§917. Housing courts.

(a) Establishment.--The court of common pleas of a judicial district may establish, from available funds, a housing court which shall have jurisdiction as provided under subsection (d). The court may adopt local rules for the administration of housing courts and their related services such as housing clinics to counsel code violators on their responsibilities and procedures to bring properties into code compliance. The local rules may not be inconsistent with this section or any rules established by the Supreme Court.

(b) Statewide housing courts coordinator.--To the extent that funds are available, the Supreme Court may appoint a Statewide housing courts coordinator who may be assigned other responsibilities by the Supreme Court. The coordinator may:

(1) Encourage and assist in the establishment of housing courts in each judicial district where the caseload justifies the establishment of such courts.

(2) Identify sources of funding for housing courts and their related services, including the availability of grants.

(3) Provide coordination and technical assistance for grant applications.

(4) Develop model guidelines for the administration of housing courts and their related services.

(5) Establish procedures for monitoring housing courts and their related services and for evaluating the effectiveness of housing courts and their related services.

(c) Advisory committee.--The Supreme Court may establish, from available funds, an interdisciplinary and interbranch advisory committee to advise and assist the Statewide housing courts coordinator in monitoring and administering housing courts Statewide.

(d) Jurisdiction of housing court.--In a court of common pleas which has established a housing court pursuant to this section, the exclusive jurisdiction of the following matters may be vested in the housing court:

(1) Criminal and civil actions arising within the county under any other general or special law, ordinance, rule or regulation concerned with the health, safety or welfare of an occupant of a place used or intended for use as a place of human habitation.

(2) Land use decisions appealed to the court of common pleas in accordance with Article X-A of the act of July 31, 1968 (P.L.805, No.247), known as the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, provided they relate to single-family and multifamily properties, or proceedings appealed to court in accordance with the act of June 13, 1961 (P.L.282, No.167), relating to the establishment of historic districts.

(3) Appeals from government agencies under the former act of December 2, 1968 (P.L.1133, No.353), known as the Local Agency Law, or otherwise, relating to the housing, building, safety, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, health or fire ordinances and regulations of a municipal corporation within the county or of the county itself.

(4) Matters arising under the act of April 6, 1951 (P.L.69, No.20), known as The Landlord and Tenant Act of 1951, which involve a place used or intended for use as a place of human habitation.

(5) Matters arising under the act of November 10, 1999 (P.L.491, No.45), known as the Pennsylvania Construction Code Act, which involve a place used, or intended for use, as a place of human habitation.

(Oct. 27, 2010, P.L.875, No.90, eff. 180 days)

Notation

2010 Amendment.  Act 90 added section 917.