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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 7, 2015 02:39 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Anthony M. DeLuca |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Blighted Property |
| In the near future, I will be introducing legislation to help municipalities fight blight in their neighborhoods. Too many of our municipalities have suffered adverse effects from the recent housing and financial crises. Many communities, particularly older neighborhoods, have seen a rise in home foreclosures. These foreclosures often result in homes becoming vacant, and in many cases, the properties fall into disrepair or become blight to the community. In 2010, the General Assembly passed act 90 known as the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act. Act 90 made significant steps to help municipalities fight blight in their neighborhoods. One of the provisions gave municipalities the ability to initiate in personam actions against property owners that have allowed their properties to fall into serious disrepair. This is a tool that makes it easier for municipalities to force blighted property owners to bring their properties up to code or face fines for violations. Unfortunately, Act 90 contained a major flaw; it treats mortgage lenders that have taken possession of a property, following a foreclosure, differently than it treats other owners. For instance, municipalities can’t file in personam actions to go after banks and other corporate lenders that refuse to maintain their foreclosed properties. Their only option is to attach a lien on a property, a lien that may take years to collect. In the meantime, our municipalities struggle to pay for the maintenance of these properties as they fall into disrepair and blight the community. Please join me as a co-sponsor of this legislation, and give municipalities the tools they need to fight blight in our communities. |
Introduced as HB434