SB 670 — An Act amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, providing for public housing safety committees; further providing for requirements regarding tenants and landlords in cities of the first class; and providing for background checks for landlords.

PRINTER'S NO.   679

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                        SENATE BILL
                        No. 670
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY LANGERHOLC, MASTRIANO, STEFANO, J. WARD,
        PENNYCUICK AND VOGEL, APRIL 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO URBAN AFFAIRS AND HOUSING, APRIL 28, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265), entitled "An
 2      act to promote public health, safety, morals, and welfare by
 3      declaring the necessity of creating public bodies, corporate
 4      and politic, to be known as housing authorities to engage in
 5      slum clearance, and to undertake projects, to provide
 6      dwelling accommodations for persons of low income; providing
 7      for the organization of such housing authorities; defining
 8      their powers and duties; providing for the exercise of such
 9      powers, including the acquisition of property by purchase,
10      gift or eminent domain, the renting and selling of property,
11      and including borrowing money, issuing bonds, and other
12      obligations, and giving security therefor; prescribing the
13      remedies of obligees of housing authorities; authorizing
14      housing authorities to enter into agreements, including
15      agreements with the United States, the Commonwealth, and
16      political subdivisions and municipalities thereof; defining
17      the application of zoning, sanitary, and building laws and
18      regulations to projects built or maintained by such housing
19      authorities; exempting the property and securities of such
20      housing authorities from taxation; and imposing duties and
21      conferring powers upon the State Planning Board, and certain
22      other State officers and departments," providing for public
23      housing safety committees; further providing for requirements
24      regarding tenants and landlords in cities of the first class;
25      and providing for background checks for landlords.
26      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
27   hereby enacts as follows:
28      Section 1.    The act of May 28, 1937 (P.L.955, No.265),
29   referred to as the Housing Authorities Law, is amended by adding
 1   a section to read:
 2      Section 4.3.    Public Housing Safety Committees.--(a)   Within
 3   each Authority, a public housing safety committee shall be
 4   established. Each public housing safety committee shall consist
 5   of three members, including the Executive Director of the
 6   Authority, the District Attorney of the county in which the
 7   Authority is located and the President Judge of the county in
 8   which the Authority is located.
 9      (b)   When an Authority receives a background check in
10   compliance with Federal law, the Authority shall review the
11   background check to see if the applicant has any criminal
12   offenses of the grading of a misdemeanor of the third degree or
13   higher. If an applicant has such offense on their record and all
14   other admissions criteria are met, the Authority shall present
15   all relevant information to the public housing safety committee
16   for its review.
17      (c)   The public housing safety committee shall meet regularly
18   at the call of the President Judge. The President Judge shall
19   serve as the presiding officer of all meetings of the public
20   housing safety committee. All three members of the committee
21   must be present.
22      (d)   The public housing safety committee shall take all
23   measures necessary to comply with relevant Federal law while
24   conducting the business of the committee.
25      (e)   Prior to reviewing the documentation, the Authority
26   shall provide the members of the public housing safety committee
27   with an overview of existing Federal laws and regulations that
28   the public housing safety committee must follow.
29      (f)   The public housing safety committee shall review the
30   documentation provided by the Authority regarding each tenant

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 1   with a previous criminal record. The public housing safety
 2   committee shall review each applicant on a case-by-case basis.
 3   The public housing safety committee shall:
 4      (1)    Evaluate:
 5      (i)    if the previous criminal activity threatens the health,
 6   safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other
 7   residents; and
 8      (ii)    if the previous criminal activity threatens the health,
 9   safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of their residences by
10   persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
11      (2)    Consider:
12      (i)    the severity of the crime committed;
13      (ii)    the length of time since the offense;
14      (iii)    the actions of the applicant since committing the
15   crime;
16      (iv)    any other required considerations under existing
17   Federal law; and
18      (v)    any other considerations the public housing safety
19   committee deems necessary to evaluate the applicants on a case-
20   by-case basis to ensure the health, safety or right to peaceful
21   enjoyment of the premises by other residents or the health,
22   safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of their residences by
23   persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
24      (g)    The public housing safety committee shall vote to inform
25   the Authority if the public housing safety committee determines
26   that the applicant does not present a threat to the health,
27   safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other
28   residents or if the previous criminal activity threatens the
29   health, safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of their
30   residences by persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the

