PA Launches Strategic Enforcement Initiative to Protect Home Care Workers' Rights

The Shapiro Administration has announced Standing Up for Home Care Workers, a new labor law enforcement initiative led by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry to protect home care workers from wage violations and ensure agencies comply with state labor laws.

This initiative will use proactive investigations, outreach efforts, and partnerships to address widespread concerns about unpaid wages and labor law violations in an industry where workers are particularly vulnerable.

State officials emphasized that home care workers are essential to helping seniors and people with disabilities remain independent, and the program aims to ensure they receive the full wages they are legally owed while holding noncompliant employers accountable. 

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Philadelphia Expected to See Uptick in Building Permits for New Rentals 

Philadelphia developers are seeking more building permits for new multifamily rental units than the last few years.

Experts attribute this increase largely to housing affordability challenges, as high home prices and mortgage rates are keeping many first-time buyers in the rental market longer and encouraging developers to build more apartments and other multifamily properties.

While Philadelphia remains predominantly a city of homeowners, the growth in rental development is raising questions about the city’s long-term housing landscape, particularly as rising home values may make homeownership less attainable for lower-income residents.

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Mural Arts Partner SEPTA with Philly Green Spaces 

The Getting to Green: Routes to Roots project from Mural Arts Philadelphia maps SEPTA routes to 35 parks and green spaces across the city, more than tripling the number featured in its previous edition.

This project also introduced a companion deck of park cards that provides information on amenities, transit access, and local stewardship groups, with some content translated into multiple languages to better serve immigrant and refugee communities.

Supported by partners including SEPTA and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, the initiative aims to make Philadelphia’s parks more accessible, encourage transit use, and connect residents with the city’s diverse green spaces.

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Building Community Data Capacity

Some researchers argue that communities are better able to improve outcomes, advocate for priorities, and hold institutions accountable when residents and organizations have the skills and resources to access, analyze, and use data effectively.

Drawing on lessons from the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP), this brief recommends that communities adopt comprehensive, place-based strategies for strengthening data capacity across sectors rather than relying on isolated efforts.

The Urban Institute exlpores collaborative approaches that engage data users and providers, recognize existing community expertise, assess local needs, and ensure that data-capacity investments equitably benefit a broad range of residents and organizations.



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Traditional Labor Market Data Isn’t Keeping Up with Jobs in the Frontier Economy

Traditional government labor market datasets often fail to capture the jobs and industries emerging from technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, and advanced energy systems.

There are several data blind spots, including the difficulty of classifying new industries, the tendency to overlook supply-chain jobs that support emerging sectors, and the inability of existing occupational categories to reflect newly created roles with specialized skill requirements.

Brookings Research explains recommendations that policymakers, educators, and workforce development leaders can use to supplement traditional labor statistics with newer data sources and strategies to better identify workforce needs and prepare workers for opportunities in the rapidly evolving “frontier economy.”

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Energy Affordability for Low-Income Households: Status and Trends 

Recent research finds that rising energy costs are placing increasing financial strain on low-income households across the United States, with 48 of 50 states experiencing high or severely high energy burdens based on the share of income spent on electricity and natural gas bills.

The analysis shows that in 30 states, energy costs grew faster than income between 2020 and 2025, and in 25 states, including Texas, California, and New York, low-income households face a combination of high energy burdens, rising utility costs, and incomes that are not keeping pace.

The Bipartisan Policy Center explains how energy affordability challenges vary significantly by state and region, requiring tailored policy solutions from utilities, regulators, and policymakers to help maintain affordable and reliable energy access.



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