THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY ARGALL, YAW, WASHINGTON, HUGHES, BOSCOLA, RAFFERTY, O'PAKE, TARTAGLIONE AND KASUNIC, JUNE 26, 2009

REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, JUNE 26, 2009  

A RESOLUTION

Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to

complete a study and cost analysis of the implementation of a

Statewide blighted property database and report its findings,

conclusions and recommendations to the Senate.

WHEREAS, The issue of neighborhood blight impacts every

corner of this Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Individuals who own blighted properties often leave

them and move on and victimize other communities in this

Commonwealth by not maintaining the real property that they own;

and

WHEREAS, A Statewide blighted property database maintained by

the Commonwealth would help to mitigate the impact of blighted

property owners by giving municipalities the ability to identify

blighted property owners in other parts of this Commonwealth;

and

WHEREAS, The Statewide blighted property database could be

used by municipalities to deny individuals local permits for one

or more properties if the individuals have a record of owning

one or more blighted properties, as well as a history of not

maintaining those properties; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

complete a study and cost analysis of the implementation of a

Statewide blighted property database; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

submit to the Senate a recommendation on which State agency

would best operate and maintain a Statewide blighted property

database; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee

report its findings to the Senate no later than three months

from the adoption of this resolution.