February 20, 2008
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 Anna Gustafson
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Senate Update
by
Senator James J. Rhoades

Blighted buildings, structures that have been neglected and abandoned by owners, present a number of problems in our communities. Slumlords leave their property in a state of gross disrepair, and the taxpayers often get stuck paying the cost to remediate these sites, as well as paying higher taxes to cover tax liens and unpaid utility bills. These abandoned buildings are often a breeding ground for illegal activities, and they also present a danger to our children who may play there.

To help combat blight in our area, I brought together the foremost authorities on housing issues in Pennsylvania to form the Blight Task Force. The Task Force recently issued their findings and recommendations, and I used this information to craft legislation that will help our communities eliminate these eyesores from our communities across the Commonwealth.

My legislation, the Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act, would give municipalities more tools to prosecute owners of blighted properties and more authority to seize the assets of negligent owners. The bill would clarify the identity of property owners and hold them responsible for the municipal costs to secure, remediate or demolish blighted structures, removing this burden from local taxpayers. It would also require property owners to bring any of their property that has serious code violations into compliance with the law before they could obtain any municipal or state permits or approvals for any other property they own in the Commonwealth.

The legislation would also take important steps to reduce and prevent blight in the future. The bill would allow a conservator to be appointed by the court to manage a property before it becomes blighted. The bill would also expand the ability of redevelopment authorities to assist municipalities with blight remediation, as well as requiring mortgage lenders to maintain properties where a default occurs until there is a new owner.

This comprehensive legislation will help to eliminate blight in our communities, and the members of the Blight Task Force deserve a great deal of credit for their dedicated work on this issue. I am confident that their hard work will be rewarded by seeing this legislation signed into law to protect our communities and hold the individuals responsible for blight accountable for their negligence.

Senator Rhoades represents the 29th Senatorial District, which includes all of Schuylkill County and parts of Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe and Northampton Counties.