HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) \u2013 Pennsylvania lawmakers have advanced a bill named after the popular 1980s sitcom \u201cThe Golden Girls.\u201d<\/p>\n
In December 2025, Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia) introduced \u201cThe Golden Girls Law\u201d to prohibit arbitrary limits on the number of individuals living together who are not family.<\/p>\n
Close<\/a><\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Watch for us in your inbox.<\/p>\n Subscribe Now<\/p>\n The bill says the government can limit the number of individuals based on health and safety standards, including building and construction codes, fire regulations and water quality standards.<\/p>\n On Monday, the Pennsylvania House Housing and Community Development Committee advanced Khan\u2019s bill 19-7, with all 14 Democrats and five Republicans voting in favor.<\/p>\n Khan said the bill is necessary to combat rising housing costs and limited availability in the housing market.<\/p>\n \u201cPennsylvania is short more than 265,000 affordable housing units,\u201d said Khan. \u201cAt the same time, some local occupancy limits restrict how many unrelated people can live together in one home. These limits drive up housing demand and prevent friends, workers, older adults, and families from saving money by sharing a place.\u201d<\/p>\n