Public Hearing and Post Agenda to focus on Land Banking Bill currently under consideration in City Council
Sent 01/29/2014 @ 10:53 am
Greetings Residents and Neighbors of District 6-
In late 2012, the State of Pennsylvania passed legislation authorizing municipalities to create land banks, entities that acquire, manage and dispose of vacant, abandoned and tax delinquent properties to facilitate their redevelopment and reuse.
City Council is currently reviewing an ordinance that would create a land bank for the City of Pittsburgh (to access a copy, click here). The legislation will forever change how real property and development are dealt with in Pittsburgh. In District 6, certain neighborhoods, such as the Hill District, Perry North and South, hold up to 50% of properties which would be eligible for the land bank.
Some key highlights in the bill include:
- The creation of a new authority in the City to manage the land bank
- The creation of a Mayoral controlled board to oversee the authority with no formal oversight or checks and balances from City Council
- The ability for the authority to seize any and all property they deem necessary including owner occupied, tax-delinquent property
- The lack of a process for formal community input
Given the significant impact this legislation will have on the City of Pittsburgh and in our District, it is important to inform ourselves of the bill’s provisions, its implications, and to discuss how it could be improved to better serve the interests of our communities. To this end, I encourage you to attend a Pubic Hearing being held on Thursday, February 6, at 1pm in Council Chambers to share your thoughts on the Land Bank bill. There will also be a Post Agenda on the subject the same day,February 6, 2pm in Council Chambers.
I look forward to seeing you there, as we work together to craft a bill that truly benefits the residents of our district and the greater City of Pittsburgh.
Sincerely,
R. Daniel Lavelle