HOUSE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 1033, 1137, 1503, PRINTER'S NO. 2631
1137
No. 962 Session of 1991
INTRODUCED BY GREENWOOD, JONES, HART, LAVALLE, HELFRICK, REIBMAN
AND ANDREZESKI, APRIL 12, 1991
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
NOVEMBER 23, 1992
AN ACT
1 Authorizing certain counties to increase the recording fees of
2 deeds and mortgages to support or enhance local affordable
3 housing efforts.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Optional
8 County Affordable Housing Funds Act.
9 Section 2. Legislative purpose.
10 The General Assembly intends to provide an alternative method
11 for county governments to raise revenues at the local level to
12 enable county residents to purchase or rent quality residential
13 housing.
14 Section 3. Definitions.
15 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
16 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
1 context clearly indicates otherwise:
2 "Affordable housing effort." Any program or project approved
3 by the county commissioners which increases the availability of
4 quality housing, either sales or rental, to any county resident
5 whose annual income is less than the median income of the
6 county.
7 "County." Any county of the second, second A, third, fourth,
8 fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth class. The term does not include
9 any county of the first class.
10 Section 4. Optional fee increases.
11 The county commissioners or the governing body of each
12 county, as defined in section 3, shall have the power and may,
13 by ordinance increase the fees charged by the recorder of deeds
14 for recording deeds and mortgages under the act of June 12, 1919
15 (P.L.476, No.240), referred to as the Second Class County
16 Recorder of Deeds Fee Law, and the act of April 8, 1982
17 (P.L.310, No.87), referred to as the Recorder of Deeds Fee Law.
18 The additional fees levied by the county commissioners shall not
19 exceed 100% of the amounts charged on the effective date of this
20 act.
21 Section 5. Disposition of proceeds.
22 All additional moneys raised under section 4 shall be
23 deposited in the general fund of the county and shall be
24 allocated as follows: <--
25 (1) A minimum of 60% or such higher amount as may be
26 determined by the county of the additional revenue shall be
27 set aside in a separate account to be used to fund affordable
28 housing efforts in the county. Fifteen percent of the amount
29 allocated under this paragraph may be used by the county for
30 the administrative costs associated with the affordable
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1 housing efforts.
2 (2) No more than 40% of the additional revenue may be
3 used for any county purpose. ALLOCATED AS FOLLOWS: A MINIMUM <--
4 OF 85% OR SUCH HIGHER AMOUNT AS MAY BE DETERMINED BY THE
5 COUNTY OF THE ADDITIONAL REVENUE SHALL BE SET ASIDE IN A
6 SEPARATE ACCOUNT TO BE USED TO FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
7 EFFORTS IN THE COUNTY. FIFTEEN PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT
8 ALLOCATED UNDER THIS PARAGRAPH MAY BE USED BY THE COUNTY FOR
9 THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE AFFORDABLE
10 HOUSING EFFORTS.
11 Section 6. Affordable housing efforts.
12 Affordable housing efforts may include, but shall not be
13 limited to:
14 (1) Providing local matching funds to secure National
15 Affordable Housing Act of 1990 HOME funds.
16 (2) Assisting or supporting housing efforts by the
17 Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency and by commercial banks
18 and thrift institutions.
19 (3) Supporting second soft mortgage programs.
20 Section 7. Effective date.
21 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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