Urban Affairs & Housing 2017-2018
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Tuesday, October 2, 2018 and took the following action:
Reported as Committed by unanimous vote:
SB 340, PN 374 (Browne) – The Abandoned Property Tax Sale Act provides the process to remove or transform abandoned buildings within a municipality.
SB 1185, PN 1986 (Killion) – The legislation creates the Pennsylvania Housing Tax Credit to incentivize private investment to create new and preserve existing affordable rental housing.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 and took the following action:
Reported as Committed by unanimous vote:
HB 2049, PN 3127 (Moul) – This legislation creates the Assistance and Service Animal Integrity Act that will permit landlords to ask for documentation of one’s disability if an individual request an exception to the housing policy prohibiting a certain type of animal. The bill also provides for penalties for misrepresentation as well as protects a landlord from being liable in the case of a service animal injuring someone.
Reported as Amended by unanimous vote:
HB 1499, PN 1919 (Keller) – This legislation amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) to update unit owners’ voting rights, election of the executive board, common elements, conveying of property and warranties relating to planned communities, condos and cooperatives to align them with standards that are already been enforced. Senator Fontana offered Amendment A07458 which is a technical amendment. Senator McGarrigle offered Amendment A07535 which changes the storm water management facilities and warranty time frame. Both amendments passed unanimously.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 and took the following action:
Reported as Committed by unanimous vote:
SB 735, PN 898 (Brewster) – This legislation would amend the Real Estate Tax Sale Law by establishing an optional County Demolition and Rehabilitation Fund in certain counties in which the fee assessed for each property sold for delinquent taxes would be used towards the demolition/rehabilitation of dilapidated buildings on blighted properties within that county.
SB 962, PN 1351 (Dinniman) – The legislation amends Title 53 (Municipalities Generally) by increasing penalties for code violations when the owner(s) of the blighted properties have received State funding to rehabilitate the property.
Senate Urban Affairs and Housing :: October 18, 2017
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Tuesday, October 18, 2017 and took action as follows:
Reported Out as Committed:
SB 851 (Argall): This legislation amends the Real Estate Tax Sale Law to clarify that the ownership responsibility of a delinquent property will remain with the owner of record until the property is actually sold and the deed is transferred to the new owner. The bill was reported out unanimously.
Reported Out as Amended:
SB 919 (Haywood): This legislation amends the Housing Authorities Law by allowing victims of domestic and sexual violence to request relocation to another unit under the Authority’s control. Senator Haywood offered Amendment A04016, which would allow an authority to prohibit an employee/agent of an authority to access confidential information unless authorized. The amendment and the bill were reported out unanimously.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Tuesday, June 27, 2017 and took action as follows:
Reported Out as Committed:
HB 653 (Masser): This legislation amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) to create a new chapter and subchapter that will be known as the Vacant and Abandoned Real Estate Foreclosure Act. The purpose of this bill is to accelerate the procedures for vacant and abandoned property in terms of foreclosures and reduce delays while maintaining the due process rights of property owners. The bill was reported out unanimously.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Monday, June 5, 2017, and took action as follows:
As Amended:
SB 446 (McGarrigle): This bill amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) to create Chapter 57 which would license drug and alcohol recovery houses. Sen. McGarrigle offered Amendment A01538, which makes technical changes to the bill. Sen. Street offered Amendment A01620, which provides for existing drug and alcohol recovery Houses to allow for 180 days for compliance. Both amendments were unanimously adopted and the bill was approved as amended, 11-0.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, May 24, 2017, and took action as follows:
As Amended:
SB 586 (Argall): The bill amends Title 53 (Municipalities General) by eliminating spot appeals of property assessments in Pennsylvania. The bill was approved, 9-3.
SB 667 (Stefano): This legislation amends the Urban Redevelopment Law to grant redevelopment authorities the same powers currently allotted to land banks through the Pennsylvania Lank Bank Act. Senator Fontana offered Amendment A01434, which ensures the changes to the Urban Redevelopment Law would apply to redevelopment authorities that transact with municipally-held land banks. The amendment and the bill as amended were adopted, unanimously.
HB 595 (R. Brown): This bill amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) to allow condo and cooperative the ability to seek assistance and investigation from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in the event of a violation by the declarant or the association in regards to a meeting, quorums, voting, proxies and association records occurring within these communities. The bill was approved, 11-1.
HB 758 (Ward): This legislation establishes the Tax Exemption and Mixed-Use Incentive Program Act. This program would allow local taxing authorities to provide for tax exemption incentives for improvements and new construction in deteriorated areas of communities including industrial, commercial, business and residential properties. The bill would also allow for mixed-use housing and development in accordance with zoning ordinances within designated areas. The bill was approved, 10-2.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, January 25, 2017 and took action as follows:
Reported Out as Committed:
SB 50 (Greenleaf): The legislation amends Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) by including in a property disclosure statement whether a property is located in a flood zone or wetlands and the frequency of its flooding history.
SB 51 (Greenleaf): The legislation amends The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951 to require a landlord to disclose a property’s flood history to a potential tenant.
Senator Wayne Fontana
Committee Chair