Housing

This bill allows land banks to acquire blighted or abandoned properties under specific conditions. Municipalities must verify properties have been vacant/blighted for 5 years (with exceptions for unimproved land), have building code violations or tax delinquency, and send three certified mail notices to owners. Property owners can appeal by submitting a redevelopment plan with financing, architectural details, or developer contracts; if approved, they get 6-month extensions but must meet redevelopment timelines. Land banks must pay owners the property's appraised value minus fines or liens, directly affecting land banks, municipalities, and owners of distressed properties.

HB 472 amends Pennsylvania's vehicle code to support minors experiencing homelessness (defined as individuals under 18 meeting federal homelessness criteria under 42 U.S.C. § 11434A). It allows these minors to use temporary addresses (like schools or shelters) for license applications, substitute school/social worker signatures for parental/guardian signatures, and waive initial license/ID fees. The bill directly affects homeless youth under 18 seeking driver's licenses or learner's permits in Pennsylvania. Key provisions include updated definitions in Section 102, revised application requirements in Sections 1505(g), 1506(c), and 1507(a), and fee waivers in Sections 1510(k) and 1951(e).

HB 32 amends Pennsylvania's Taxpayer Relief Act to clarify income definitions for senior citizens' property tax and rent rebate programs. It specifically adds a temporary exception: seniors who were already eligible for rebates as of December 31, 2012, may retain eligibility if their household income limit is exceeded solely due to Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). This exception applies only to income increases from Social Security COLAs, not other income sources, and expires on December 31, 2016. The change directly affects seniors whose rebate eligibility was previously jeopardized by automatic Social Security payment increases.

HB 369 amends Pennsylvania's land bank law by updating two key definitions in the property code. It changes "land bank jurisdiction" to allow two or more small municipalities (each with fewer than 10,000 residents) to form a land bank together through an agreement. The bill also expands "municipality" to include home rule, optional plan, and optional charter municipalities. These changes clarify which local governments can establish land banks under current law. The bill takes effect 60 days after enactment.