Redevelopment Authority

The Urban Redevelopment Law (1945, P.L. 991, No. 385) was passed in 1945 by General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The language taken straight from the Act states that it was enacted to promote elimination of blighted areas and supply sanitary housing in areas throughout the Commonwealth; by declaring acquisition, sound replanning and redevelopment of such areas to be for the promotion of health, safety, convenience and welfare; creating public bodies corporate and politic to be known as Redevelopment Authorities; authorizing them to engage in the elimination of blighted areas and to plan and contract with private, corporate or governmental redevelopers for their redevelopment; providing for organization of such authorities; defining and providing for the exercise of their duties, including the acquisition of property by purchase, gift or eminent domain; the leasing and selling of property, including borrowing money, issuing bonds and other obligations, and giving security therefore; restricting the interest of members and employees of authorities; providing for notice and hearings; supplying certain mandatory provisions to be inserted in the contracts with redevelopers; prescribing the remedies of redevelopment authorities; conferring certain duties upon local planning commissions, the governing bodies of cities and counties, and on certain State officers, boards and departments.

Redevelopment Authorities operate in situations where the private sector and/or local governments cannot effectively perform. The Authority operates very similarly to a small business by obtaining funds for operating costs through the development and implementation of specific projects. The similarity ceases at that point as the Authority only operates on blighted, deteriorated or abandoned properties in cooperation with the local, county, state and federal governmental organization having jurisdiction.

Redevelopment Authority

Board of Directors

Mr. John A. Kochanowski, Chairman
Chairman

Mr. Dennis Rousseau
Vice Chairman

Mr. Nathan Kopsack
Secretary

Mr. Frank Vescio Sr.
Treasurer

Dr. Chester D. Thompson
Secretary/Treasurer

Attorney George Verlihay
Solicitor

Staff

Lance Grable
Executive Director/Asst Secretary (Non-Voting Member)
(724) 770-4422

Dan Distler
Environmental Planner / Redevelopment Specialist