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 1   premises. A vote under this subsection must be unanimous.
 2      (h)   Once informed of a unanimous vote in support of the
 3   applicant by the public housing safety committee, the Authority
 4   shall take appropriate action consistent with Federal law.
 5      (i)   Once informed that the public housing safety committee
 6   failed to reach a unanimous vote in support of the applicant,
 7   the Authority shall deny the applicant. If the applicant is
 8   denied due to the applicant's criminal history the Authority
 9   shall comply with the procedures outlined in Federal law.
10      (j)   If the applicant has a criminal record and the sole
11   offense or offenses relate to being a victim of domestic
12   violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, or if the
13   applicant is seeking relocation under section 13.3, the
14   applicant shall not have to be reviewed by the public housing
15   safety committee. The Authority shall determine if an applicant
16   under this subsection presents a threat to the health, safety or
17   right to peaceful enjoyment of the premises by other residents,
18   or if the previous criminal activity threatens the health,
19   safety or right to peaceful enjoyment of their residences by
20   persons residing in the immediate vicinity of the premises.
21      (k)   No member of the public housing safety committee may be
22   liable, in the member's personal or official capacity, for any
23   action taken as a member of the public housing safety committee.
24      Section 2.   Section 13.1 of the act is amended to read:
25      Section 13.1.   Requirements Regarding Tenants and Landlords
26   [in Cities of the First Class].--(a)   An Authority [of a city of
27   the first class] shall take such measures as are necessary to
28   ensure compliance with all requirements imposed on the Authority
29   by Federal law regarding criminal activity by tenants and
30   prospective tenants, including, but not limited to, all

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 1   requirements regarding background checks.
 2      (b)   (1)   An Authority [of a city of the first class] shall
 3   not approve or renew any person or firm as a landlord in the
 4   Housing Choice Voucher Program established pursuant to 24 CFR
 5   Pt. 982 (relating to section 8 tenant based assistance: housing
 6   choice voucher program) if such person or firm is delinquent on
 7   any property tax due with respect to the property for which
 8   approval or renewal is sought.
 9      (2)   For purposes of this subsection, a person or firm that
10   is current on a payment agreement with the taxing authority for
11   the property tax delinquency shall not be considered delinquent
12   with respect to the outstanding property tax liability covered
13   by such agreement, but a person or firm that is in breach of
14   such agreement shall be considered delinquent.
15      Section 3.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:
16      Section 13.4.   Background Checks for Landlords.--(a)    Upon
17   request by a landlord in the Housing Choice Voucher Program
18   established in accordance with 24 CFR Pt. 982 (relating to
19   Section 8 tenant-based assistance: Housing Choice Voucher
20   Program), a law enforcement agency shall provide the landlord
21   with a background check for any adult household member of the
22   applicant's household.
23      (b)   The landlord shall provide the law enforcement agency
24   with a consent form completed by the applicant.
25      (c)   When the law enforcement agency receives the completed
26   consent form, the law enforcement agency must promptly release
27   to the landlord a copy of any criminal conviction records
28   concerning the household member in the possession or control of
29   the law enforcement agency.
30      (d)   The landlord may not share the information provided in

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 1   the reports with any other party. Disclosure of information
 2   contained in the reports may result in criminal and civil
 3   penalties pursuant to existing State law.
 4      Section 4.   Within 90 days of the effective date of this
 5   section, each authority and landlord in the Housing Choice
 6   Voucher Program established under 24 CFR Pt. 982 (relating to
 7   Section 8 tenant-based assistance: Housing Choice Voucher
 8   Program) shall modify all existing documents and procedures
 9   necessary to comply with Federal and State law, including the
10   provisions of this act.
11      Section 5.   This act shall take effect as follows:
12          (1)   The following provisions shall take effect
13      immediately:
14                Section 4 of this act.
15                This section.
16          (2)   The remainder of this act shall take effect in 90
17      days.




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