Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 21 - Land Banks
Section 2109 - Acquisition of property

(a) Title to be held in its name.--A land bank shall hold in its own name all real property it acquires.
(b) Tax exemption.--
(1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), the real property of a land bank and its income and operations are exempt from State and local tax.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to real property of a land bank after the fifth consecutive year in which the real property is continuously leased to a private third party. However, real property shall continue to be exempt from State and local taxes if it is leased to a nonprofit or governmental agency at substantially less than fair market value.
(c) Methods of acquisition.--A land bank may acquire real property or interests in real property by any means on terms and conditions and in a manner the land bank considers proper.
(d) Acquisitions from municipalities.--
(1) A land bank may acquire real property by purchase contracts, lease purchase agreements, installment sales contracts and land contracts and may accept transfers from municipalities upon terms and conditions as agreed to by the land bank and the municipality.
(2) A municipality may transfer to a land bank real property and interests in real property of the municipality on terms and conditions and according to procedures determined by the municipality as long as the real property is located within the jurisdiction of the land bank.
(3) A redevelopment authority located within a land bank jurisdiction established under this chapter may, with the consent of the local governing body and without a redevelopment contract, convey property which it acquired before the effective date of this paragraph to the land bank. A conveyance under this paragraph shall be with fee simple title, free of all liens and encumbrances.
(e) Maintenance.--A land bank shall maintain all of its real property in accordance with the statutes and ordinances of the jurisdiction in which the real property is located.
(f) Prohibition.--
(1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (2), a land bank may not own or hold real property located outside the jurisdictional boundaries of the entities which created the land bank under section 2104(c) (relating to creation and existence).
(2) A land bank may be granted authority pursuant to an intergovernmental cooperation agreement with a municipality to manage and maintain real property located within the jurisdiction of the municipality.
(g) Tax claim bureaus.--A tax claim bureau may transfer to a land bank real property of the county held by the tax claim bureau, as trustee for the county, in a repository for unsold property under section 626 of the act of July 7, 1947 (P.L.1368, No.542), known as the Real Estate Tax Sale Law.
(h) Acquisition of tax delinquent properties.--If authorized by the land bank jurisdiction which created a land bank or otherwise by intergovernmental cooperation agreement, a land bank may accept donations of real property and extinguish delinquent claims for taxes as to the property under section 5.1 of the act of May 16, 1923 (P.L.207, No.153), referred to as the Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law, or section 303 of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law. For the purposes of this subsection, the land bank shall have all rights and obligations of the municipality provided for in section 5.1 of the Municipal Claim and Tax Lien Law and of a local taxing authority provided for in section 303 of the Real Estate Tax Sale Law.