HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 98
(By Delegate G. Howell)
[Originating in the Committee on Energy and Public Works; Reported on April 7, 2025]
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study enhancements to the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program and options to incentivize redevelopment of remediated properties to address housing shortages.
Whereas, West Virginia communities continue to face persistent challenges related to abandoned, dilapidated, and blighted properties that pose threats to public health, safety, and economic development; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection administers the Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program to provide grants and technical assistance for assessment and demolition of unsafe structures; and
Whereas, While this program provides critical support, current law does not require reinvestment of proceeds from the sale of remediated properties into future remediation efforts, nor does it require that local governments dedicate fines collected from property maintenance violations toward further remediation; and
Whereas, There is currently no requirement for local governments with adequate fiscal capacity to contribute financially to remediation efforts, and participating local governments should be required to demonstrate a meaningful financial commitment to ensure local accountability and shared investment in project success; and
Whereas, Fines, fees, and penalties collected from violations of property maintenance codes, ordinances, or other applicable laws should be placed into a separate local account to be used exclusively for demolition or to meet matching fund requirements for future grants under the program; and
Whereas, Proceeds from the resale of remediated properties should likewise be deposited into the same fund to support ongoing remediation and redevelopment activities; and
Whereas, Even after successful remediation, many properties remain unsold or undeveloped for extended periods, despite having access to existing infrastructure such as water, sewer, gas, and electric service, creating missed opportunities for revitalization and compounding the problem amid a growing statewide housing shortage; and
Whereas, West Virginia faces a significant shortage of affordable workforce housing, which impedes economic growth, workforce recruitment, and overall community well-being; and
Whereas, Strategic incentives are needed to encourage private redevelopment of remediated sites, including temporary property tax relief; affordable housing price caps; cost-effective modular housing solutions such as Boxabl, Blokable, Vantem, IndieDwell, Plant Prefab, Connect Homes, Method Homes, Kasita, Haus.me, Mighty Buildings, ICON 3D-printed homes, and other similar modular and pre-fabricated housing technologies not listed herein; and
Whereas, The state has an opportunity to catalyze community revitalization and housing development by aligning remediation efforts with targeted redevelopment incentives.
Resolved by the House of Delegates:
That the House hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance conduct a comprehensive study to: evaluate the implementation and funding structure of the WV DEP Reclamation of Abandoned and Dilapidated Properties Program; examine the feasibility of requiring reinvestment of proceeds from the sale of remediated properties into a designated fund used exclusively for demolition or matching grants under the program; study the potential for requiring code enforcement fines and fees related to property maintenance to be placed in the same fund to support remediation; assess the merits of requiring participating local governments to contribute meaningful financial resources or in-kind services to ensure local investment in remediation outcomes; explore options to incentivize redevelopment of remediated sites through temporary property tax abatements or graduated tax structures, low-cost resale price targets for affordable housing development and recommendations for a reasonable maximum sales price, or cost-effective modular housing solutions such as Boxabl, Blokable, Vantem, IndieDwell, Plant Prefab, Connect Homes, Method Homes, Kasita, Haus.me, Mighty Buildings, ICON 3D-printed homes, and other similar modular and pre-fabricated housing technologies not listed herein; incentives for public-private partnerships in redevelopment efforts; and identify barriers to redevelopment, including regulatory or financing challenges, and recommend strategies to accelerate the productive reuse of these properties to meet the urgent housing needs of West Virginia communities.
Further Resolved, That the Committee report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, together with any drafts of legislation it may propose, to the Regular Session of the Legislature, 2026, and the Honorable Gary G. Howell.