Property Maintenance in Scranton, PA: What Residents Actually Need to Know

If you live in Scranton or are thinking about moving there, property maintenance are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Scranton has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of property maintenance, and some of them might surprise you.

Trash Bin Storage

Scranton's receptacle rules sit in Chapter 400 (Solid Waste) of the Code of the City of Scranton. Each garbage and refuse receptacle must hold not fewer than 3 and not more than 26 gallons, be provided with a handle or handles, and be fitted with a tight-fitting cover. Receptacles must be placed by the owner, tenant, housekeeper, or other occupant in the yard where they are easily accessible to the collectors, and they must be kept covered at all times to maintain sanitary conditions and prevent rain or snow from entering. Service is provided by the City Bureau of Refuse and Recycling (Department of Public Works, 570-348-4180).

Key details: Local Ordinance: Chapter 400, Solid Waste (eCode360 SC1585). Receptacle Size: 3-26 gallons (with handles). Cover Rule: Tight-fitting cover, kept covered at all times. Storage Location: In the yard, accessible to collectors. Set-Out Earliest: Night before scheduled pickup.

Non-conforming receptacles (over 26 gallons, no handles, no cover, uncovered storage in yard) are enforced by the Bureau of Code Enforcement under Chapter 400 with fines not to exceed $300 per violation under the recycling article's penalty provision (general penalty for Chapter 400 violations). Continuing violations may be cited as separate offenses for each day they continue. The Bureau of Refuse and Recycling may also refuse collection of non-conforming containers, leaving the householder responsible to remove the refuse to remain in compliance with Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance) prohibitions on improper trash storage. Persistent violations on rental properties may be referred to the rental-licensing program under the RENTAL Ordinance of 2022 (Chapter 373, Rental Property) where failed inspections jeopardize the license required to legally rent the unit.

Property Blight

Scranton enforces property blight through Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance) of the Code of the City of Scranton, which identifies conditions that endanger health/safety/welfare or cause a blighting effect on neighborhoods (lack of maintenance, littering, improper trash storage, inoperable vehicles, high grass and weeds, graffiti, and snow/ice accumulation). The Bureau of Code Enforcement (570-348-4193, Director Thomas Oleski) enforces against the 2021 International Code Council Series adopted citywide (effective for all plans January 1, 2026). Statewide backstop is PA Act 90 of 2010 (Neighborhood Blight Reclamation and Revitalization Act, 53 P.S. §6101 et seq.), which lets Scranton deny permits and approvals to owners with serious code violations anywhere in Pennsylvania.

Key details: Local Ordinance: Chapter 360 Property Maintenance. Building Code: 2021 ICC Series, effective for plans 1/1/2026. Code Official: Thomas Oleski, 570-348-4193. Complaints: Scranton311: 570-348-4101. State Backstop: PA Act 90, 53 P.S. §6101 et seq..

Chapter 360 violations are enforced by the Bureau of Code Enforcement with citation before the Magisterial District Judge. Unsafe-structure findings can lead to vacate, repair, or demolish orders with the City's cost lien-backed to the property under the PA Municipal Claims Act (53 P.S. §7101). Under PA Act 90 (53 P.S. §6111), serious code violations or tax delinquency block the owner from receiving any City permit, license, or approval citywide and statewide until cured. Court conservatorship under 68 P.S. §1101 is available for severely deteriorated occupied or vacant structures. On rental properties, blight findings also flow through to the RENTAL Ordinance of 2022 (Chapter 373) inspection cycle and can result in license suspension or revocation, blocking lawful rental income.

Compared to other cities, Scranton takes a harder line on property blight. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Vacant Lot Maintenance

Scranton maintains a Registry of Abandoned Real Property under Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance) of the Code of the City of Scranton, defining 'abandoned' as real property in default on a mortgage, with a lis pendens filed, subject to foreclosure, tax deed application, or transferred to a lender via deed in lieu of foreclosure. The abandoned designation continues until the property is transferred or the foreclosure dismissed. Registration is done through tolemi.com/scranton-pa with no fee. All abandoned real properties are subject to ongoing maintenance as required by City ordinances and the property maintenance code. The RENTAL Ordinance of 2022 (Chapter 373, Rental Property) also requires registration of foreclosure/abandoned status for rental units.

Key details: Registry Authority: Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance). Registration Portal: tolemi.com/scranton-pa. Registration Fee: No fee for abandoned-property filing. Trigger: Default, lis pendens, foreclosure, tax deed, DIL. Duration: Until transfer or foreclosure dismissal.

Failure to register an abandoned property or to maintain it to Chapter 360 standards is enforced by the Bureau of Code Enforcement with citation before the Magisterial District Judge (general penalty up to $300 per violation, each day continuing as a separate offense). The City retains the right to perform contractor cleanup of unmaintained vacant lots and lien-back the cost to the property under the PA Municipal Claims Act (53 P.S. §7101). PA Act 90 (53 P.S. §6111) blocks the owner from receiving City permits, licenses, or approvals statewide until violations are cured. Court conservatorship under the PA Abandoned and Blighted Property Conservatorship Act (68 P.S. §1101 et seq.) is available for severely deteriorated structures. Rental units in foreclosure that fail to register through tolemi.com/scranton-pa risk losing the Chapter 373 rental license required to legally rent the unit.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Scranton actively enforces its vacant lot maintenance requirements.

Snow & Sidewalk Clearing

Scranton's sidewalk snow ordinance lives at Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance) of the Code of the City of Scranton. Every owner, tenant, occupant, lessee, property agent, or other person responsible for any property must remove all snow and ice from the abutting sidewalk within 24 hours after snowfall ceases for residential properties, or within 4 hours for businesses, and must keep a path of at least 3 feet on residential sidewalks (entire sidewalk for businesses). If precipitation ceases during hours of darkness, the clearing window begins at daybreak. Throwing, shoveling, casting, or otherwise depositing snow or ice from sidewalks or driveways into the street or public highway is expressly prohibited.

Key details: Local Ordinance: Chapter 360 (Property Maintenance). Residential Deadline: Within 24 hours after snow/ice stops. Commercial Deadline: Within 4 hours after snow/ice stops. Required Path: 3 feet (residential); entire walk (business). Nighttime Rule: Time starts at daybreak if storm ends after dark.

Failure to clear residential sidewalks within 24 hours (4 hours for commercial), failure to maintain the required 3-foot path, or shoveling snow into the public street is enforced by the Bureau of Code Enforcement (570-348-4193) with citation before the Magisterial District Judge under Chapter 360. The general property-maintenance penalty caps at $300 per violation, with each day a violation continues constituting a separate offense. The City retains the right to perform contractor sidewalk clearing and lien-back the direct cost to the property under the PA Municipal Claims Act (53 P.S. §7101). Pennsylvania premises-liability case law (Mertz v. Lakatos and progeny) typically allocates pedestrian slip-and-fall liability to the abutting property owner where the City has shifted the snow-clearing duty by ordinance, giving Scranton homeowners and landlords meaningful civil exposure beyond the City citation. Shoveling snow into the street can additionally be cited as obstruction under the streets chapter and creates downstream MS4 stormwater liability under PA DEP's NPDES program when meltwater carries pollutants into the Lackawanna River.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Scranton actively enforces its snow & sidewalk clearing requirements.

The Bottom Line

Scranton is tougher than many cities when it comes to property maintenance. Out of the 4 rules covered here, 3 are rated strict. If you are a homeowner, renter, or business owner in Scranton, take the time to understand these requirements before they become a problem. Most violations come with fines, and some repeat violations can escalate.

All of the above reflects Scranton'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.