West Chester to consider a blight fight in court
West Chester Borough is investigating a new state law that allows judges to wrest control of blighted properties from chronically negligent property owners. The Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act enacted last year allows a “party of interest” to petition the court to put control of a blighted property into the hands of an entity capable of fixing it. After a property is fixed, the court can order that it be sold. Revenues from the sale would go toward reimbursing court fees and repair costs. Once these and related costs are covered, the rest of the money would go to the property owner. Borough officials say they are unsure whether other Pennsylvania municipalities have tried this approach to combating blight. West Chester Zoning Chief Mike Perrone said he has identified five properties in the borough that he believes would qualify for court-appointed conservatorship.
Source: Daily Local; 6/16/09
