2022 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 125 - REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY (68 PA.C.S.) - LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE, BOARD, POWERS, DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY AND EXEMPTION FROM REALTY TRANSFER TAX

Session of 2022

No. 2022-125

 

HB 2209

 

AN ACT

 

Amending Title 68 (Real and Personal Property) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in land banks, further providing for legislative findings and purpose, for board, for powers and for disposition of property and providing for exemption from realty transfer tax.

 

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

 

Section 1.  Section 2102 of Title 68 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding a paragraph to read:

§ 2102.  Legislative findings and purpose.

The General Assembly finds and declares that:

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(6)  Land banks, if used effectively, can be a powerful tool in the fight against homelessness. Using land banks to transform vacant, abandoned or tax-delinquent properties into housing facilities for homeless individuals provides tangible benefits to municipalities, including the restoration of blighted property and the ability to provide necessary resources to one of this Commonwealth's most vulnerable populations.

Section 2.  Section 2105(g)(2) of Title 68 is amended to read:

§ 2105.  Board.

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(g)  Meetings.--

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(2)  A majority of the board, excluding vacancies, constitutes a quorum. [Physical presence is required under this paragraph.] When a meeting is conducted through an Internet platform, a quorum may be established with a virtual presence of members or a combination of physical presence and virtual presence of members.

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Section 3.  Section 2107 of Title 68 is amended by adding a paragraph to read:

§ 2107.  Powers.

A land bank constitutes a public body, corporate and politic, exercising public powers of the Commonwealth necessary or appropriate to carry out this chapter, including the following powers:

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(16.1)  To enter into partnerships, joint ventures and other collaborative relationships with other entities, including private developers, for the conversion of vacant, abandoned, tax-delinquent or otherwise blighted property into housing facilities for homeless individuals.

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Section 4.  Section 2110(e)(1) of Title 68 is amended by adding a subparagraph to read:

§ 2110.  Disposition of property.

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(e)  Ranking of priorities.--

(1)  A land bank jurisdiction may establish a hierarchical ranking of priorities for the use of real property conveyed by a land bank, including use for:

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(i.1)  Housing for homeless individuals.

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Section 5.  Title 68 is amended by adding a section to read:

§ 2121.  Exemption from realty transfer tax.

A transfer of real property to or from a land bank shall be exempt from both the State and local realty transfer tax under Articles XI-C and XI-D of the act of March 4, 1971 (P.L.6, No.2), known as the Tax Reform Code of 1971, and section 301.1 of the act of December 31, 1965 (P.L.1257, No.511), known as The Local Tax Enabling Act.

Section 6.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

 

APPROVED--The 3rd day of November, A.D. 2022.

 

TOM WOLF