Comcast is expanding its fiber network to more than 5,000 residents and businesses in Amity Township.

The Lehigh Valley’s median renter qualifies as cost burdened when it comes to housing these days, as affordability plummets. Households are considered cost burdened when they spend more than 30% of their income on rent, mortgage and other housing needs.

Awards totaling more than $44.2 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits, more than $20 million in National Housing Trust Funds for the construction of 1,459 affordable multifamily rental units in Pennsylvania, and more than $9 million in PennHOMES funding, were announced by Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday.

State Sen. Judy Schwank announced $20.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant funding for seven projects in her 11th Senatorial District.

Bethlehem-based New Bethany Ministries is expanding its presence in Bethlehem Area School District to provide support and resources for homeless children and youth.

Fewer and fewer houses listed for sale are receiving multiple offers, real estate brokerage company Redfin reported, confirming what local agents are seeing as well.

Pennsylvania’s median home sales price climbed to $219,154 in July, up almost $3,000 from June, according to a report prepared for the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors.

With rising mortgage rates and record-high sales prices the housing market was cooling in the Lehigh Valley during July. 

For the first time since April, the 30-year mortgage rate average has fallen under 5%. Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, released Thursday, showed the average for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage was down to 4.99%.

Gov. Tom Wolf announced 245 housing and community development projects in 67 counties that will receive funding through the Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund.