Housing Task Force

Current Status

• The Patton Township Housing Task Force spent 2021 researching housing and brought its year-long report and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on October 27, 2021, to initiate a community wide discussion on housing issues
• The Patton Township Board of Supervisors directed the Planning Commission to evaluate the recommendations for implementation
• The Patton Township Planning Commission began to study the recommendations during the spring of 2021.
• The 2021 Patton Township Housing Task Force Report was featured in this July 13, 2022 statecollege.com article.

Report and Recommendations

View the 2021 Patton Township Housing Task Force Report (PDF). Kindly take note of Pages 46 to 53 of the report as this is where you will find the key information! 

The Task Force

Goal

The Task Force called on the community to come together to provide more attainable housing so that those who work here can afford to live here. This includes essential workers including those who work in health care, schools, grocery stores, retail, transportation, and others. It includes seniors who want to stay in the community they helped build as well as young professionals with families just starting out. 

Patton Township has demonstrated not only concern for the attainable housing challenge, but also in becoming a community that values diversity, equity, and inclusion – being an open community and a Place For All.

Purpose

To better understand the facts and challenges of providing more affordable and available (i.e., attainable) housing, the Patton Township Board of Supervisors voted in November 2020 to establish a Housing Task Force.

History

• The 18-member Task Force was comprised of township and regional planners, housing service providers, elected officials, realtors and real estate specialists, developers, and residents. Every resident who volunteered to serve was named to the Task Force
• Watch WTAJ's Local News Story on the Task Force Report
• Statement from the Task Force
• Going Forward
  • The group will continue to meet on a regular basis through 2022. It will provide updates on its research on the 2021 Patton Township Housing Task Force planning and zoning recommendations which include:
    • allowing accessory dwelling units that could act as naturally occurring affordable housing seamlessly integrated into existing neighborhoods, as well as expanding areas where duplexes are allowed
    • reducing parking minimums to save on development costs that would typically be passed on to buyers or renters
    • and adopting inclusionary zoning regulations tot gain new affordable units with new land development projects
  • The objective is to make changes that will diversify housing and better utilize existing infrastructure so that housing is attainable for people at various income levels, life stages, and abilities 

Learn More

• Resources:

  • Missing Middle Housing

  • National Low Income Housing Coalition: Out of Reach

  • Engineering, Planning & Zoning FAQs

  • Centre Regional Planning Agency (CRPA)
    • Introduction to Community Planning - Here you will find a wealth of information. Chapters 1, 6 and 10 covering an introduction to planning, the Comprehensive Plan, and Zoning, respectively could be of particular interest
• 3 Informational Videos - Posted Below

Get Involved

• Sign up for alerts! On the homepage you will see there is an option to “Create an Account” – this allows for a more custom experience
• There is also a button on the main page called “Alerts Sign Up” that will lead to a page named NotifyMe. This feature will allow users to select which email lists, meetings, etc. they’d like to be emailed about and may sign up for text alert notification reminders, too.
• You are also encouraged to follow the Township on social media. Facebook and Instagram: @pattontownship. The links are easily accessible on the homepage of our website.