25. Which way?

The primary tool to deal with the deteriorated and abandoned house discussed at the City Council meeting during the public comments time on 05-16-18 is a voluntary sale by the owner to the affected neighbor to the property. Should that not happen, then the Code office can move beyond an effort to get voluntary compliance by making formal code citations. 

Pennsylvania law provides for criminal prosecution for ignoring code citations. 

Perhaps the owner can buy his own sawzall and three dozen blades and nibble the house down. He will have to use his own toter for disposal. The house cannot economically be rehabilitated and must be demolished. 

The irony is that the house can be sold to the affected homeowner. He can do a bootstrap demolition, grading and seeding and ignore real estate payments yet control the property. It will go to Upset Sale. It is highly unlikely that it might be sold. Then it will go on the Repository list and become a zombie property. Given the hassle and expenses of a tax appeal, that might be a pragmatic way to proceed? Sadly such a course is within the law but as many things might be legal, theri doing is immoral. This was mentioned only as it might be the pragmatic course!?!