Commissioners introduce ordinance to create Lawrence County demolition and rehabilitation fund under Act 48

The Lawrence County Board of Commissioners introduced proposed Ordinance No. 1 of 2025 on March 25, 2025. The ordinance—authorized by Pennsylvania Act 48 of 2024—would establish a county demolition and rehabilitation fund and impose a $250 fee collected from purchasers at real-estate tax sales and judicial (sheriff) sales. The board introduced the ordinance and tabled it for final consideration at a future meeting (advertised public comment period runs through April 8, 2025, with final passage anticipated April 8).

According to Planning Director Amy McKinney, the Act 48 authority permits counties to collect a fee from buyers at tax-claim and sheriff sales and use the revenue for demolition or rehabilitation of blighted properties. McKinney told the board the ordinance expands flexibility beyond existing county funds that were limited to demolition-only or specific housing uses.

“This gives us a little bit of wiggle room where we can do both,” McKinney said on the record, referring to demolition and rehabilitation uses and the potential to create a revolving-loan program subject to statutory requirements.

Key points from the introduced ordinance and discussion

- Fee and collection: The ordinance would permit a $250 fee charged at the time of tax-claim purchases and sheriff-sale purchases; tax-claim and sheriff offices would collect the fee as part of sale settlements. - Permitted uses: Revenues may be used for demolition, rehabilitation, blight removal, and (if structured to meet act requirements) a revolving-loan program for rehab work. - Notice and process: A complete copy of the proposed ordinance is available at county offices; the ordinance is being advertised per the county-act notice requirements and will remain on the table until final vote (anticipated April 8, 2025). - Local coordination: McKinney said she had consulted the county solicitor, the sheriff and the tax-claim director; the county’s redevelopment authority and other partners were briefed and supportive.

Next steps and timeline

The board will accept public comments addressed to the commissioners’ chair at the county government center prior to the April 8 meeting, when the commissioners expect to consider final passage. If enacted, the ordinance would take effect no sooner than 90 days after its effective date as described in the ordinance language.

Ending

The proposed ordinance introduces a new local funding mechanism to address blight removal and rehabilitation; staff will accept public comment during the advertised period and return the ordinance for a final vote at the board’s April meeting.