Pennsylvania § 141A04 - Property maintenance code.

§ 141A04. Property maintenance code.

(a) Enactment.--Notwithstanding the primacy of the Uniform Construction Code, a city may enact a property maintenance ordinance, including a standard or nationally recognized property maintenance code or a change or variation. In accordance with section 11018.13 (relating to standard or nationally recognized codes), the ordinance may, by reference, incorporate a standard or nationally recognized property maintenance code or a variation or change, published and printed in book form, without setting forth the text of the code in the ordinance.

(b) Public availability.--The full text of the property maintenance code need not be published, but, in accordance with section 11018.9 (relating to publication of proposed ordinances), it shall be sufficient to publish a summary setting forth the provisions of the ordinance in reasonable detail and a reference to a place within the city where copies of the proposed ordinance may be examined. Not fewer than three copies of the proposed property maintenance code shall be made available to public inspection and use during business hours. Copies shall also be made available to an interested party in accordance with the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3), known as the Right-to-Know Law, or may be furnished or loaned without charge.

(c) Violations.--A property maintenance code ordinance may provide for fines and penalties of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment for not more than 90 days, or both, for violations. The procedure set forth under this chapter relating to the enactment of the ordinance may be utilized in amending, supplementing or repealing any of the provisions of the ordinance.

(d) Inspectors.--Council may appoint property maintenance inspectors who may, subject to constitutional standards in a similar manner as provided in section 12308 (relating to powers of board of health), enter upon and inspect the premises at reasonable hours for the administration and enforcement of the city's property maintenance code or ordinance incorporating a standard or nationally recognized property maintenance code. A fee payable to a property maintenance inspector under the ordinance must be paid by the property maintenance inspector to the city treasurer for the use of the city as promptly as possible.

(e) Additional remedies.--In addition to the penalties provided by the property maintenance ordinance, the city may institute an appropriate action or proceeding at law or in equity to prevent or restrain a property maintenance violation.

(f) Relation to other acts.--The powers of a city as provided in this section shall be in addition to, but not limited to, the powers provided in:

(1) The act of November 26, 2008 (P.L.1672, No.135), known as the Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act.

(2) 53 Pa.C.S. Ch. 61 (relating to neighborhood blight reclamation and revitalization).

(3) 68 Pa.C.S. Ch. 21 (relating to land banks).