Jun. 19, 2018
Law sets up for a faster foreclosure process for vacant and abandoned properties
HARRISBURG – On June 19, Gov. Tom Wolf signed Rep. Kurt A. Masser’s (R-Columbia/Montour/Northumberland) anti-blight, community economic development legislation,
House Bill 653, into law as Act 32 of 2018.
“Blighted properties are a regular topic of conversation at every level of government, as they continue to plague so many boroughs, townships and cities, and I am glad the governor signed this important legislation into law which will significantly speed up the foreclosure timeframe,” Masser said.
Act 32 reduces the timeframe for foreclosure on abandoned and vacant properties by 240 days. The foreclosure process in Pennsylvania lasts from 300 to 540 days, during which time blighted properties continue to decay and to deplete municipal resources.
Specifically, Act 32 limits the use of expedited foreclosure process to vacant and abandoned properties. It establishes a process to certify a property as vacant and abandoned, either by a municipal code officer or through judicial certification, before an expedited foreclosure may commence. It also specifies the process a lender must follow when using expedited foreclosure on these properties.
“Studies show that these blighted properties tend to become prime locations for increased criminal activities, which compromises public safety,” Masser. “Further, the blighted properties are oftentimes physically hazardous, and are eyesores that eventually reduce the property value of other taxpaying households in the surrounding neighborhoods.”
This bill was the product of four years of work done by the bicameral, bipartisan Blight Task Force, which in addition to state legislators, included members of local government, the banking community and housing advocates. The task force also received testimony on the draft legislation in a joint hearing of the House Urban Affairs Committee and Senate Urban Affairs Committee.
Since 2009, eight states have enacted expedited foreclosure laws as a way to help local governments and responsible taxpayers maintain and rebuild their communities.
For information about Act 32 of 2018, or any other state-related issue, contact Masser’s district office in Elysburg located at 467 Industrial Park Road, by calling 570-648-8017. Information can also be found online at
RepMasser.com or
Facebook.com/RepMasser.
Representative Kurt A. Masser
107th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Contact: Krisinda Corbin
717.705.2032
kcorbin@pahousegop.com
RepMasser.com /
Facebook.com/RepMasser