Would-be buyers interested in properties owned by Jeannette will have to hand over background and other information if they want to get their hands on the land.
There’s 20 or so properties that could be up for grabs, Jeannette manager Ethan Keedy said.
“The city has a lot of vacant lots that we are going to be looking to sell,” he said.
New procedures approved by council detail the type of information city officials are looking for from prospective buyers when deciding to whom to sell the lots. It’s a similar but more comprehensive process than the previous policy for people looking to buy Jeannette properties out of the county’s repository.
Anyone interested in city-owned properties must supply identifying information of the company and people wanting to buy; two years of tax returns; a written description of plans for the property; proof of funds for any project and references; a criminal record search; and proof that the applicant doesn’t owe any taxes or fees to Jeannette or have any code violations.
That documentation will allow city officials to vet applicants before approving a sale, solicitor Tim Witt said.
The properties came to be owned by the city through various means, Keedy said, including donation and acquisition after a structure was demolished using public funds. While those moves prevented blight, he said the goal now is to get the properties into the hands of someone who can improve them.