Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PAWhat I DoAt Spotlight PA, I write about programs and policies to help renters, homeowners and small business owners — and whether they are working. ‘It shouldn’t be this difficult:’ Pa. homeowners desperate as mortgage aid struggles drag onPennsylvania promised fixes for a troubled mortgage relief program. Months later, problems persist, new challenges have emerged, and thousands of homeowners are still waiting for help.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Aug. 4, 2023Link copied to clipboardThousands of homeowners still at risk as Pa. alleges improper denials, delays in mortgage reliefA Spotlight PA investigation in January detailed major problems with the pandemic aid effort. The state now says the company hired to run it botched management of the program from the start.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 22, 2023Link copied to clipboardHow Pennsylvania homeowners can apply for mortgage and utility assistanceThe Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund can help people who fell behind on mortgage and utility bills because of the pandemic — but be prepared for a monthslong wait.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 26, 2023Link copied to clipboardHow to apply for a Pennsylvania property tax rebate or rent rebateLearn how to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s property tax rebate and rent rebate program, and a special one-time bonus approved this year.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 28, 2022Link copied to clipboardA fight over public records could threaten novel approach to broadband in rural PennsylvaniaOfficials in the Southern Alleghenies created a nonprofit to avoid a state law that makes it hard for local governments to build their own broadband networks. Now it faces an existential test.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 10, 2022Link copied to clipboardBudget report on Pa. education agency provokes spat between lawmakers, watchdogsThe Independent Fiscal Office’s finding that “there is little or no correlation” between spending on public schools and test scores raised eyebrows among Pennsylvania legislators.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 14, 2022Link copied to clipboardWhy $1 billion in rent relief isn’t keeping some Pa. tenants safe from evictionWhile a long-feared wave of evictions hasn’t come to pass, a lack of coordination between programs and courts leaves some renters in a pinch.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 20, 2021Link copied to clipboardPa. is sitting on billions in unclaimed property. This bill would get some of it back to its owners.State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has proposed legislation that would allow Pa. to automatically return some unclaimed money to people with no action required on their part.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA May 23, 2023Link copied to clipboardBudget negotiations will determine fate of shrinking rebate program for older PennsylvaniansThe number of people eligible for rent and property tax rebates will keep shrinking due to inflation unless Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state legislature can agree on a fix.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 7, 2023Link copied to clipboardThousands of Pa. homeowners feel stuck in a high-stakes game of telephone with their homes, vital utilities on the lineBacklogs and bottlenecks have dragged out wait times for a $350 million Pennsylvania mortgage relief program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2023Link copied to clipboardThousands of older Pennsylvanians at risk of losing property tax rebates because of legislative inactionState lawmakers approved a one-time bonus to this year’s rebates but repeatedly failed to address a deeper problem: the program’s steady decline.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 22, 2022Link copied to clipboardPennsylvania’s definition of broadband hasn’t changed in nearly 20 yearsPa. lawmakers passed up a chance to increase the speeds that qualify as broadband despite warnings that they would soon become obsolete.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 6, 2022Link copied to clipboardA massive Pa. corporate tax break lacks basic accountability, report findsThe failures are not the result of poor oversight, but rather an explicit effort by lawmakers to limit the information that is collected about the tax credit program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboardPhiladelphia set to run out of rental relief money in two weeks as it waits for federal fundsEven with another $35 million on the way, the city needs another $276 million to cover the pipeline of existing applications.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA and Michaelle Bond Sept. 30, 2021Link copied to clipboardSwitch to Pa.’s corporate filing system led to backlog and longer waits for business ownersThe delays caused problems for new businesses, which need the paperwork to open a bank account, enter contracts, and more.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA April 25, 2023Link copied to clipboardPa. takes over troubled mortgage relief program from contractor after complaints, backlogsOfficials in Pennsylvania have temporarily halted applications for mortgage, utility, and tax relief as they make the transition.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 1, 2023Link copied to clipboardPa. election 2022: Where governor candidates Mastriano, Shapiro stand on the gas tax, business regulations, and property taxesThere’s not much that Pennsylvania’s next governor can do to directly tackle inflation or its underlying causes, but he can help blunt the impact that rising prices has on residents.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboardNew maps will help decide where up to $1 billion in federal money goes for Pa. broadband expansionState and local officials are racing to make their own maps of broadband gaps in Pennsylvania, a process that will help dictate which areas in the state get priority access to funding.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 8, 2022Link copied to clipboardAn obscure state law could blunt the impact of up to $1 billion in federal funding for Pennsylvania’s broadband expansionFederal officials want the money to benefit publicly-owned networks, but Pa. law gives phone companies a “virtual veto.”Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 2, 2022Link copied to clipboardRenters in parts of Pa. shut out of rent relief as counties elsewhere sit on millions in unused aidThe inefficiency was caused by state lawmakers who chose to distribute most of the money by population rather than the actual number of renters in each county.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Dec. 8, 2021Link copied to clipboardSee more stories
