Allentown's Property Maintenance: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles property maintenance a little differently. In Allentown, Pennsylvania, there are 3 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Property Blight

Allentown's Blighted Property Review Committee can declare a dangerous, dilapidated or vacant structure "blighted" and order the owner to fix it. Ignore the order and the property can be certified to the Redevelopment Authority for acquisition, including by eminent domain.

Key details: Governing body: Blighted Property Review Committee (5 members, 2 alternates). Property must be: vacant before certification to Redevelopment Authority. Tax-delinquent trigger: unoccupied and delinquent 2+ years. Appeal right: same as public-nuisance determination appeal. Noncompliance fee: $300 or 15% of abatement cost, whichever greater.

Failure to eliminate blight conditions after a served order and lapsed or lost appeal exposes the property to certification to the Redevelopment Authority, which can pursue acquisition by negotiated sale or by eminent domain under 26 Pa.C.S.A. Sec. 101 et seq. Separately, the City may add an administrative fee of $300 or 15% of abatement costs, whichever is greater, to any bill for work the City performs to correct a public nuisance violation.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Allentown actively enforces its property blight requirements.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Allentown property owners must clear snow and ice from the sidewalk within 10 hours after snow, sleet or rain stops falling, as measured by the National Weather Service at ABE Airport. A three-foot-wide cleared path satisfies the duty, and violators face escalating fines under Chapter 545.

Key details: Clearing deadline: 10 hours after snow/sleet/rain stops. Minimum cleared width: 3 feet. Base ticket fines: $25 or $100. Late penalty (days 11-20): $10 or $25 added. Citation fine after 20 days: Up to $1,000.

Tickets run $25 or $100. Paying within 10 days and waiving a hearing satisfies the violation in full. Miss that window and a $10 penalty (on the $25 ticket) or $25 penalty (on the $100 ticket) attaches for days 11 through 20; nonpayment past 20 days triggers a citation carrying a fine of up to $1,000 under Section 545-10. Each day a violation continues can be charged as a separate offense.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Allentown requires vacant structures, premises and unimproved land to be kept clean, safe, secure and sanitary so they don't cause blight, under the City's 2025 Property Maintenance Code. Owners must get a compliance inspection before reoccupying a vacant building, keep the yard clear of trash and overgrowth, and secure openings against trespassers and vermin.

Key details: Governing section: Property Maintenance Code § 301.3. Adopted: Ordinance No. 16137, 5-21-2025. Weed limit: 10 inches around vacant structure. Pre-reoccupancy step: Inspection and certificate of compliance. Max penalty: $1,000 fine or 90 days jail.

Failing to maintain a vacant structure or lot under § 301.3 is a summary offense: conviction before a Magisterial District Judge brings a fine of up to $1,000 or up to 90 days in jail, or both, with each day after notice counting as a separate offense (§ 106.4). The Code Official can also send City crews or a contractor to correct the violation and bill the owner, placing a lien on the property that must be repaid within 30 days (§ 106.5).

The Bottom Line

Allentown's property maintenance rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Allentown is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Allentown's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.