James Malone notes that this is one of those issues that has snuck up on a lot of people — including communities like Lancaster County that didn’t use to think of housing affordability as their problem. It is now.
Lancaster County is a desirable place to live. Malone believes that’s a good thing because it means people want to be here. But he warns it also means that if the community doesn’t get ahead of the housing shortage, it will price out the very people who make Lancaster County work: teachers, nurses, tradespeople, and young families just starting out.
- Housing inventory across the county is too low, and what’s available is increasingly out of reach for working families.
- Young people who grew up here can’t afford to stay, and seniors on fixed incomes are being squeezed. Malone emphasizes that this is simply not the kind of community Lancaster County wants to be.
- The regulatory and permitting environment makes it harder and more expensive to build, which keeps supply low and costs high.
In Harrisburg, Malone will push for:
- State investment in affordable housing programs that reach working families — not just the very lowest income brackets, but teachers, first responders, and young families.
- Streamlining the permitting process so it’s easier and less costly to build the kinds of homes people actually need.
- Policies that help seniors stay in their homes and communities rather than being forced out by rising costs.
As mayor, Malone dealt with these issues directly at the local level. He understands exactly how state policy translates into community outcomes, and housing is an issue he brings both deep practical experience and genuine urgency to.
