Localmedium impact · 5/10substantive100313

Vacant Lots, Buildings Face Steep Fee Hikes as Council Tackles Blight on Philly Streets

Official:Amending Chapter 4-200.0, Subcode "A" (The Philadelphia Administrative Code) of Title 4 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Text of Subcodes," by amending Section A-906, entitled "Property Maintenance Code Fees," to provide for escalating licensing fees for owners of vacant lots, vacant buildings or vacant wharfs, under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Councilmember Clarke

Introduced: May 6, 2010

: Committee on Licenses and Inspections

housing land use procurement taxation

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2008–2011 Council term and when that term ran out. The public record shows no committee vote and no floor vote at any stage, so no member of Council ever went on record for or against it.

That is not unusual here. Of the 8,465 bills introduced between 2000 and 2025, 1,624 lapsed without a single recorded vote. Ninety percent of bills that became law carry a roll call. Three percent of lapsed bills do. How this works.

Plain-Language Summary

This bill proposes increasing licensing fees for owners of vacant lots and buildings in Philadelphia, with higher fees for longer periods of vacancy.

What This Bill Does

AI-written. Every figure is checked against the bill text.

Increases the annual license fee for owners of vacant lots, buildings, or wharfs in Philadelphia, with higher fees for longer periods of vacancy.
Establishes a fee structure with five tiers, based on the length of time the property has been vacant: * No fee for properties vacant for less than one year * $500 for properties vacant for at least one year but less than two years * $1,000 for properties vacant for at least two years but less than three years * $2,000 for properties vacant for at least three years but less than five years * $3,500 for properties vacant for at least five years
Applies these new fees to owners of vacant lots, buildings, and wharfs, but does not specify any exemptions or exceptions. 4.

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