Vacant Property Working GroupDRAFT

September 10, 2010

Minutes

Attendance: ABrose, BGC; KPelling, ELDI; PJohnson, CNNC; ELewis, FCC/BCG; TPiazza, PPND; JThoma, CDowd’s Office; DD’Anna, MWCDC; JHuck, NSLC; JDiaz, OBB; DKolke, OBB; CKeenan, DHS; SBennett, WCDC; MPasula, EACC; RGreen, LCG; DMiller, ELCCC; JGramc, GRB; HJohnson, CLavelle’s Office; KGraziani, MO; BDavidson, PCRG

The meeting was called to order by co-chair ABrose at 9:05am. Introductions were conducted.

Approval of Minutes: Minutes were reviewed and approved with several typo revisions. Motion: PJohnson, MPasula.

ACTION – BDavidson to send out FINAL calendar of the October 2010 T/Sale to the groups that have parcels in the sale.

Treasurer’s Sale Review: Co-Chair ABrose gave the overview of immediate past sales and the upcoming October 2010 T/S.

Note: July 2010 Sale Properties are not yet reflected in the Land Reserve Report.

ACTION – groups wanting to use the Land Reserve in any future sale must submit updated Financial Responsibility Forms to BDavidson ASAP

Property Reserve Status Update: Co-Chair ABrose gave the status report on the Property Reserve and reminded groups that have past due-out properties with clear title must act immediately on them.

Discussion:Working Group Scope and Agenda

Staff asked if several PCRG members at the table would engage in a subcommittee to help re-affirm the scope and goal of the Working Group, with the November meeting as the target to have the work of the subcommittee complete

Subcommittee members: ABrose, PJohnson, KPelling, JHuck, SBennett

GLS List:

The group reviewed ‘how we got here’ with GLS and what the major obstacles are to the negotiations currently.

Chair ABrose updated the group on the status of the GLS portfolio buyback negotiations

Staffhas broken the overall list into sub-groups and distributed as part of the packet

Clarification: ‘Priority’ means a parcel that you need for a revitalization plan within the next 18-24 months

ACTION: BDavidson to send the GLS 1-pager to new groups at the VPWG table

ACTION: ABrose will set the appointment with the County

ACTION: BDavidson to send out an email to groups as to the next steps regarding GLS prioritization and a new column on the info request (with the timeframe)

Condemnations/Preservation & Demolition:

KGraziani reviewed and gave an update on the new initiative between the City (MO&BBI) and VPWG to better understand priorities of groups when it comes to the condemned structures in their neighborhood

Clarification: What does priority mean?

If you are prioritizing a currently condemned structure as a demolition: Which are the properties that are having the most negative impact and/or are an impediment to revitalization/redevelopment?

ACTION: Groups are to identify a (2-way) point person for future communications around condemnations and demolitions

ACTION:Groups should communicate – to VPWG Staff and/or the Dept. of Neighborhood Initiatives- as much info as and as quickly as possible:

  • Priorities for demo – what will the re-use be?
  • If greening (garden, greenway, sideyard, potential GreenUp program request, eg)
  • If you see a demo happening that you feel the contractor is not being responsible for, call Paul Loy and let them know that
  • Include as much information regarding your plans as possible
  • If the situation on a property on the list has changed (already demolished, already rehabilitated, eg), note that
  • Other properties that aren’t on the list that you’d like to see on the list (for demolition purposes), add them to the list at the bottom

A request was made to do some more education around the BBI department, the condemnation process and the demolition process, including the different specifications that the City and URA have, specifically asking Paul Loy (412.255.2187) and/or John Jennings to attend a future meeting, as well as develop an evaluation matrix for groups to use as a guide, and understanding when the County Health Department engages in the process

SBennett noted that outside the City, condemnations and demolitions are done on a municipal level.

Comprehensive Plan:

Staff gave the update on the City’s OSPR and PreservePgh Plans, including upcoming meetings and the Best Practices Summit.

She noted the intersection of the PreservePGH and OSPR plan with regard to condemnations (preservation and demolition)

Land Recycling Task Force:

KGraziani gave the update on the LRTF work to-date and the next steps (next meeting scheduled for 9/30)

Ultimately, the goal is to understand what’s the best way to recycle larger amounts of land, realizing efficiencies? To take care of blight and get the properties back on the tax rolls.

State Land Bank Bill:

The Mayor’s Office, Housing Alliance of Pa, Center for Community Progress and a few others will be providing in-person testimony at the Senate Urban Affairs Committee Hearing on HB 712 (9/16 10am – PSU Beaver Campus SUB).

PCRG will be submitting written testimony.

Both the Mayor’s Office and PCRG agree that this legislation does not impact our current system and that it is crucial to mention that the conversation needs to continue around the financing (ie tax code reform) of a land bank

Discussion: Title Companies

Staff gave the brief intro that the city has expressed concern that title companies are beginning to ‘reject’ taking on City title searches for Tax Sale parcels, which could become problematic if they don’t have a vendor who is willing to do this

ACTION: Who do you use for title companies? Make a short list of the companies and send to Staff

ACTION: KPelling to talk to Terra Settlements to better understand their concerns

ACTION: Staff to get more information from the City

To-be further discussed at next month’s meeting.

Discussion: City Council’s Role in Land Sales:

Staff noted that one of the most important steps in the Tax Sale process is City Council’s approval of the sale (to any end-buyer)

The group had a discussion as to the importance or need to educate and engage the council members in the land recycling process.

It was deicded that it is the responsibility of and of importance that individual groups are maintaining communication with their individual council member. ‘Education’ by Staff is not as necessary.

Announcements:

Upcoming Events/Meetings of interest:

  • Open Spaces Green Ribbon Committee 9/29 6-8pm WYEP Studios
  • Open Spaces Best Practices Summit 9/30 4-6pm Children’s Museum
  • Blight Summit 10/19 1:30-5:30pm PointParkUniversity
  • Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference 10/13-15 Cleveland, Ohio
  • Next VPWG Meeting 10/8 9-11am at PCRG

There was no more business and the meeting was adjourned at 11:03am.

Respectfully Submitted,

Bethany Davidson

Staff, VPWG