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Monetization is the process of converting assets into economic value. Looking for options to generate greater revenue, municipalities and public sector entities have begun to consider the transfer to private operators of a greater variety of public assets than in the past. There has also been the development recently of more creative and profitable public-private partnerships.
Continue Reading Generating Value from Public Assets

Blight – or urban decay – reduces property values, has been linked to higher crime rates, and is visible throughout Pennsylvania in the form of deteriorated and abandoned properties.  The Pennsylvania Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act, 53  Pa.C.S. §6101 et seq. (the “Act”), provides additional tools to combat blight.  Originally passed as Act 90 of 2010 (“Act 90”), the Act subsequently was amended through the passage of Act 171 of 2014 (“Act 171”) and Act 34 of 2015 (“Act 34”).  Through the Act and related laws as well as financing opportunities, municipalities and developers have the tools necessary to reduce blight and make neighborhoods safer and more desirable.
Continue Reading Combating Blight: New Tools for the Ongoing Municipal Battle

Municipalities have been looking for new ways to “monetize” publicly owned assets to help fund pension obligations and relieve budgetary pressures. Especially attractive is the transfer of a municipal water or wastewater system to a private operator.

Such a transfer may be accomplished by entering into a long-term lease with a private operator, under what…

I recently published an article in The Legal Intelligencer titled, “Real Estate Matters in Monetizing Municipal Assets.” From the article:

Municipalities under financial pressure from rising budgetary costs and long-term obligations are increasingly looking for options to “monetize” publicly owned assets through transfers to private entities. Especially attractive are municipal water and wastewater systems. With

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Nearly two years after Harrisburg Mayor Eric Papenfuse first proposed it, the Harrisburg School District has approved a new, ten-year tax abatement program for residential and commercial development in the city.

As reported by The Patriot News:

The program would provide a 100-percent tax break for 10 years to improvements on residential properties

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Municipalities, school districts and other governmental entities in Pennsylvania may want to sell or lease their assets for a variety of reasons. Governmental entities facing financial distress may sell or lease assets to generate a substantial upfront payment that can be used for a variety of purposes, including paying down debts resulting from labor and…