Shopping malls were once a staple of American culture, but with consumers seeking out online shopping and the closure of stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many shopping malls and plazas have been left vacant and leave an eyesore for the surrounding community. Municipalities have proposed revitalizing shopping malls into mixed-use development communities, but developers see these projects as very costly and are hesitant to take on such a vast job.

My legislation will provide incentives for municipalities and developers to work together to redevelop existing shopping malls into mixed-use communities by accomplishing the following:

• Create the Economic Development and Mixed-Use Advisory Committee within the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to establish best practices for the redevelopment of shopping malls
• Establishing special tax provisions for local taxing authorities to incentivize redevelopment of shopping malls into mixed-use projects
• Allowing local taxing authorities to provide tax exemptions for shopping mall redevelopment

Municipalities deserve a fair shot at redeveloping outdated properties. Pennsylvania has a need for quality and affordable housing, this bill provides options to help solve these challenges. Please join me as we partner with municipalities and stakeholders to re purpose shopping malls and plazas and improve the quality of life for our communities.