Crafton Borough Council voted to join the TriCOG land bank and discussed how conservatorship, the county’s vacant‑property recovery program and other tools could be used to address abandoned or blighted properties.

Councilmembers and staff emphasized the borough’s goal is rehabilitation rather than demolition. The manager noted that over the last 13 years the borough has “knocked down more than 20 houses, and we've built 1,” and that tools like conservatorship and land‑bank processes can help keep houses on the tax rolls.

Staff reported they are refining a list of properties that could be candidates for conservatorship or other action; the borough’s updated tax‑delinquency list showed more than 200 properties in arrears, nuisance properties in the 20s or 30s, and a smaller set of roughly 10–20 properties that might move to the land bank or conservatorship process. The manager said the list changes frequently when properties are bought at sheriff’s sale or by private buyers.

Staff also described the county’s vacant‑property recovery program, which allows developers to acquire tax‑delinquent properties for rehabilitation at assessed value with liens cleared — a tool staff said can make redevelopment easier for private purchasers. Council members clarified that membership in the land bank requires school‑district approval, which council said was obtained and supportive.

Several residents raised questions about what land‑bank membership means for future buyers and whether the land‑bank representative compared Crafton to other communities; council said there has been some miscommunication and that TriCOG’s membership includes diverse communities with different needs. Council said most properties handled by land banks eventually are sold to private owners, and that the borough’s objective is to reduce blight while preserving housing stock and tax revenue.

Next steps: staff will continue to refine candidate property lists, publish information as appropriate, and bring any land‑bank or conservatorship proposals to council for approval before property actions occur.