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Committee advances bill to fund local code enforcement, create state grant program
Summary
The committee reported House Bill 273 as amended, creating a state grant program administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development to help municipalities hire code enforcement officers; the bill passed the committee 14-12 after a technical amendment was adopted 26-0.
House members on the Housing & Community Development Committee reported House Bill 273 as amended out of committee by a 14-12 vote, advancing legislation that would let counties adopt code enforcement ordinances and create a state grant program to help municipalities hire and strengthen code enforcement staff.
Prime sponsor Representative Bob Mirsky told the committee the bill would create a grant program administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development to help municipalities hire new code enforcement officers and strengthen existing programs. "A municipality obtaining a grant must provide equal matching funds," Mirsky said, and the bill would limit a municipality to receiving the grant for three consecutive years.
Committee members said they framed the bill as a tool to fight blight. "Better code enforcement is considered a best practice in the fight against blight," Mirsky said, adding that the Statewide Blight Task Force has regularly discussed property-maintenance code enforcement as a tool to mitigate and prevent blight. Mirsky said removing or upgrading abandoned or structurally unsafe properties can "potentially transform them into new housing developments."
The committee adopted a technical amendment (amendment 00000029) that removes a serious-violation definition and an appropriation section; the amendment was adopted 26-0 on a motion by Representative Siegel, seconded by Representative Powell. After debate about whether the measure could permit county takeovers of municipal code authority, the committee voted 14-12 to report the bill as amended. A committee member speaking for the Republican caucus said they had concerns about counties taking over municipal code enforcement and indicated Republican members would not support the bill as it currently stands.
The action now moves the bill from committee; no floor action or effective dates were specified in the committee record. The bill text as discussed requires equal local matching funds and limits grants to three consecutive years per municipality.
Votes at the committee meeting: amendment 00000029 adopted 26-0; report of House Bill 273 as amended passed 14-12.
