Brown to Host Voting Meeting and Press Conference on Blight Bill Package
WHAT: Rep. Rosemary M. Brown (R- Monroe/Pike), majority chairwoman of the House Urban Affairs Committee, will host a voting meeting and press conference on a package of bills designed to combat blight across the Commonwealth. The package will include the following bills:
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House Bill 2329, sponsored by Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster), would create a state blight data collection system.
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Senate Bill 439, sponsored by Sen. David Argall (R-Berks/Schuylkill), would continue the County Demolition Funding Program.
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House Bill 1791, sponsored by Rep. Tim Twardzik (R-Schuylkill), would authorize municipalities to create a vacant and blight property registration program.
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House Bill 1827, sponsored by Rep. Robert Merski (D-Erie), would establish the Municipal Property Maintenance Code Assistance Fund, creating a grant program for municipalities to establish code enforcement programs and hire code enforcement personnel.
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House Bill 2209, sponsored by Rep. Abby Major (R-Armstrong/Butler/Indiana), would allow a land bank board to establish a virtual quorum via internet platform to conduct a board meeting.
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House Bill 960, sponsored by Rep. Robert Freeman (D-Northampton), would expand the powers of land banks to enter partnerships with organizations in the private sector to create local solutions to address the lack of housing for the homeless population within their communities and would exempt land bank transactions from both state and local realty transfer taxes.
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House Bill 2210, sponsored by Rep. Tracy Pennycuick (R-Montgomery), would add a provision to the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act for a land bank to be appointed conservator.
WHO: Brown and members of the committee.
WHEN: Tuesday, April 12, at 9:30 a.m. The press conference is set to begin immediately after. Attendees can expect a tentative start time of 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Both events will take place in the Ryan Office Building located at
501 N. 3rd St., Harrisburg. The voting meeting will take place in 205 Ryan Office Building. The press conference will be held in the Ryan Rotunda.
LIVESTREAMING: Barring any technical difficulties the meeting and press conference will be livestreamed at
repbrown.com/livestreams.
Media contact: Michelle Swab, 717.260.6325,
mswab@pahousegop.com