Act 29: What Pennsylvania Municipalities Need to Know About the New Property Contact Requirements

Written by Scott Eden

A new Pennsylvania law could give municipalities another tool for identifying and contacting the people responsible for maintaining properties and addressing code and ordinance violations.

Act 29 of 2026, formerly House Bill 858, added Chapter 25 to Title 68 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes. The law requires each county chief assessor to establish and maintain a property contact information list for certain real property in the county.

For municipalities, the practical impact is important: when a property owner needs to be contacted about maintenance, property conditions, or an ordinance violation, the county’s property contact information may provide another way to identify the appropriate person.

Here are the key points municipalities should know.

1. What Does Act 29 Require?

Act 29 requires each county chief assessor to establish and maintain a property contact information list for covered real property located within the county.

The purpose is to help municipalities identify and contact responsible parties concerning issues such as property maintenance, upkeep, and compliance with local codes and ordinances.

The information is separate from simply knowing who owns a property. In many cases, particularly with investment or entity-owned property, the person listed on the deed may not be the person a municipality needs to reach when an issue arises.

2. Which Properties Are Covered?

The requirements generally apply to non-owner-occupied real property, including:

• Rental property
• Investment property
• Commercial property
• Vacant property
• Property owned by an LLC or other entity

The law applies to a range of ownership structures, including individuals, corporations, partnerships, LLCs, trusts, estates, foundations, and associations.

There is an important exemption for real property owned and occupied by an individual as that individual’s principal residence and domicile.

For municipalities, this distinction may be particularly important when dealing with rental, commercial, vacant, and entity-owned properties.

3. What Information Is Being Collected?

The information required depends on the ownership structure.

For an individual owner, the information generally includes:

• Name
• Residential address
• Telephone number
• Email address

For a business other than an LLC, information may include the business’s contact information as well as information for an individual or representative who has the authority or ability to address property maintenance or remedy a violation.

For an LLC, the requirements include information concerning the LLC and certain members or managers, as well as an individual who has the authority or ability to repair, maintain, or remedy a violation.

The practical takeaway for municipalities: the information is designed to help identify an actual point of contact—not simply provide another copy of the property owner’s name.

4. What Role Does the Municipality Play?

The county chief assessor is responsible for establishing and maintaining the property contact information list. The county also establishes the form and manner in which the information is submitted and is responsible for protecting the information and providing access as authorized by law.

Municipalities have an important role when a property owner is cited for a code or ordinance violation.

Under Act 29, the municipality may collect and relay required contact information, and the municipality may request information from the county when the statutory requirements for access are met.

This means municipalities should understand:

Who maintains the information?
The county chief assessor.

Who may need the information?
Municipal officials dealing with property maintenance, code enforcement, and ordinance violations.

Why does it matter?
The information may help the municipality identify and reach a responsible party when the deed holder is not the person actually managing or maintaining the property.

5. Municipalities Should Coordinate With Their County

Because the county chief assessor establishes the process for collecting and maintaining the information, implementation may not look exactly the same in every county.

Municipal officials should determine:

• How their county is collecting the information
• What forms or electronic systems are being used
• How municipalities can request or access information
• What information can be shared
• What documentation is required when requesting information
• Who within the municipality should be responsible for making requests

Do not assume that the process used in one county will be identical to the process in another.

Municipal managers, code enforcement officers, zoning officials, and solicitors should be familiar with their county’s current procedures.

6. Consider Adding Act 29 to Your Code Enforcement Procedures

Act 29 may be a good opportunity for municipalities to review their existing procedures for contacting property owners.

For example, municipalities may want to consider whether their internal procedures clearly address:

• How property ownership is verified
• When county property contact information should be requested
• Who is authorized to request the information
• How information received from the county is documented
• How responsible parties are contacted
• How information is maintained within municipal records
• When the municipal solicitor should be consulted

The goal is not to create unnecessary administrative steps. Rather, municipalities should understand how the new county-maintained information can fit into the procedures they already use for code and ordinance enforcement.

7. Don’t Overlook Entity-Owned Properties

Entity-owned property can create additional challenges for municipalities.

A deed may identify an LLC, corporation, partnership, or other entity as the property owner. That does not necessarily tell a code enforcement officer who is actually responsible for the property.

Act 29’s contact information requirements are intended to help bridge that gap by identifying individuals who have an ownership interest or authority and, where applicable, individuals who have the ability to address maintenance issues or remedy violations.

For municipalities dealing with large numbers of rental properties, commercial properties, or other entity-owned properties, understanding how this information can be accessed may be particularly valuable.

8. Review Your Municipal Policies Now

Act 29 creates a new information resource, but municipalities should still make sure their underlying code enforcement procedures are sound.

Municipalities may want to review:

• Code enforcement policies
• Property maintenance procedures
• Ordinance violation notices
• Internal contact procedures
• Records retention practices
• Communications between code enforcement staff and the municipal solicitor
• Procedures for properties owned by LLCs and other entities

A new statutory resource is most useful when municipal officials know when to use it and how it fits into the existing enforcement process.

9. What Should Municipal Officials Do Next?

Municipalities do not necessarily need to reinvent their code enforcement systems because of Act 29. But they should understand the new law and how their county is implementing it.

The Bottom Line

Act 29 gives Pennsylvania municipalities another potential resource when they need to identify and contact responsible parties concerning property maintenance and code or ordinance violations.

The county maintains the property contact information list, but municipalities are an important part of the process when violations arise.

Understanding how Act 29 fits into your municipality’s existing code enforcement procedures now can help avoid confusion later.

Is your municipality prepared for Act 29? MPL’s municipal attorneys can help you understand the new requirements and determine how they fit into your municipality’s code enforcement and property maintenance procedures. Contact MPL Law Firm for guidance.