Reading, PA Property Maintenance: Vacant Lot Maintenance (2026)

Reading addresses vacant lots through three overlapping mechanisms. First, the City operates an online Vacant Property Registry administered by the Property Maintenance Division: every mortgagee that holds a mortgage on real property in Reading must perform an inspection upon default by the mortgagor and, if the inspection shows vacancy, register the property within 10 days using the City's online system. The registry collects owner-of-record contact information, designates a local property manager required to respond within 24 hours, and assesses a nonrefundable annual registration fee under the current City Fee Schedule (rates adjusted periodically by Council resolution). Second, every vacant lot - regardless of registration status - is subject to QOL.004 of the Quality of Life ordinance at Chapter 180, Part 12, which prohibits weeds or plant growth in excess of six inches anywhere on the premises or exterior property. Reading inspectors will mow and bill (lien-back) the cost when the owner fails to abate after notice. Third, persistent vacancy or accumulation of debris triggers referral to the Blighted Property Review Committee under §23-903A: specifically, a vacant or unimproved lot in a predominantly developed neighborhood that has become a place for the accumulation of trash and debris or a haven for rodents or vermin satisfies the blight criteria on its own. The City's housing-violation provisions at §212-116 layer additional standards for vacant structures, including a sealed-and-secured requirement, posting of the registered owner's contact information, and rodent control.