PRINTER'S NO. 2509
No. 1843 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY BLACKWELL, WATERS, MYERS, M. O'BRIEN, GRUCELA,
BRENNAN, STABACK, HARPER, MANN, PRESTON, FRANKEL, KOTIK,
MELIO, LEVDANSKY, BELFANTI, CURRY, LONGIETTI, FABRIZIO,
WALKO, MURT, O'NEILL AND SIPTROTH, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON URBAN AFFAIRS, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), entitled, as
2 amended, "An act to promote public health, safety, morals,
3 and welfare by declaring the necessity of creating public
4 bodies, corporate and politic, to be known as housing
5 authorities to engage in slum clearance, and to undertake
6 projects, to provide dwelling accommodations for persons of
7 low income; providing for the organization of such housing
8 authorities; defining their powers and duties; providing for
9 the exercise of such powers, including the acquisition of
10 property by purchase, gift or eminent domain, the renting and
11 selling of property, and including borrowing money, issuing
12 bonds, and other obligations, and giving security therefor;
13 prescribing the remedies of obligees of housing authorities;
14 authorizing housing authorities to enter into agreements,
15 including agreements with the United States, the
16 Commonwealth, and political subdivisions and municipalities
17 thereof; defining the application of zoning, sanitary, and
18 building laws and regulations to projects built or maintained
19 by such housing authorities; exempting the property and
20 securities of such housing authorities from taxation; and
21 imposing duties and conferring powers upon the State Planning
22 Board, and certain other State officers and departments,"
23 further providing for rentals and tenants and for State aid;
24 and making an appropriation.
25 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
26 hereby enacts as follows:
27 Section 1. Section 13 of the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955,
28 No.265), known as the Housing Authorities Law, amended May 20,
1 1949 (P.L.1614, No.486), is amended to read:
2 Section 13. Establishment of Rentals and Selection of
3 Tenants.--An Authority may rent or lease dwelling accommodations
4 only to persons of low income and at rentals within their
5 financial reach. It may rent or lease to a tenant a dwelling
6 consisting of the number of rooms (but no greater number) which
7 it deems necessary to provide safe and sanitary accommodations
8 to the proposed occupants thereof without overcrowding. It shall
9 not accept any person as a tenant in any housing project if the
10 person or persons, who would occupy the dwelling, have an
11 aggregate annual income in excess of six times the annual rental
12 of the quarters to be furnished such person or persons. In
13 computing rental for the purpose of selecting tenants, there
14 shall be included in the rental the average annual cost, as
15 determined by the Authority, to the occupants of heat, water,
16 electricity, gas, cooking range, and other necessary services or
17 facilities, whether or not the charge for such services and
18 facilities is in fact included in the rental. Every Authority
19 shall file a schedule of its rental charges for dwelling
20 accommodations with the State Planning Board.
21 Each lease shall include a condition permitting a tenant to
22 rescind the lease without penalty upon verification by a law
23 enforcement agency that the tenant is required to vacate the
24 premises because of cooperation with the law enforcement agency.
25 Nothing contained in this or the preceding section shall be
26 construed as limiting the power of an Authority to vest in an
27 obligee the right, in the event of a default by the Authority,
28 to take possession of a housing project, or cause the
29 appointment of a receiver thereof, or acquire title thereto
30 through foreclosure proceedings, free from all the restrictions
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1 imposed by this or the preceding section.
2 Section 2. Section 22.1 of the act, added June 5, 1947
3 (P.L.449, No.203) is amended to read:
4 Section 22.1. Aid from State Government.--In addition to the
5 powers conferred upon an Authority by other provisions of this
6 act, an Authority is empowered to act as agent of the State, or
7 any of its instrumentalities or agencies, for the public
8 purposes set out in this act.
9 Further to effectuate the purposes and provisions of this
10 act, and in a manner requisite therefor, an Authority is
11 empowered to receive, accept or borrow any and all funds
12 appropriated, given, granted, loaned or donated to it, and to
13 receive and accept any real estate and appurtenances thereto
14 given, granted or donated to it by the State or any of its
15 instrumentalities.
16 At the end of each fiscal year, the Pennsylvania Commission
17 on Crime and Delinquency shall reimburse Authorities for rental
18 losses during that fiscal year due to lease rescission for
19 cooperation with law enforcement under section 13. If funds are
20 insufficient for full reimbursement, reimbursement shall be made
21 in proportion to losses suffered.
22 Section 3. The sum of $100,000, or as much thereof as may be
23 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Pennsylvania Commission
24 on Crime and Delinquency for the fiscal year July 1, 2007, to
25 June 30, 2008, to carry out the provisions of the amendment of
26 section 22.1 of the act.
27 Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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