19. What is a Redevelopment Authority?

The municipal authority in Pennsylvania is defined as “a body politic and corporate” created to finance and / or operate specific works projects without tapping the general taxing powers of the municipality. An authority is an alternative vehicle for accomplishing public purposes rather than through the direct taxing authority of a county, municipality or school district.The present Municipality Authorities Act was approved June 9, 2001 (P.L. 287, No. 22) and is codified at 53 C.S. Section 5601 - Section 5622. The Act requires that the public works project must be in the proprietary field of government, must have a public interest and must be self sustaining. Specifically, Redevelopment Authorities are addressed at Urban Redevelopment Law, Act of May 24, 1945 (P.L. 991, No. 385)  35 P.S. § 1701.

“Redevelopment area.” Any area, whether improved or unimproved, which a planning commission may find to be blighted because of the existence of the conditions enumerated in section 2 of the act of May 24, 1945 (P.L. 991, No. 385),4 known as the Urban Redevelopment Law, so as to require redevelopment under the provisions of the Urban Redevelopment Law or this act.