HB 2430 — An Act establishing the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and the Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.

PRINTER'S NO.   3235

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 2430
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY SOLOMON, HOGAN, MAJOR, KHAN, BURGOS, HILL-EVANS,
        SANCHEZ, K. HARRIS, WAXMAN, MADDEN, MADSEN, GALLAGHER,
        SHUSTERMAN AND SMITH-WADE-EL, APRIL 20, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
        APRIL 21, 2026


                                    AN ACT
 1   Establishing the Office of Transformation and Opportunity and
 2      the Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.
 3      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 4   hereby enacts as follows:
 5   Section 1.   Short title.
 6      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Office of
 7   Transformation and Opportunity Act.
 8   Section 2.   Definitions.
 9      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
10   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
11   context clearly indicates otherwise:
12      "Department."    The Department of Community and Economic
13   Development of the Commonwealth.
14      "Office."    The Office of Transformation and Opportunity
15   established under section 3.
16      "Officer."    The Chief Transformation and Opportunity Officer
17   appointed under section 3.
 1   Section 3.     Office of Transformation and Opportunity.
 2      (a)   Establishment.--The Office of Transformation and
 3   Opportunity is established within the Office of the Governor.
 4      (b)   Purpose.--The office shall:
 5            (1)   Facilitate the implementation of transformational
 6      economic development projects, which will result in
 7      substantial quality job opportunities and capital investment
 8      in this Commonwealth by coordinating and expediting
 9      interagency cooperation.
10            (2)   Marshal Federal and State resources to maximize
11      economic development opportunities for this Commonwealth to
12      compete, grow and thrive in a global economy.
13            (3)   Leverage the role of the Governor as chief executive
14      of the Commonwealth to engage the global business community
15      on the Commonwealth's behalf.
16      (c)   Responsibilities.--The office shall:
17            (1)   Create a systematic process for managing economic
18      development projects involving the resources of multiple
19      Commonwealth agencies to facilitate project management.
20            (2)   Establish and monitor the progress of additional
21      areas of economic development project support, including:
22                  (i)    Serving as a one-stop-shop for coordination of
23            Commonwealth agencies.
24                  (ii)    Expediting Commonwealth agency permit and
25            license reviews.
26                  (iii)    Ensuring speed of business review and approval
27            of Commonwealth economic incentive programs.
28            (3)   Work in partnership with the department and all
29      relevant Commonwealth agencies in reviewing Federal and State
30      funding applications to ensure that the applications maximize

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 1    the opportunity to attract transformational economic
 2    development projects.
 3          (4)   Establish objectives and targets for the
 4    implementation of transformative economic development.
 5          (5)   Establish and monitor time-based standards for
 6    completion of each phase of a transformative economic
 7    development project.
 8          (6)   Work in partnership with the department and all
 9    relevant Commonwealth agencies and coordinate with the
10    Governor's Office to ensure that thorough due diligence is
11    performed for prioritized projects, which shall include:
12                (i)    Overall economic impact of the project.
13                (ii)    The validity of the project's business model
14          and likelihood of positive impact on an identified
15          priority industry or sector.
16                (iii)    The impact on communities that have been
17          disadvantaged and underserved.
18                (iv)    The strength of commitments for private
19          financing of the project.
20          (7)   Work in partnership with the department, all
21    relevant Commonwealth agencies and the Governor to develop an
22    overall economic development blueprint and strategy for this
23    Commonwealth in identifying key industries and sectors where
24    this Commonwealth has competitive advantages.
25          (8)   Employ a Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman to
26    coordinate policies and adjudicate disputes across
27    Commonwealth agencies in recognition of the critical social,
28    economic and workforce needs within the residential housing
29    industry.
30    (d)   Staffing and administration.--

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 1            (1)   The Governor shall appoint a Chief Transformation
 2      and Opportunity Officer of the office, who shall serve at the
 3      pleasure of the Governor and who shall coordinate the
 4      implementation and development of the responsibilities under
 5      subsection (c).
 6            (2)   The officer may hire staff, including economic
 7      development specialists, to perform the responsibilities
 8      assigned to the office under subsection (c).
 9            (3)   The officer shall report directly to the Governor,
10      and the office shall be housed within the Governor's Office.
11      (e)   Annual report.--
12            (1)   The office shall prepare and issue an annual report
13      to the Governor no later than December 31 of each year.
14            (2)   The annual report shall include an analysis and
15      examination of significant economic development opportunities
16      gained and lost by this Commonwealth within an identified
17      time period and recommendations for improvement.
18            (3)   The report shall be delivered to the Governor or the
19      Governor's designee.
20      (f)   Responsibilities of Commonwealth agencies.--All
21   Commonwealth agencies shall cooperate with and provide
22   assistance to the office with respect to its purpose and
23   responsibilities as provided under this act.
24      (g)   Construction.--
25            (1)   Nothing in this act shall be construed to impair or
26      otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive
27      department, agency, office, board, commission or council or
28      the head thereof.
29            (2)   This act is not intended to and does not create any
30      right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at

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 1      law or in equity by any party against the Commonwealth, its
 2      departments, agencies or entities, its officers, employees or
 3      agents or any other person.
 4   Section 4.    Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman.
 5      The Commonwealth Housing Ombudsman designated under section
 6   3(c)(8) shall:
 7          (1)    Coordinate and report on the activities undertaken
 8      by Commonwealth agencies related to residential construction
 9      permits.
10          (2)    Issue a report to the following summarizing work
11      performed under this act:
12                 (i)    The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
13          Urban Affairs and Housing Committee of the Senate.
14                 (ii)   The chairperson and minority chairperson of the
15          Housing and Community Development Committee of the House
16          of Representatives.
17          (3)    Facilitate and participate on the office's behalf in
18      discussions between units of State government, local
19      government and housing developers to assist with navigation
20      through permitting requirements and processes.
21          (4)    Evaluate if there are opportunities for the
22      Commonwealth to acquire land to further housing development
23      project opportunities.
24          (5)    Evaluate methods to improve the housing building
25      materials supply chain in this Commonwealth.
26          (6)    Gather and compile information on local permitting
27      and planning and zoning processes throughout this
28      Commonwealth and identify hurdles to timely housing
29      development in those processes.
30          (7)    Track the progress of housing development projects

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1      throughout this Commonwealth and provide periodic updates to
2      office leadership and the Governor's Office on housing
3      production in this Commonwealth.
4          (8)   Provide binding determinations on substantive
5      disputes between developers and Commonwealth agencies that
6      negatively impact housing development timelines.
7   Section 5.   Effective date.
8      This act shall take effect immediately.




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