A proposal for a $15 deed and mortgage recording fee awaits Gov. Tom Wolf's signature.
The fees collected would go to counties, which would have to use the money to demolish blighted structures.
Communities often struggle to deal with abandoned buildings. Some are left to deteriorate after owners die; others are a casualty of absentee landlords. The dilapidated structures detract from neighborhood aesthetics, property values, and safety.
The bill's suggested fee would've generated $14 million statewide in 2013 and nearly $12 million last year, according to estimates from the Department of Revenue.
Keystone Crossroads is a statewide public media initiative reporting on the challenges facing Pennsylvania's cities. WPSU is a participating station.
