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Philadelphia Repeals Tax Lien Provision Allowing Corporations to Buy Up City Commercial Properties at Discounted Prices

Official:Amending Chapter 19-1300 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Real Estate Taxes," by repealing Section 19-1305(4)(e)(7) related to the sale of tax liens, all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Council President Clarke

Introduced: October 29, 2015

: Committee on Finance

finance housing taxation

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2012–2015 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 repeals a provision related to the sale of tax liens on commercial property in Philadelphia, affecting how liens are assigned or transferred.

What This Bill Does

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

Repeals Section 19-1305(4)(e)(7) related to the sale of tax liens on commercial property in Philadelphia.
Removes the provision that prohibits the transfer or assignment of tax claims valued at less than $1,000.
Removes the provision that requires the Department to assign or transfer tax claims to third-party investors.
Allows the Department to assign or transfer real estate tax claims to third-party investors for an amount to be determined by the Department, under certain conditions.