Housing

This bill authorizes the Pennsylvania Department of General Services to transfer a specific parcel of land and buildings in Millersville to Student Lodging, Inc., a nonprofit organization, for a nominal fee of $1. The property, formerly known as the Witmer Infirmary, includes approximately 0.31 acres with existing structures, and the transfer requires approval from the Governor. The legislation includes conditions that prohibit the use of the land for licensed facilities and allows the state to retain certain easements or add restrictions as it sees fit. If the sale is not completed within 24 months, the property may instead be sold through a competitive bidding process, with any proceeds going to the state's General Fund.

SB 780 creates new rules for managing encampments in Pennsylvania. It defines an "unauthorized encampment" as a temporary structure housing three or more unrelated people on property without consent, where conditions like garbage, drug activity, or unsafe sanitation exist (an "indication of nuisance"). Property owners must remove such encampments within 30 days or face civil penalties up to $250 per day, while municipalities can enforce removal after a nuisance determination. This law directly affects property owners, local governments, and individuals living in encampments, focusing on public health and safety without creating new housing programs.