Redevelopment authority possible in Elizabeth Twp.

By Christine Haines

chaines@yourmvi.com

Elizabeth Township is looking into forming its own redevelopment authority as a way of addressing blight in the community.

The state legislature gave First Class townships the right to form redevelopment authorities in July. Previously only counties and cities in Pennsylvania could do so.

Township Commissioner Andrew Kuzma said the road crew is tied up mowing numerous vacant or abandoned lots in the community, and the township is suffering due to lost tax revenue from those parcels.

“A township can’t eminent domain for blight; a redevelopment authority can,” he said. 

Kuzma said in talking with redevelopment authorities in surrounding areas, he learned that about half of the people approached actually donate their vacant lots to the authority at little or no cost.

“I have three residents in my ward willing to donate (properties) to the township. I suggest that they go to a redevelopment authority instead,” Kuzma said. “It’s an absolute no-brainer to take advantage of an opportunity we just got in July.”

Assistant code officer Greg Butler said he and an intern recently compiled a list of blighted properties in the township and came up with about 150 that could potentially be put back on the tax rolls. He asked the commissioners to consider forming a redevelopment authority, saying it would have the power to acquire property and work with investors, providing both long-term and short-term blight solutions.

“It’s everything that’s needed to move properties from vacant to back onto the tax rolls,” Butler said. “Elizabeth Township is a very desirable community.” 

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