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House Bill 369 would let municipalities of any size form land banks
Summary
House Bill 369, sponsored by Chairman Freeman, would remove the minimum population requirement so any municipality — alone or jointly — could form a land bank; municipal associations and the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association told the committee they support the change as a tool to reduce blight and encourage redevelopment.
Chairman Freeman’s House Bill 369 would change the definition of land‑bank jurisdiction to allow municipalities of any size to create land banks and to remove the population threshold that currently requires a jurisdiction to have at least 10,000 residents to establish a land bank.
Committee staff explained the bill would also remove the fewer‑than‑10,000 population requirement for two or more municipalities to jointly form a land bank and clarify that "municipality" would include optional plan and optional charter municipalities.
The committee heard that the bill has broad support from municipal associations and the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association. A passage read into the record from the authorities’ letter said in part: "land banks have proven to be an effective tool in communities for encouraging new development, improving public safety, and reducing blight. Providing local governments with the ability to acquire and manage abandoned or vacant properties helps to increase property values, reduce maintenance costs, and return properties to productive use."
Committee members voted to advance the bill by voice vote; Representative Wendy Fink was recorded as the lone negative vote.
Action details
- Motion to bring the bill forward: moved by Representative Probst; seconded by Representative Prokopiak. - Final committee action: bill advanced by voice vote; Representative Wendy Fink recorded as opposed.
What it would change
- Removes a population minimum (10,000 residents) for municipalities to establish land banks and removes the smaller‑municipality joint formation population restriction. - Clarifies municipal definitions to include optional plan and optional charter municipalities.
Next steps
The committee advanced the bill for further consideration.
