Tell the PA Senate to more to clearly define ‘unfit for habitation’

Realtors® made House Bill 1437 (R-Goodman) the most talked about piece of legislation in the Pennsylvania House and we need to do it again in the Senate. Respond today to PAR’s call-to-action on H.B. 1437 to urge your senator to support this legislation.

The bill more clearly defines “unfit for habitation” to provide better guidance to local code enforcement officials.

I’ve talked to many Realtors® who have had issues with municipalities labeling houses “unfit for habitation” and refusing to issue temporary use and occupancy certificates to homebuyers, until cracked sidewalks are repaired and old house numbers are replaced. We know these minor issues exist elsewhere in the neighborhoods, but some municipalities are claiming they make the home “unfit for human habitation.”

H.B.1437 would require that certificates be issued by municipalities who choose to conduct resale code inspections, regardless of the nature of code violation found. The bill creates a new category of “Temporary Access” certificates that would allow a sale to move forward, but require that substantial code violations be corrected prior to the new owner inhabiting the property. It would also require that all other code violations be corrected within a certain time frame, with financial and other penalties left in place for failure to comply.

It’s critical that you respond to this as quickly as possible before legislators leave for summer break this week. Your response helps make Realtors®’ voices heard in Harrisburg!