Tiburcio to introduce legislation to address housing affordability crisis
Rep. Ana Tiburcio May 18, 2026 | 1:46 PM
HARRISBURG, May 18 – State Rep. Ana T. Tiburcio, D-Lehigh, said she is working on a bill to address the housing affordability crisis in Pennsylvania.
Her legislation would require investors who own thousands of single-family properties to do their part addressing the housing crisis by charging an impact fee on single-family homes purchased beyond a 1,000-home threshold. The fee would be reinvested in communities to create more housing opportunities.
Tiburcio said that these institutional investors – defined as owning more than 1,000 standalone properties – hold roughly 3% of all single-family homes and would be the ones to pay the fee, not individual taxpayers.
“Institutional investors are making it harder for Pennsylvanians to achieve the American dream,” she said. “These investors swoop into a community, buy up the available single-family homes, and then increase the rent on the existing or new tenants. These investors are not paying their fair share to our communities.
“That’s why I’m introducing legislation to create an impact fee for institutional investors. Reinvesting this money into our committees will create housing opportunities for those seeking to build stability for their families and future generations.”
Tiburcio said that she got the idea for this legislation after leading a tour and roundtable discussion on housing with the House Majority Policy Committee. The committee toured Overlook Park, a property in Allentown redeveloped into a housing community that offers low-income townhome units for rent. Members discussed how the project came to fruition and how it can be replicated elsewhere to create more housing opportunities for low-income families.
“This is an issue that I hold close to my heart. Like many Pennsylvanians, the housing affordability crisis is something I’ve personally experienced,” Tiburcio said. “I know what it’s like not to be able to find a place, and to be evicted. Today, too many of our neighbors are unable to access safe, secure and affordable housing.”
From 2020 to 2026, average rent in Pennsylvania rose sharply, driven by a limited housing supply, population growth in some areas, and broader national housing market pressures.
In 2020, the average monthly rent in Pennsylvania was $1,185. By the end of 2026, the average is projected to be $1,551/month for a one-bedroom and $1,811/month for a two-bedroom. From 2020 to 2026, one-bedroom rent went up about 31% and two-bedroom rent went up about 53%. Over the past nine years, the state’s median home price has also increased by more than 117%.
The legislation is being circulated for co-sponsors, and the bill will be introduced soon, Tiburcio said.