It is an unfortunate reality that public projects sometimes require displacing people from their homes. When this happens, homeowners, renters and businesses can face substantial expenses for professional services, replacement housing and relocation.

Pennsylvania does provide assistance with these costs, but many of the reimbursements have remained unchanged for decades, and no longer accurately reflect the associated costs.

For these reasons, I will be introducing a bill that would restore the buying power of these payments by accounting for inflation. This would include updating reimbursement limits for appraisal, attorney and engineering fees; replacement housing assistance for homeowners; rental or down payment assistance for other eligible households; payments for certain business and farm property losses and expenses; and other costs.

Once these payments are adjusted, they would continue to adjust automatically using the Consumer Price Index.

Please join me in co-sponsoring this legislation to help Pennsylvanians cover the financial costs of displacement and keep our eminent domain protections current.