PA HB273

Counties may adopt property maintenance ordinances incorporating standard or nationally recognized codes without including full code text, and may appoint inspectors to enforce these codes in municipalities that lack their own property maintenance ordinances

Creates the Municipal Codes Enforcement Grant Program within the Department of Community and Economic Development to provide competitive grants up to $100,000 to municipalities without current codes enforcement programs, requiring matching funds and limiting grants to three consecutive years

Authorizes municipalities with established code enforcement programs to create a neighborhood mitigation fund, funded by penalties collected from code violations, to pay for demolition, cleanup, sealing, and repairs to blighted properties

Establishes escalating penalties for code violations: $25-$250 for first offense, $250-$500 for second offense, and $500-$1,000 for third or subsequent offenses

Requires the department to establish implementation guidelines within 180 days and submit annual reports to the General Assembly on grants awarded; act takes effect in 180 days