HB 1020 — An Act amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in neighborhood blight reclamation and revitalization, further providing for definitions and providing for vacant and blighted property registration; and imposing penalties.

PRINTER'S NO.   1100

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1020
                                                  Session of
                                                    2025

     INTRODUCED BY TWARDZIK, POWELL, RABB, KHAN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ AND
        NEILSON, MARCH 24, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
        MARCH 24, 2025


                                     AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in neighborhood blight reclamation and
 3      revitalization, further providing for definitions and
 4      providing for vacant and blighted property registration; and
 5      imposing penalties.
 6      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 7   hereby enacts as follows:
 8      Section 1.    Section 6103 of Title 53 of the Pennsylvania
 9   Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a definition to read:
10   § 6103.    Definitions.
11      The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
12   shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13   context clearly indicates otherwise:
14      * * *
15      "Vacant and blighted property."       A blighted property that is
16   vacant.
17      Section 2.    Section 6141 of Title 53 is amended to read:
18   § 6141.    [(Reserved).]   Vacant and blighted property
19                registration.
 1      (a)   Authorization.--
 2            (1)   A municipality may impose and collect, by ordinance,
 3      a vacant and blighted property registration fee consistent
 4      with this section on properties deemed vacant and blighted.
 5            (2)   A municipality choosing to enact an ordinance under
 6      paragraph (1) may contract with a third-party entity to
 7      execute the vacant and blighted property registry and to
 8      collect the registration fees and fines allowed under this
 9      chapter.
10            (3)   A municipality with a vacant and blighted property
11      registration ordinance in place prior to the effective date
12      of this subsection shall not be required to amend the
13      ordinance to comply with the provisions of this section.
14            (4)   A municipality with an existing program for vacant
15      and blighted property registration may continue to operate
16      the program without impacting any other law authorizing the
17      municipality to regulate vacant or blighted property.
18            (5)   A municipality that elects to impose an ordinance
19      under paragraph (1) shall establish a process for the removal
20      of properties from the registry and shall disclose the
21      process for removal to the property owner at the time of
22      listing, including any requirement to bring the property up
23      to municipal code existing under other applicable State law.
24      (b)   Listing required.--A municipality that elects to impose
25   and collect a registration fee under this section shall compile
26   and maintain a vacant and blighted properties list that
27   identifies by address and owner all vacant and blighted
28   properties in the municipality. Each listing shall contain the
29   date each vacant and blighted property was listed.
30      (c)   Amount of registration fee.--A registration fee shall be

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 1   imposed on the owner of a vacant and blighted property for each
 2   year that the vacant and blighted property is not in compliance
 3   with the municipal code, subject to the following:
 4            (1)   If the property owner brings the property into
 5      compliance with the municipal code within 12 months or sells
 6      the property to an entity that brings the property into
 7      compliance with the municipal code, the fee shall be waived
 8      in accordance with section 3 of the act of December 20, 2000
 9      (P.L.724, No.99), known as the Municipal Code and Ordinance
10      Compliance Act.
11            (2)   The fee shall be $500 one year from the date on
12      which the property was listed on the registry.
13            (3)   The fee shall be $1,000 two years from the date on
14      which the property was listed on the registry.
15            (4)   The fee shall be $2,000 three and four years from
16      the date on which the property was listed on the registry.
17            (5)   The fee shall be $3,500 five through eight years
18      from the date on which the property was listed on the
19      registry.
20            (6)   The fee shall be $5,000 nine or more years from the
21      date on which the property was listed on the registry.
22            (7)   Property owned by the Federal or State Government or
23      a county, municipality, redevelopment authority, housing
24      authority or land bank, including one of their
25      instrumentalities, which is required to register under this
26      section is exempt from the registration fees under this
27      subsection.
28      (d)   Exempt vacant and blighted properties.--A vacant and
29   blighted property shall be exempt from inclusion on the vacant
30   and blighted properties list under subsection (b), except as

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 1   otherwise provided in paragraph (3), and from the registration
 2   fees under subsection (c) if the vacant and blighted property
 3   is:
 4             (1)   Under active construction or undergoing active
 5         rehabilitation, renovation or repair and a permit to make the
 6         property fit for human occupancy was issued, renewed or
 7         extended within 12 months of the required registration date.
 8             (2)   In compliance with all Federal, State and local laws
 9         and the owner or the owner's agent has been actively seeking
10         in good faith to rent or sell the property. The time frame
11         for rent or sale may not exceed:
12                   (i)    one year from the initial listing, offer or
13             advertisement of sale, in the case of a residential
14             property;
15                   (ii)    two years from the initial listing, offer or
16             advertisement of sale, in the case of a commercial
17             property; or
18                   (iii)    one year from the initial listing, offer or
19             advertisement to rent, provided that any leased property
20             exempt under this paragraph has a valid certificate of
21             occupancy from the municipality.
22             (3)   Exempted by the municipality upon a showing of
23         economic hardship by the owner and that the owner is working
24         with the municipality to bring the property into compliance
25         with all Federal, State and local codes. An exemption under
26         this paragraph shall be subject to the following provisions:
27                   (i)    The exemption may be granted for a time frame
28             not to exceed 12 months from the required registration
29             date, subject to renewal on the basis of continuing
30             economic hardship. The municipality may withdraw the

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 1            exemption at any time.
 2                  (ii)    The exemption may be granted for a time frame
 3            not to exceed 24 months, if the property is subject to a
 4            probate proceeding or the title is the subject of
 5            litigation, not including a foreclosure of the right of
 6            redemption action.
 7                  (iii)   The exemption may be granted for a time frame
 8            not to exceed 12 months, if the property is subject to a
 9            pending application for a necessary approval for
10            development before State, regional or municipal planning
11            or zoning authorities and is maintained according to all
12            Federal, State and local laws.
13                  (iv)    The cumulative time frame for an exemption from
14            registration as provided under this paragraph for a
15            vacant and blighted property under the same,
16            substantially similar or related ownership shall not
17            exceed 36 consecutive months.
18            (4)   Owned by a member of the United States military
19      presently on active duty if the property is in compliance
20      with all Federal, State or local codes.
21      (e)   Right of appeal.--An ordinance adopted under this
22   section shall provide an opportunity for an appeal under 2
23   Pa.C.S. § 752 (relating to appeals) by the owner of property
24   that is deemed vacant and blighted property.
25      (f)   Penalties.--
26            (1)   An owner of vacant and blighted property who fails
27      to pay the registration fees required by this section shall
28      be assessed a penalty of $25 per day if the vacant and
29      blighted property is residential and $50 per day if the
30      vacant and blighted property is commercial or industrial for

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1     each day that the owner fails to pay the registration fee.
2     The owner shall also be subject to penalties assessed under
3     all other applicable Federal, State and local laws.
4         (2)   The amount of any unpaid fee authorized under this
5     section shall constitute a lien against the property and
6     shall be collected in the same manner as municipal claims by
7     the municipality.
8     Section 3.    This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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