Title
Amending Title 16 of The Philadelphia Code, relating to the "Public Property" by adding a new section 16-600 entitled "Development Districts" to grant the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Philadelphia the authority to create development districts that will waive the certain procedural challenges to condemnation within a development district, all under certain terms and conditions.
Body
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 16-600 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
TITLE 16. PUBLIC PROPERTY
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CHAPTER 16-600. DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS.
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§16-601. Legislative Findings.
The Council of the City of Philadelphia hereby finds that:
(1) In many of Philadelphia's neighborhoods, there are large numbers of vacant properties that blight neighborhoods and commercial corridors;
(2) These properties are frequently in private ownership and the owners cannot be determined or contacted;
(3) As a result, many of these properties remain magnets for criminal activity and bring down the quality of life in the neighborhoods that they exist;
(4) Current state law makes it difficult for a local agency to acquire and dispose of privately owned, vacant property.
(5) The current state mandated process of acquiring vacant property entails series of preemptory challenges that can delay the acquisition and disposition of vacant property in Philadelphia;
(6) A process that streamlines the acquisition and disposition process in certain areas that have large numbers of contiguous blight would allow for vacant properties to be redeveloped into a more productive use.
§16-602. Definitions.
(1) Condemn. To take, injure or destroy private property by authority of law for a public purpose.
(2) Condemnee. The owner of a property interest taken, injured or destroyed, but does not include a mortgagee, judgment creditor or other lienholder.
(3) Condemnor. The acquirin...
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