CEO Corner: Discussing Private Roadway Maintenance Legislation

PAR is working to pass House Bill 523, introduced by Rep. Gary Day (R-Lehigh), to address issues regarding private roadway maintenance agreements.

I recently talked with PAR’s Public Policy and Political Affairs Director Sherri Martin, PAR’s Legislative Committee Chair Will Clauss and Derek Canova, a Realtor® from Centre County, about how private roadway maintenance agreements have become more important to Realtors® and homeowners.

Many think this is primarily an issue in rural communities, however, we’ve heard from a number of Realtors® who say they’ve had transactions in cities and towns where private roadways have affected the transaction.

HB 523 would provide statutory language establishing shared responsibility among property owners for private roadway maintenance in situations when a private maintenance agreement is not in place. The legislation is necessary because banking regulations now prohibit federally backed mortgages on properties accessed by private roads unless enforceable provisions are in place, either private or statutory, for maintenance of the shared roadway.

Currently, the bill is in the Senate Local Government Committee.

To learn more about this issue, please view this CEO Corner.