Reading Administration wants to Charge Fee for Vacant Properties
Industry Update
February 14, 2022
Source: wfmz.com
Reading City Council heard a proposed plan Monday from the city administration that recommends all vacant homes be charged a registration fee.
Frank Denbowski, Mayor Eddie Moran’s chief of staff, said the city was looking at a 2% vacant property tax, but explained the city would have to charge the fee through a registration process since state law does not permit a city to implement such a tax.
Denbowski said council had a similar draft ordinance in 2008 which never went anywhere.
“It’s simply to protect the public health, safety and general welfare of our city,” Denbowski said. “The goal here is to encourage the restoration of properties to productive use. By having this vacant property registration process, we’d be able to identify vacant properties and have a system in place to try to encourage the restoration to make sure that they are safe buildings.”
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