Bill > H0646

This bill allows municipalities to create a new property tax subclass for buildings deemed uninhabitable, meaning they are not safe or suitable for people to live in. To help municipalities determine what makes a building uninhabitable, the Commissioner of Public Safety, in consultation with the Commissioner of Health, will create and publish guidance and model rules by November 15, 2026. These rules will define habitability, incorporate existing safety laws, outline health and safety hazards, and suggest an appeals process. Municipalities can adopt these model rules or create their own, which must include criteria for determining habitability (like signs of abandonment or existing orders deeming the building unfit), provide notice to owners before applying fees or incurring expenses, and establish an administrative appeals process. If a building is declared uninhabitable and not repaired within 30 days, or if an appeal is denied and no repairs are made, the municipality can impose an annual fee on the property. This fee will be the greater of one percent of the property's appraised value or $5,000, and it will be due when property taxes are collected. Owners who repair an uninhabitable property can request a partial abatement of this fee for the year the repairs are made.