‘It shouldn’t be this difficult:’ Pa. homeowners desperate as mortgage aid struggles drag onPennsylvania promised fixes for a troubled mortgage relief program. Months later, problems persist, new challenges have emerged, and thousands of homeowners are still waiting for help.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Aug. 4, 2023Link copied to clipboard
‘It shouldn’t be this difficult:’ Pa. homeowners desperate as mortgage aid struggles drag onPennsylvania promised fixes for a troubled mortgage relief program. Months later, problems persist, new challenges have emerged, and thousands of homeowners are still waiting for help.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Aug. 4, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of homeowners still at risk as Pa. alleges improper denials, delays in mortgage reliefA Spotlight PA investigation in January detailed major problems with the pandemic aid effort. The state now says the company hired to run it botched management of the program from the start.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 22, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of homeowners still at risk as Pa. alleges improper denials, delays in mortgage reliefA Spotlight PA investigation in January detailed major problems with the pandemic aid effort. The state now says the company hired to run it botched management of the program from the start.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 22, 2023Link copied to clipboard
How Pennsylvania homeowners can apply for mortgage and utility assistanceThe Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund can help people who fell behind on mortgage and utility bills because of the pandemic — but be prepared for a monthslong wait.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 26, 2023Link copied to clipboard
How Pennsylvania homeowners can apply for mortgage and utility assistanceThe Pennsylvania Homeowner Assistance Fund can help people who fell behind on mortgage and utility bills because of the pandemic — but be prepared for a monthslong wait.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 26, 2023Link copied to clipboard
How to apply for a Pennsylvania property tax rebate or rent rebateLearn how to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s property tax rebate and rent rebate program, and a special one-time bonus approved this year.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 28, 2022Link copied to clipboard
How to apply for a Pennsylvania property tax rebate or rent rebateLearn how to take advantage of Pennsylvania’s property tax rebate and rent rebate program, and a special one-time bonus approved this year.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 28, 2022Link copied to clipboard
A fight over public records could threaten novel approach to broadband in rural PennsylvaniaOfficials in the Southern Alleghenies created a nonprofit to avoid a state law that makes it hard for local governments to build their own broadband networks. Now it faces an existential test.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 10, 2022Link copied to clipboard
A fight over public records could threaten novel approach to broadband in rural PennsylvaniaOfficials in the Southern Alleghenies created a nonprofit to avoid a state law that makes it hard for local governments to build their own broadband networks. Now it faces an existential test.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 10, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Budget report on Pa. education agency provokes spat between lawmakers, watchdogsThe Independent Fiscal Office’s finding that “there is little or no correlation” between spending on public schools and test scores raised eyebrows among Pennsylvania legislators.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 14, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Budget report on Pa. education agency provokes spat between lawmakers, watchdogsThe Independent Fiscal Office’s finding that “there is little or no correlation” between spending on public schools and test scores raised eyebrows among Pennsylvania legislators.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 14, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Why $1 billion in rent relief isn’t keeping some Pa. tenants safe from evictionWhile a long-feared wave of evictions hasn’t come to pass, a lack of coordination between programs and courts leaves some renters in a pinch.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 20, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Why $1 billion in rent relief isn’t keeping some Pa. tenants safe from evictionWhile a long-feared wave of evictions hasn’t come to pass, a lack of coordination between programs and courts leaves some renters in a pinch.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 20, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Pa. is sitting on billions in unclaimed property. This bill would get some of it back to its owners.State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has proposed legislation that would allow Pa. to automatically return some unclaimed money to people with no action required on their part.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA May 23, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Pa. is sitting on billions in unclaimed property. This bill would get some of it back to its owners.State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has proposed legislation that would allow Pa. to automatically return some unclaimed money to people with no action required on their part.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA May 23, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Budget negotiations will determine fate of shrinking rebate program for older PennsylvaniansThe number of people eligible for rent and property tax rebates will keep shrinking due to inflation unless Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state legislature can agree on a fix.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 7, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Budget negotiations will determine fate of shrinking rebate program for older PennsylvaniansThe number of people eligible for rent and property tax rebates will keep shrinking due to inflation unless Gov. Josh Shapiro and the state legislature can agree on a fix.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA March 7, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of Pa. homeowners feel stuck in a high-stakes game of telephone with their homes, vital utilities on the lineBacklogs and bottlenecks have dragged out wait times for a $350 million Pennsylvania mortgage relief program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of Pa. homeowners feel stuck in a high-stakes game of telephone with their homes, vital utilities on the lineBacklogs and bottlenecks have dragged out wait times for a $350 million Pennsylvania mortgage relief program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 23, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of older Pennsylvanians at risk of losing property tax rebates because of legislative inactionState lawmakers approved a one-time bonus to this year’s rebates but repeatedly failed to address a deeper problem: the program’s steady decline.