Amending Section 10-1001 of Title 10 ("Regulation of Individual Conduct and Activity") of The Philadelphia Code relating to fees charged by the Commissioner of Records by modifying the amount of such fees, under certain terms and conditions.

THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA HEREBY ORDAINS:

SECTION 1.

WHEREAS, The Council of The City of Philadelphia, by Ordinance and under state law, established a Housing Trust Fund that became effective July 8, 2005; and

WHEREAS, The Legislative Findings that underpinned City Council's action creating the Housing Trust Fund still apply; and

WHEREAS, The City's Year 35 Consolidated Plan documents the ongoing need for the resources created by the Housing Trust Fund in that of Philadelphia's 131,000 low income renters 90,000 pay more than 30% of their income for housing and 72,000 pay more than 50% of their income for housing and of Philadelphia's 115,000 low income home owners, 61,500 report having at least one housing problem and close to 30,000 pay more than 50% of their income for housing; and

WHEREAS, Since its inception in July of 2005 the Housing Trust Fund has assisted over 4,000 families and individuals while leveraging over $281 million in additional support that created over 1,214 new affordable homes, through preservation and repair kept homeowners in 1,265 homes and assisted 1,583 families stay in their homes through foreclosure and homeless prevention programs saving the City over $15.8 million in emergency housing costs; and

WHEREAS, The investment of Housing Trust Fund resources have helped stabilize the local housing market in a time of turmoil, have strengthened neighborhoods, have leveraged additional public and private resources, have expanded the City's tax base through the creation of jobs and tax ratable properties and saved the City funding for emergency housing costs; and

WHEREAS, Housing Trust Fund revenue has declined by nearly 40% between Fiscal Year 2007 and Fiscal Year 2009 from $13.8 million to $8.3 million and continues to decline in Fiscal Year 2010.

SECTION 2. Title 10 of The Philadelphia Code is hereby amended to read as follows:

TITLE 10. REGULATION OF INDIVIDUAL CONDUCT AND ACTIVITY.

* * *

CHAPTER 10-1000. FEES.

§ 10-1001. Fees of Commissioner of Records.

(1) Unless otherwise specified by law, the fees to be charged and collected by the Commissioner of Records shall be as follows:

(a) for recording deeds, $174.00 ($102.00)

$87.00

to be placed in the General Fund; and ($72.00)

$87.00

to be placed in the Housing Trust Fund to be used for the purposes specified in Chapter 21-1600 of this Code;

(b) for recording mortgages, $144.00 ($87.00)

$72.00

to be placed in the General Fund; and ($57.00)

$72.00

to be placed in the Housing Trust Fund to be used for the purposes specified in Chapter 21-1600 of this Code;

(c) for recording mortgage satisfaction pieces and the release and assignment of mortgages, $142.00 ($86.00)

$71.00

to be placed in the General Fund; and ($56.00)

$71.00

to be placed in the Housing Trust Fund to be used for the purposes specified in Chapter 21-1600 of this Code;

SECTION 3. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall become effective upon enactment of authorization legislation of the General Assembly.

______________________

Explanation:

[Brackets] indicate matter deleted.

Italics

indicate new matter added.

End