Vacant Property Registration Form

Overview

The City of Altoona requires the registration of vacant buildings. This form is used to register a property that has remained vacant for 180 consecutive days (6 months) or more. Registration is required regardless of whether the building is secure, open, or boarded up.

Property Information

The first section of the form requires the following details:

• Property Address: Street, City, State, and Zip Code.
• Date Property Became Vacant: The specific date the vacancy began.

Contact Information

The form collects contact details for two parties:

• Owner Information: Name, phone, email, and physical address (no P. O. boxes).
• Local Agent Information: Required only if the owner resides outside of Blair County. This section collects the agent's name, phone, email, and physical address.

Fee Schedule

Registration fees are based on the total number of years the property has been vacant. The fee schedule is as follows:

• Less than 1 year vacant: $0. 00
• 1 year vacant: $500. 00
• 2 years vacant: $1,000. 00
• 3-4 years vacant: $2,000. 00
• 5-9 years vacant: $3,500. 00
• 10 years vacant: $5,000. 00
• 10+ years vacant: $5,000. 00 plus an additional $500. 00 for every year the property has been vacant over 10 years.

Legal Obligations and Penalties

• Updates: Owners must notify the Department of Codes & Inspections within 30 days if their mailing address changes, the property is sold, or any registration information changes.
• Delinquent Fees: Unpaid fees become a debt to the city and may result in civil action.
• Violations: Failure to register or pay fees within 30 days of becoming due is a violation punishable by a fine between $100. 00 and $500. 00 per failure.
• False Statements: Submitting false statements is a third-degree misdemeanor punishable by fine and imprisonment of up to one year.

Appeals

Owners have the right to appeal the registration requirement or fee. To appeal:

• An application must be made to the City of Altoona Code Appeals Board.
• A $300. 00 hearing fee is required.
• The owner bears the burden of proving the property was occupied during the period in question or that they are not the owner.
• The Board has the authority to affirm, modify, reverse, vacate, or revoke the action.