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Pennsylvania House of Representatives
12/13/2024 11:56 PM
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=H&SPick=20230&cosponId=40485
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House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: April 13, 2023 03:06 PM
From: Representative P. Michael Sturla
To: All House members
Subject: Blighted Property Database
 
The introduction of blighted properties onto a block, or a neighborhood, or a municipality can lead to a downward spiral of increased disinvestment. Conversely, the mitigation of these blighted properties can lead to economic development opportunities and other benefits such as:
  • Stabilizing and increasing the tax base
  • Supporting local construction and trades jobs
  • Maintaining the community fabric by retaining residents, businesses, and local jobs
  • Encouraging existing owners to make improvements to their properties
  • Creating new housing and retail
Blight affects all communities in Pennsylvania from former coal mining and steel towns to rural communities to our Main Streets in cities and boroughs. Yet, there is no database of blighted properties at the state or local level to aid local municipalities with the task of blight remediation.  As a result, blighted properties are easy targets for absentee landlords to simply hold the properties for future sale without rectifying the blight.

My legislation creates a statewide blight data collection system using property code violations. Managed by DCED, the Property Maintenance Code Violations Registry will be populated with property maintenance code violation reports filed by municipalities. Adding this new tool will allow municipalities, along with appropriate state agencies, to begin remediation of the blight and avoid having owners of blighted properties to continue the same practice in municipalities throughout the state.

I hope you will join me as a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation.



Introduced as HB1062


Memo Updated: April 13, 2023 03:07 PM