STATE COLLEGE – Centre County Rep. Scott Conklin unveiled legislation which would require the state to reserve a portion of any former correctional facility land it plans to sell and make that portion available to the county for affordable housing. Conklin said his soon-to-be-introduced bill would give the county the option to receive a transfer of up to 2% of the land. Conklin said shortages of affordable housing here statewide are driving up housing costs and increasing the burden on lower-income families. The bill would help ease the shortage by ensuring that any time the state decides to sell former prison land, a small portion is set aside and offered to the county for affordable housing use. Counties would not be required to accept the land, but if they did, they would be required to use it for affordable housing and take certain steps within certain time frames to ensure availability of that housing. A co-sponsorship memo is being circulated for the proposal, which will then be introduced in the PA House.
REP. SCOTT CONKLIN