HB 1151 — An Act providing for the Adjacent Neighbors' Bill of Rights.

PRINTER'S NO.     1271

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1151
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY HOHENSTEIN, ISAACSON, GALLAGHER, PIELLI, SANCHEZ,
        GIRAL, McNEILL, KENYATTA, HILL-EVANS, GUENST, PROKOPIAK,
        CERRATO, PARKER, NEILSON, DONAHUE, BRENNAN, D. WILLIAMS,
        MADDEN, MALAGARI, MAYES, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, WEBSTER AND FREEMAN,
        APRIL 4, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
        APRIL 4, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Providing for the Adjacent Neighbors' Bill of Rights.
 2      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 3   hereby enacts as follows:
 4   Section 1.   Short title.
 5      This act shall be known and may be cited as the Adjacent
 6   Neighbors' Bill of Rights Act.
 7   Section 2.   Definitions.
 8      The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
 9   have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
10   context clearly indicates otherwise:
11      "Department."    The Department of Labor and Industry of the
12   Commonwealth.
13      "Developer."    An entity undertaking the creation of real
14   property in this Commonwealth.
15   Section 3.   Powers and duties of department.
 1      (a)   Compilation and notice.--The department shall compile a
 2   list of the rights and available resources and do all of the
 3   following:
 4            (1)   Develop a pamphlet to be known as the "Adjacent
 5      Neighbors' Bill of Rights" advising homeowners who are
 6      adjacent to a property under development or construction of
 7      their rights and available resources in plain language and
 8      post the pamphlet on the department's publicly accessible
 9      Internet website.
10            (2)   Ensure that developers mail a copy of the pamphlet
11      to all homeowners who are adjacent to any property being
12      developed. The pamphlet must be mailed when the developer
13      applies for a permit for the development or construction.
14            (3)   Ensure that copies of the pamphlet are provided to
15      all State and local elected officials, community boards and
16      any other organizations deemed necessary by the department.
17      (b)   Contents of notice.--The pamphlet developed under this
18   section shall include the following, written in plain language,
19   and any other information added at the discretion of the
20   department, not inconsistent with the following:
21            (1)   The rights and remedies provided to homeowners in
22      this Commonwealth.
23            (2)   Guidelines for identifying and contacting competent
24      attorneys or structural engineers to represent an adjacent
25      homeowner before developers and the developer's
26      representatives and the services the attorneys or engineers
27      should provide to the homeowner.
28            (3)   An advisory on the availability of homeowners'
29      rights at the department to review plans submitted by
30      developers and further advise homeowners of their rights.

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 1        (4)    An advisory of a homeowner's right to an engineering
 2    survey, at the developer's expense, when a developer plans to
 3    perform underpinning or excavation or encroachments on a
 4    homeowner's property.
 5        (5)    An advisory stating the following:
 6               (i)    A developer is required to gain a homeowner's
 7        permission to access the homeowner's property.
 8               (ii)    A negotiated access license agreement or other
 9        agreement is required to specify the developer's
10        responsibilities, duration and scope of activities on the
11        homeowner's property.
12        (6)    An advisory on when a developer is required to
13    negotiate a license or party wall agreement with the
14    homeowner and that a homeowner should seek representation
15    from a construction attorney.
16        (7)    An advisory of a homeowner's right to compel a
17    developer through a party wall or license agreement,
18    including excavation or underpinning, to take protective
19    measures involving the party wall, including the installation
20    of crack gauges and vibration monitors.
21        (8)    An advisory that a homeowner may contact the
22    municipality to inquire about municipal noise ordinances or
23    appropriate development or construction hours. The advisory
24    shall include a list of municipality-approved development or
25    construction hours.
26        (9)    An advisory of a developer's obligations under State
27    law, rules or regulations to a homeowner for any damages to a
28    homeowner's property due to a developer's excavation or
29    underpinning.
30        (10)    Contact information and other resources within the

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1      department related to excavation and underpinning and
2      development plans and permits available to homeowners.
3   Section 4.   Effective date.
4      This act shall take effect in 60 days.




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