22. What is a Real Estate Conservatorship?

Under Pennsylvania law there is a process that allows a property owner within a municipality who has property within 2000 feet of their property to seek a conservatorship over an abandoned and blighted property. The underlying principle in the law is that blighted and abandoned property injures all properpty owners with a loss of value to their property. The purpose of the real estate conservatorship is to rehabilitate or demolish the abandoned and blighted property. The whole procedure is subject to the supervision and oversight of a County Court of Common Pleas. 

An architectural / engineering preliminary plan is submitted to the Court leading to a Final Plan. The law provides for the rights of the owner. Subsequent to rehabilitation / demolition the Court may direct the nature and method of sale of the revitalized property. Typical legal and architectural / engineering fees range $3500.00 to $7,500.00. The petition process typically runs from 3 to 6 months. Should the owner assert their right to rehabilitate / demolish; the property owner who made the petition will have his fees plus 20% paid by the owner before the owner rehabilitates  / demolishes. The owner will be subject to the oversight as a conservator would have been supervised. The blighted and abandoned property may or may not be in a delinquent tax status.