Shusterman, House and Senate Democrats pen letter to governor outlining goals for resuming real estate services

PAOLI, May 18 – State Rep. Melissa Shusterman led an initiative to clarify Pennsylvania House and Senate Democrats’ preferences for resuming real estate services throughout the commonwealth in a letter addressed to Gov. Tom Wolf.

The letter, which was sent to the governor yesterday, outlines desired safety measures for real estate services, including prohibiting open houses, requiring limited person-to-person contact and implementing other practices to prevent spreading the virus. Shusterman noted that with protocols such as these in place, real estate services could resume safely even in counties that are still in the “red phase.”

“I understand that shelter is essential, and many Pennsylvanians’ leases may be about to end, or they were in the process of moving before the statewide stay-at-home order took effect,” Shusterman said. “In order to safely resume these services, proper protections need to be in place so we can mitigate the spread of COVID-19 while preserving the health of both customers and real estate employees.

“The House passed House Bill 2412 last week, which would resume all real estate activities of brokers, salespersons, and licensees, but the governor signaled that he would veto it. This is because the bill would allow open houses and suspend code enforcement, creating unsafe living conditions. The reopening of every industry must be methodical and supported by science and data to prevent a spike in our COVID-19 cases.”

The letter detailing the House and Senate Democrats’ proposed safety measures for reopening real estate services may be viewed here.