Requesting Joint Committee on Government and Finance study enhancements to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program

HCR 98 is a concurrent resolution requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study improvements to West Virginia’s Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program. It focuses on two key areas: (1) creating mechanisms to reinvest proceeds from sold remediated properties and fines from property maintenance violations into the program, and (2) exploring incentives like temporary tax relief or affordable housing price caps to accelerate redevelopment of cleaned sites. The study aims to address housing shortages by ensuring local governments contribute financially and linking property remediation to faster, affordable housing development. This resolution does not enact new law but seeks a committee analysis to inform future policy changes.