Blighted Property Review Committee

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Blighted Property Review
Committee
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What is the BPRC?

• The Blighted Property Review Committee promotes
  the reuse of and reinvestment in properties in
  the City of Reading

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Who is on the BPRC?

• The BPRC Members
• City Council - Steve Fuhs
• Redevelopment Authority David Johnson Dan
  Luckey
• Planning Commission Wayne Bealer
• Mayors Designee Lee Olsen, AIA, NCARB
• Citizens at Large Rev. Mary Wolfe
  Manuel Candelario
• BPRC Staff
• City Council Office Linda Kelleher CMC, City
  Clerk
• CD Department Dan Wright Housing, Specialist
• Planning Office - Andrew Miller, City Planner
• Trades Office Steve Franco, Chief Building
  Inspector

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BPRC

• Implemented under the provisions of Federal Urban
  Redevelopment Law
• Established by City Council Oct 23, 2006,
  sponsored by Councilor Steve Fuhs
• Replaces the Vacant Property Review Committee,
  established in 1986
• Composed of representatives from City Council,
  the Planning Commission, the Redevelopment
  Authority, a representative of the Mayor and at
  large citizens

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What is a Blighted Property?

• Any property that is regarded or declared a
  public nuisance and unfit for human habitation
• Any property without functioning utilities
• Any unoccupied property that is tax delinquent
  for a 2 year period
• Any property receiving a notice to rehabilitate
  and failing to take corrective action within 12
  months

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The BPRC Process

• Identify and rate the blighted properties within
  the City, using the 8 definitions of blight from
  the BPRC Ordinance
• BPRC selects individual properties, a target
  neighborhood and a target area, targeting
  approximately 20-25 blighted properties at least
  one time per year
• City Building Official mails inspection notices

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BPRC Process continued

• After the inspection the Building Official mails
  a notice to the owner directing that the
  identified problems be corrected. Blight Notices
  mailed to owner 60 days after the inspection
• Determination of Blight letters mailed to
  property owners owner has 90 days to rehab

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BPRC Process continued

• Properties out of compliance after 4 months are
  referred to Determination Hearing owner has 60
  days to comply
• Lack of compliance moves the property to a Blight
  Certification Hearing by the BPRC those
  results are certified by the Planning Commission
• Property moves to the Redevelopment Authority and
  the Eminent Domain process begins.

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• Any premise which because of physical condition
  or use is regarded as a public nuisance at common
  law, or has been declared a public nuisance in
  accordance with the local housing, building,
  plumbing, fire and related codes.
• Any premise which because of physical condition,
  use or occupancy is considered an attractive
  nuisance to children, including but not limited
  to abandoned wells, shafts, basements,
  excavations, and unsafe fences or structures.
• Any dwelling which because of its dilapidated,
  unsanitary, unsafe, vermin infested state or
  because of its lacking in the facilities and
  equipment required by the housing or building
  codes of the municipality, has been designated by
  the department responsible for enforcement of the
  code as unfit for human habitation.
• Any structure which is a fire hazard, or is
  otherwise dangerous to the safety of persons or
  property.
• Any structure, from which utilities, plumbing,
  heating, sewerage or other facilities have been
  disconnected, destroyed, removed, or rendered
  ineffective so that the property is unfit for its
  intended use.
• Any vacant or unimproved lot or parcel of ground
  in a predominantly built-up neighborhood, which
  by reason or neglect or lack of maintenance has
  become a place for accumulation of trash and
  debris, or a haven for rodents or other vermin.
• Any unoccupied property which has been tax
  delinquent for a period of two years prior to the
  effective date of this act, and those in the
  future having a two year tax delinquency.
• Any property which is vacant but not tax
  delinquent, which has not been rehabilitated
  within one year of the receipt of notice to
  rehabilitate from the appropriate code
  enforcement agency.
• Any abandoned property. A property shall be
  considered abandoned if
• it is a vacant or unimproved lot or parcel of
  ground on which a municipal lien for the cost of
  demolition of any structure located on the
  property remains unpaid for a period of six
  months
• it is a vacant property or vacant or unimproved
  lot or parcel of ground on which the total of
  municipal liens on the property for tax or any
  other type of claim of the municipality are in
  excess of 150 of the fair market value of the
  property as established by any body with legal
  authority to determine the taxable value of the
  property or
• the property has been declared abandoned by the
  owner, including, an estate that is in possession
  of the property.

• 118 W Elm St, Reading, PA 19601

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BPRC Target Area

• Target area selected by
• Review of Blighted Property Map
• City redevelopment plans
• Proximity to stabilized neighborhoods/areas
• Buttonwood Gateway- Goggleworks area
• 16 properties
• Washington St Buttonwood St
• North 3rd Street to Schuylkill Avenue

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BPRC Target Neighborhood

• Target Neighborhood selected by
• Review of Blighted Property Map
• Neighborhood needs parking, recreation, etc.
• Proximity to stabilized neighborhoods
• Recent issues-conditions identified by Codes
  Office
• 600 block of North Front Street
• 2 properties

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BPRC Target Properties

• Individual Target Properties selected by
• Review of Blighted Property Map
• Located in high traffic area or create blight in
  stable block
• 3 Penn Street Properties targeted

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Reuse Plan

• Determined by Planning Commission
• Rehabilitate
• Demolish and Rebuild
• Demolish and Reuse (parking lot, park, etc.)

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BPRC Committees

• The BPRC created 4 subcommittees to assist in
• Grant Funding Lee Olsen, AIA, NCARB, Chair
• Education Manuel Candelario, Chair
• Codes Wayne Bealer, Chair
• Research Rev Mary Wolfe, Chair
• Committee Chairs can invite other community
  members to assist them with their assigned
  committee

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BPRC Initiatives

• While the BPRC is working to address and correct
  problem properties, they recently identified a
  way to recognize responsible property owners. The
  BPRC recently decided to introduce the Properties
  of Merit program to the City of Reading.

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Properties of Merit -
POM

• POM programs are based on the broken windows
  theory which argues that if left unchecked minor
  nuisances become
• major problems. Thus if you publicly
• recognize property owners who maintain
• their properties others may also seek that
• public recognition

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POM Programs

• POM programs are not silver bullet, heavily
  funded solutions. POM programs apply simple and
  adaptable actions designed
• on the basic principles of community
  revitalization and improvement and
• are executed on an annual basis
• by volunteer citizens.

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POM

• POM has a partnership with Home Depot, who
  contributes approximately 6,000 in home
  improvement materials and discounts annually to
  participating communities. Home Depot is
  encouraging a Reading based program

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POM Programs

• Other communities where
• POM is at work
• Allentown
• Erie
• Farrell/Sharon
• Penbrook
• Philadelphia
• Harrisburg
• Scranton/Wilkes Barre
• Williamsport
• Pittsburgh

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BPRC Meetings

• The BPRC currently meets on the
• 3rd Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.
• in the Council Office