Collett, and Senator Amanda Cappelletti. Senator-elect James Malone, the first Democrat to represent Lancaster in the State Senate since 1889, also joined the press conference.
“Senate Democrats have long prioritized delivering safe, affordable homes for every Pennsylvanian, and we are here today to renew that commitment to the people of Pennsylvania amid federal chaos,” said Democratic Leader Jay Costa. “We are committed to delivering for working families by ensuring that they can raise their children in a safe home they can afford right here in Pennsylvania.”
National Fair Housing Month celebrates the passage of the Fair Housing Act, a national law that prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, and gender. The Act was passed in 1968 and amended in 1988 to include protections for people with disabilities and families with children. However, the current presidential administration has begun to roll back the incredible progress of the Fair Housing Act and has terminated grants to organizations that enforce the Fair Housing Act nationwide.
“For the PA Senate Democratic caucus, housing discrimination is not acceptable,” said Senator Hughes. “We will do whatever we have to do to make sure housing is a right that is available to everyone, no matter who you are, where you come from, what your background is, or who you love.”
A few weeks ago, Senator Hughes protested the freezing of federal dollars to an organization in his district to enforce the Fair Housing Act at the behest of President Trump and Elon Musk.
“As lawmakers, we have a duty to build on the foundation laid by the Fair Housing Act with responsive, forward-looking policies that meet today’s challenges,” said Senator Cappelletti. “While we may not be able to eliminate every obstacle Pennsylvanians face, we have a responsibility to pass meaningful legislation that eases their burdens.”
During the conference, members of the Senate Democratic Caucus discussed the importance of protecting the progress made by the Fair Housing Act and discussed ways to keep up the momentum on the state level, from zoning reform to eviction sealing to repairing our aging housing stock to building more new affordable housing.
“As a realtor by trade, I am proud to recognize Fair Housing Month and the public, private, and non-profit organizations that work tirelessly to ensure access to safe and affordable housing to any person who wants it,” said Senator Wayne Fontana. “Equitable access to affordable housing benefits our entire commonwealth. Now more than ever, it is important that we all work to ensure the guarantee of the Fair Housing Act is fulfilled in the commonwealth.”
The 2024-25 Pennsylvania Budget included a number of important investments in the housing space, including $70M for the PHARE Affordable Housing Program, $2.5M for new Local Government Emergency Housing Support, over $23.4M for Homelessness Assistance, a $2.5M increase for Domestic Violence programs and services, and a $2.5M increase for Legal Services programs.
“Ending discrimination in housing means ending exclusionary local zoning regulations that make affordable and accessible housing all but illegal in too many towns across PA,” said Senator Tim Kearney. “We need all municipalities to allow for housing types the average Pennsylvanian can afford, and we need the state to lead our communities because the housing crisis is affecting all of us.”
Photographs and video footage of today’s press conference are available upon request.
Learn more about the Senate Democrats’ commitment to every Pennsylvanian here.
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