Urban Affairs & Housing 2019-2020
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing committee met on Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing committee met on Tuesday, June 9, 2020 and took the following action:
Reported unanimously as amended:
SB 940, PN 1385 (DiSanto) – Amends the Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act to provide for the filing of condemnation orders against a property with the tax claim bureau and the recorder of deeds. Senator Pittman offered amendment A05802 which removes the language requiring municipalities to file condemnation orders with the tax claim bureau and designates the recorder of deeds as the sole agency permitted to record the order. It was updated from a previous amendment, A04766, which was redrafted to include language to clarify the use of the term “lien” so it is not in conflict with the Real Estate Tax Sale Law. This was in response to an issue CCAP pointed out. The amendment was unanimously approved.
Reported unanimously as committed:
SB 1045, PN 1550 (Argall) – Amends the Recorder of Deeds Fee Law to remove the 10-year sunset on the demolition fee enacted in Act 152 of 2016.
HB 896, PN 2087 (Caltagirone) – Amends the Neighborhood Assistance Program (authorized under the Tax Reform Code of 1971) to create a Homeless Housing Assistance program within land banks by offering a tax credit or participating businesses.
Reported as committed by a vote of 7-4:
HB 1860, PN 2940 (Longietti) – Amends the Urban Redevelopment Authority Act to allow municipalities of any populations and type (counties, cities, boroughs, townships, incorporated towns) to create a redevelopment authority.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, October 23, 2019 and took the following action:
Reported as committed by a vote of 8-3:
SB 329, PN 311 (Dinniman) – This 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, repair or maintain the property.
SB 334, PN 316 (Argall) – The bill amends Title 53 (Municipalities General) by eliminating spot appeals of property assessments in Pennsylvania.
Reported unanimously as committed:
HB 1578, PN 2044 (Helm) – This legislation amends portions of Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) governing common interest ownership communities (condos, real estate cooperatives and planned communities) to clarify existing consumer protection provisions.
The Senate Urban Affairs & Housing Committee met on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 and took the following action:
Reported unanimously as committed:
SB 31, PN 649 (Haywood) – This legislation amends the Housing Finance Agency Law Act of 1959 to remove the $25 million cap on Realty Transfer Tax revenues deposited into the PA Housing and Rehabilitation Enhancement (PHARE) fund.
SB 438, PN 416 (Brewster) – This legislation would amend the Real Estate Tax Sale Law by establishing a 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.
HB 407, PN 878 (Masser) – Amends Title 1, Section 1991 to create a standard definition for the term “blighted property”, which would apply whenever the term is used in any statute enacted after September 1, 1937, unless clearly stated otherwise.
Reported unanimously as amended:
SB 352, PN 342 (J. 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.
Senator J. Ward offered amendment A02002, which was a technical amendment to clarify the definition of “blighted property”. The amendment passed unanimously.
The Senate Urban Affairs and Housing Committee met on Wednesday, March 27, 2019 and took the following action:
Reported as Committed by unanimous vote:
SB 30, PN 474 (Killion) – The legislation creates the Pennsylvania Housing Tax Credit.
SB 174, PN 131 (Browne) – The Abandoned Property Tax Sale Act provides the process to remove or transform abandoned buildings within a municipality.
SB 309, PN 286 (Mensch) – The legislation would create the Pennsylvania First-Time Home Buyer Savings Account Act to allow an individual(s) to put up to $150,000 aside deductible from taxable income for the purchase of a single-family residence.
Senator Katie Muth
Committee Chair