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 22, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Thousands of older Pennsylvanians at risk of losing property tax rebates because of legislative inactionState lawmakers approved a one-time bonus to this year’s rebates but repeatedly failed to address a deeper problem: the program’s steady decline.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 22, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Pennsylvania’s definition of broadband hasn’t changed in nearly 20 yearsPa. lawmakers passed up a chance to increase the speeds that qualify as broadband despite warnings that they would soon become obsolete.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 6, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Pennsylvania’s definition of broadband hasn’t changed in nearly 20 yearsPa. lawmakers passed up a chance to increase the speeds that qualify as broadband despite warnings that they would soon become obsolete.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 6, 2022Link copied to clipboard
A massive Pa. corporate tax break lacks basic accountability, report findsThe failures are not the result of poor oversight, but rather an explicit effort by lawmakers to limit the information that is collected about the tax credit program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboard
A massive Pa. corporate tax break lacks basic accountability, report findsThe failures are not the result of poor oversight, but rather an explicit effort by lawmakers to limit the information that is collected about the tax credit program.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Jan. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Philadelphia set to run out of rental relief money in two weeks as it waits for federal fundsEven with another $35 million on the way, the city needs another $276 million to cover the pipeline of existing applications.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA and Michaelle Bond Sept. 30, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Philadelphia set to run out of rental relief money in two weeks as it waits for federal fundsEven with another $35 million on the way, the city needs another $276 million to cover the pipeline of existing applications.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA and Michaelle Bond Sept. 30, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Switch to Pa.’s corporate filing system led to backlog and longer waits for business ownersThe delays caused problems for new businesses, which need the paperwork to open a bank account, enter contracts, and more.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA April 25, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Switch to Pa.’s corporate filing system led to backlog and longer waits for business ownersThe delays caused problems for new businesses, which need the paperwork to open a bank account, enter contracts, and more.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA April 25, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Pa. takes over troubled mortgage relief program from contractor after complaints, backlogsOfficials in Pennsylvania have temporarily halted applications for mortgage, utility, and tax relief as they make the transition.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 1, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Pa. takes over troubled mortgage relief program from contractor after complaints, backlogsOfficials in Pennsylvania have temporarily halted applications for mortgage, utility, and tax relief as they make the transition.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Feb. 1, 2023Link copied to clipboard
Pa. election 2022: Where governor candidates Mastriano, Shapiro stand on the gas tax, business regulations, and property taxesThere’s not much that Pennsylvania’s next governor can do to directly tackle inflation or its underlying causes, but he can help blunt the impact that rising prices has on residents.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Pa. election 2022: Where governor candidates Mastriano, Shapiro stand on the gas tax, business regulations, and property taxesThere’s not much that Pennsylvania’s next governor can do to directly tackle inflation or its underlying causes, but he can help blunt the impact that rising prices has on residents.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Oct. 25, 2022Link copied to clipboard
New maps will help decide where up to $1 billion in federal money goes for Pa. broadband expansionState and local officials are racing to make their own maps of broadband gaps in Pennsylvania, a process that will help dictate which areas in the state get priority access to funding.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 8, 2022Link copied to clipboard
New maps will help decide where up to $1 billion in federal money goes for Pa. broadband expansionState and local officials are racing to make their own maps of broadband gaps in Pennsylvania, a process that will help dictate which areas in the state get priority access to funding.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Sept. 8, 2022Link copied to clipboard
An obscure state law could blunt the impact of up to $1 billion in federal funding for Pennsylvania’s broadband expansionFederal officials want the money to benefit publicly-owned networks, but Pa. law gives phone companies a “virtual veto.”Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 2, 2022Link copied to clipboard
An obscure state law could blunt the impact of up to $1 billion in federal funding for Pennsylvania’s broadband expansionFederal officials want the money to benefit publicly-owned networks, but Pa. law gives phone companies a “virtual veto.”Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA June 2, 2022Link copied to clipboard
Renters in parts of Pa. shut out of rent relief as counties elsewhere sit on millions in unused aidThe inefficiency was caused by state lawmakers who chose to distribute most of the money by population rather than the actual number of renters in each county.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Dec. 8, 2021Link copied to clipboard
Renters in parts of Pa. shut out of rent relief as counties elsewhere sit on millions in unused aidThe inefficiency was caused by state lawmakers who chose to distribute most of the money by population rather than the actual number of renters in each county.Charlotte Keith of Spotlight PA Dec. 8, 2021Link copied to clipboard