PRINTER'S NO.  3904

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

2542

Session of

2012

  

  

INTRODUCED BY JAMES, BISHOP, BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, DALEY, DAVIS, GEORGE, JOSEPHS, PARKER, PAYTON, READSHAW, WATERS, WILLIAMS, YOUNGBLOOD, MYERS, V. BROWN, KIRKLAND, THOMAS, BROWNLEE AND WHEATLEY, JULY 2, 2012

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, JULY 2, 2012  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Allocating a percentage of the net proceeds from all unclaimed

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funds from sheriffs' sales of residential real property to

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the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for the purpose of

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assisting potential homebuyers with the financing and

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purchase of homes at sheriffs' sales; and establishing the

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Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance Fund and the

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Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance Program.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Short title.

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This act shall be known and may be cited as the Sheriffs'

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Sales Homeownership Assistance Act.

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Section 2.  Declaration of purpose.

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The General Assembly declares the following to be the

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purposes of this act:

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(1)  To assist potential homeowners with the financing,

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purchase and improvement of a home.

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(2)  To recognize that homeownership is a privilege which

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should not be reserved solely for the wealthy but should be

 


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available to working and middle class families who seek the

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joy and comfort which come with homeownership.

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(3)  To enhance the programs of the Pennsylvania Housing

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Finance Agency which include assisting families with the

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purchase of homes.

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Section 3.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Agency."  The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency of the

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Commonwealth.

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"Fund."  The Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance Fund

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established in section 4.

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"Program."  The Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance

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Program.

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"Unclaimed funds."  Funds acquired by a sheriff's sale of

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residential real property within this Commonwealth exceeding

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outstanding debt which is left unclaimed by the owner and that

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revert to the General Fund in accordance with Article XIII.1 of

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the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.343, No.176), known as The Fiscal

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Code.

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Section 4.  Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance Fund.

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Fifty percent of all unclaimed funds shall be deposited in

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the Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Assistance Fund, which is

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hereby established as a separate fund in the State Treasury. The

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moneys of the fund shall be used by the agency for the purpose

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of assisting potential sheriffs' sale owner-occupied homebuyers

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with the financing, purchase and improvement of a home.

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Section 5.  Sheriffs' Sales Homeownership Program.

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The agency shall use moneys in the fund for the Sheriffs'

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Sales Homeownership Program, which is hereby established. The

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program will consist of loan guarantees or other credit

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enhancement offered by the agency for the purpose of assisting

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families in this Commonwealth with the purchase and improvement

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of homes sold at sheriffs' sales. The agency may make advances

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or provide other means of guaranteed payment from the fund to

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qualified lenders for the purpose of guaranteeing, endorsing or

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acting as surety on mortgages and home improvement loans on such

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terms and conditions and according to regulations the agency

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shall prescribe consistent with the purposes of this act.

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Section 6.  Rules and procedures.

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(a)  Regulations.--The agency shall promulgate regulations to

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govern and administer mortgage and home improvement loan

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guarantees, credit enhancement or home improvement loans from

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the fund to qualified low-income or moderate-income buyers for

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the purchase of owner-occupied residential housing at sheriffs'

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sales or the improvement of owner-occupied residential real

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property purchased at sheriffs' sales.

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(b)  Distribution of funds.--The agency shall distribute the

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moneys in the fund in direct proportion to the county of their

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origin.

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(c)  Mortgage guarantees.--Mortgage guarantees administered

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under the auspices of the program may not exceed the lesser of

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actual purchase price or appraised value of the real property.

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(d)  Home improvement loans and loan guarantees.--

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(1)  Home improvement loans and loan guarantees

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administered under the program shall be used solely for

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improvements designed to assure compliance with United States

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Federal Housing Administration standards for safe dwellings

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or similar regulations promulgated by the agency.

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(2)  Necessary improvements shall be determined through

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the inspection of the applicable residence by an inspector

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qualified by the agency to perform such inspections.

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(e)  Other agency programs.--The agency shall attempt, to the

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fullest extent possible, to integrate the program with its other

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homeownership programs to enhance the success of all

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homeownership efforts.

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(f)  Administrative expense.--Investment and interest

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earnings on moneys in the fund may be used by the agency to

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cover the administrative costs of the program.

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Section 7.  Applicability.

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This act shall apply to sheriffs' sales of residential real

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property conducted on or after July 1 of the calendar year

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following the effective date of this act.

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Section 20.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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