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City Now Holds Veto Power Over Property Deeds Until Outstanding Taxes Are Paid Up

Official:Amending Chapter 2-200, entitled "Recording of Deeds," to prohibit the recording of any deed or instrument transferring title to real estate if delinquent payments are owed to the City; all under certain terms and conditions.

Sponsor: Council President Clarke

Introduced: February 2, 2017

: Committee on Finance

finance housing taxation

No one voted on this bill

This bill was introduced in the 2016–2019 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 prohibits recording a deed for real estate in Philadelphia if the seller owes delinquent payments to the City. The goal is to ensure that property transfers are done fairly and all debts are paid before changing ownership. Exemptions apply for certain types of deeds, such as those from sheriff's sales or title insurance companies.

What This Bill Does

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

Prohibits the recording of any deed or instrument transferring title to real estate if the grantor (seller) owes delinquent payments to the City of Philadelphia.
Requires the grantor to enter into an agreement to pay any delinquency and abide by its terms before recording a deed.
Exempts sheriff's deeds and deeds presented by or for title insurance companies, attorneys, law firms, real estate brokers, and real estate agents from the requirements of Section 2-202(7).
Requires proof of compliance by submission of a Tax Clearance Certificate, as defined in Section 9-101, prior to recording any deed.