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House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	February 22, 2017 10:05 AM
From:	Representative John Taylor
To:	All House members
Subject:	Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship

In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that would amend the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act to further improve upon the successes we are seeing across the state as a result of this law. Conservatorship is the court appointment of a third party to deal with blighted and abandoned property. The law went into effect in early 2009 and has been very popular since its enactment with cases filed in numerous counties, including Schuylkill, Butler, Centre, Columbia, Allegheny, and Philadelphia. Municipalities and community groups like the law because it helps them clean up dangerous and unsightly blighted neighborhoods. Eradicating blight helps increase the value of property in the vicinity. As with our last update in 2014 (Act 157), my legislation is based on input from practitioners using the law. Who better to tell us what they need than those doing the hard work in the field. Specifically, my bill will: Clarify the "conservator's or developer's fee ," where the owner elects to repair or sell the property pursuant to the conditional relief of the act. Enable an action that includes adjacent properties, where the properties each independently meet the conditions for appointment of a conservator. This consolidation will save the court, property owners and petitioners significant time and expense. Implement a call of the list for more efficient process because conservatorship actions require ongoing investigation and service attempts. Codify interior property inspections to improve evaluation of the conditions of blighted properties, facilitate the development of an accurate plan and improve judicial process. Qualify for conservatorship vacant lots that are consistently identified as being blighted. Specify that if the owner waives the hearing and elects conditional relief to sell the property or remediate the conditions of the property to a standard not lesser than the proposed conservator's proposed plan, the owner shall reimburse the petitioner for costs incurred. Please join me in supporting this important legislation.

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