Harrisburg – Legislation sponsored by State Senator John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry) giving municipalities stronger enforcement over abandoned and dilapidated properties was approved by the Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee today.
Senate Bill 940 enables municipalities to issue condemnation orders on properties that are unfit for human habitation and structurally dangerous to adjacent properties and neighboring residents. Municipalities may file a condemnation order against these non-compliant properties with the county recorder of deeds office and demand corrective action. The order is to be considered a lien on the property and its validity would not be impacted by upset, judiciary, or repository sale of the property.
“Current law only applies condemnation orders against an owner, not the property, so if the condemned property is sold privately or through a judicial sale or county repository, local officials must expend significant time repeating their code enforcement process,” said DiSanto. “Blighted properties create unsafe public nuisance sites and depress community real estate values so it is critical we give municipalities the tools they need to hold derelict owners accountable and begin rebuilding our neighborhoods one block at a time.”
The County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs have expressed their support for this legislation. With committee passage, Senate Bill 940 moves to the full Senate for consideration.
CONTACT: Chuck Erdman cerdman@pasen.gov (717) 787-6801