Lehigh County sets no vacant-lot maintenance code. In Allentown, vacant and abandoned properties must be registered and secured under Chapter 135, and lots must meet the adopted International Property Maintenance Code, including vegetation limits.
As with all PA property regulation, vacant-lot upkeep is municipal. Allentown's Chapter 135 requires that abandoned or defaulted properties be maintained in a secure manner so as not to be accessible to unauthorized persons — including closing and locking windows, doors and gates and repairing broken openings. Mortgagees must inspect on default and register with the Bureau of Building Standards and Safety within 10 days. Overgrowth, debris and unsafe conditions on any lot are enforced through the adopted IPMC (Chapter 455). The county's role is limited to comprehensive planning and solid-waste planning, not lot maintenance.
Failure to secure or maintain a vacant property lets Allentown perform the work and lien the cost plus an administrative fee; IPMC violations carry citations and abatement orders.
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See how Lehigh County's vacant lot maintenance rules stack up against other locations.
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