Fighting Blight Fifteen Years Later: An Update on Act 135 Conservatorship Actions

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Fighting Blight Fifteen Years Later—An Update on Act 135 Conservatorship Actions

Program originally presented Monday, November 13, 2023

The purpose of this Pennsylvania Conservatorship law is to remediate abandoned and blighted properties under Court supervision. It is a powerful tool that is being used by community organizations and developers to address the problem of persistently vacant and blighted buildings across the state.

Learn how Act 135 is being used in Philadelphia with the answers to these questions:

• What is the Act 135 process to appoint a conservator and remediate blight on an abandoned property?  (An overview of the law.)
• How have the cases been handled since changes since the General Court Regulation governing the cases was revised in August 2022?
• What are the tools you can use to evaluate a property before spending time and fees searching for owners and filing the petition?
• What are the typical issues faced by Petitioners and Respondents, including self-represented Respondents?
• What happens when community groups intervene in Act 135 cases?
• How have petitions filed against the municipal entities like the Philadelphia Redevelopment Authority, the Philadelphia Land Bank, and Philadelphia Housing Authority fared
• What does an analysis of nearly 500 petitions filed between 2015 and 2022 reveal about the respondents and neighborhoods where the cases have been filed?

Attend this program to hear the latest updates on Act 135 actions and best practices for success in implementing the law into your practice.

Moderator:
Winnie M. Branton, Esq.
President and Founder, Branton Strategies LLC

Panelists:
Hon. Ann M. Butchart
Court of Common Pleas, Trial Division – Civil
First Judicial District

Professor Cara McClellan
Founding Director and Practice Associate Professor of Law
Advocacy for Racial and Civil (ARC) Justice Clinic, University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School

Michael P. McIlhinney, Esq.
Orphanides & Toner

Tya Winn, NOMA, SEED
Executive Director, Community Design Collaborative
 

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