Recently introduced legislation would give municipalities stronger powers when combatting abandoned and dilapidated properties.
Senate Bill 940 would enable municipalities to issue condemnation orders against a non-compliant property. The orders would be filed with the county tax claim bureau and recorder of deeds.
Senate Bill 941 would require the disclosure of condemned properties in tax sale notices and would advise purchasers what is necessary to bring the property into compliance. Buyers would be required to sign a written agreement acknowledging they are aware fines and other enforcement remedies may be imposed for failure to comply with codes.
“Despite municipal officials’ best efforts at tackling blight, negligent owners often elude code violations and abandon their properties, creating a public nuisance that is unsafe and harmful to our communities,” Sen. John DiSanto (Dauphin/Perry), who introduced the bills, said. “Current law only applies condemnation orders against the owner, not the property, so if the condemned property is sold privately or through a judicial sale or county repository, local officials must start the enforcement process all over again.”
The bills are the result of input from city officials and industry experts at a blight roundtable discussion in Harrisburg and the work of the Statewide Blight Task Force.