Brentwood is fortunate to that, as the community has aged, its neighborhoods have remained stable and vibrant. Our Borough stridently uses every available tool to ensure that we retain this high quality-of-life for future generations of residents. In the spirit of this value, Brentwood Borough Council has adopted a vacant property registration ordinance to mitigate the negative impact of homes that unoccupied and in which maintenance has been deferred. Structures that are required to be registered under this initative, such as those that are subject to foreclosure action by a lender, are typically sold and rehabilitated after a relatively short period of time. However, despite their rarity within the community, these properties are a significant source of code enforcement complaints. Through this new program, the Borough will work to prevent these negative outcomes by performing a closer evaluation of property conditions while concurrently opening a line of communication with the party that is responsibile for management of the site.
Property registration is required for buildings that have not been occupied for at least 60 days under certain circumstances. If a building is vacant because it is actively being marketed for sale or lease, it is exempted from registration for as long as the site remains free of code violations. Consequently, if you are an owner-occupant who moves out of the Borough or a landlord who is between tenants, there is no mandate to enroll, providing that you do not permit the site to become a nuisance by failing to perform routine maintenance. Exemptions are also available for buildings that are under renovation and for which a building permit has been issued, as well as those homes that are vacated because the owner temporarily resides at an alternative address for a portion of the year (e.g. "snowbirding"). If the structure does not adhere to these criteria, then the property owner must submit a registration statement and a corresponding fee. If the subject property is a single-family home, then a charge of $125 will be assessed; the rate for multi-family and commercial buildings is set at $250. Any property owner who does not reside in Allegheny County must designate an individual who lives within this jurisdiction as its responsible agent. The owner or agent must contact the department within 30 days of registration to conduct an inspection.
To register a vacant property, please complete the form below.
2019-04-16
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