§2102. Legislative findings and purpose.

The General Assembly finds and declares that:

(1) Strong communities are important to the social and economic vitality of this Commonwealth. Whether urban, suburban or rural, many communities are struggling to cope with vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties.

(2) Citizens of this Commonwealth are affected adversely by vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties, including properties which have been vacated or abandoned due to mortgage foreclosure.

(3) Vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties impose significant costs on neighborhoods, communities and municipalities by lowering property values, increasing fire and police protection costs, decreasing tax revenues and undermining community cohesion.

(4) There is an overriding public need to confront the problems caused by vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties through the creation of new tools to enable municipalities to turn vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent spaces into vibrant places.

(5) Land banks are one of the tools that municipalities may use to facilitate the return of vacant, abandoned and tax-delinquent properties to productive use.