Senate Amendment 3109


PAG LIN




     1  1    Amend Senate File 415 as follows:
     1  2 #1.  By striking everything after the enacting
     1  3 clause and inserting the following:
     1  4    <Section 1.  PETITION BY CITY FOR TITLE TO
     1  5 DISASTER=AFFECTED ABANDONED PROPERTY.
     1  6    1.  In lieu of the procedures in sections 657A.2
     1  7 through 657A.10A, a city in which a disaster=affected
     1  8 abandoned building is located may petition the court
     1  9 to enter judgment awarding title to the
     1 10 disaster=affected abandoned property to the city.  For
     1 11 the purposes of this section, "disaster=affected
     1 12 abandoned building" means a building that is abandoned
     1 13 as defined in section 657A.1, and the land the
     1 14 building is located on, that was damaged by a disaster
     1 15 as defined in section 29C.2 between May 1, 2008, and
     1 16 September 1, 2008, that is located in an area for
     1 17 which the governor proclaimed a state of disaster
     1 18 emergency during 2008, that constitutes a public
     1 19 nuisance, and that is not feasible to rehabilitate.
     1 20    2.  At least thirty days prior to filing a petition
     1 21 for title to disaster=affected abandoned property
     1 22 under this section, the city shall attempt to notify
     1 23 the owner of the property of the city's intent to
     1 24 acquire the property.  The city shall mail the notice
     1 25 by certified mail to the owner at the owner's last
     1 26 known address, to any contract purchaser of record of
     1 27 the property, to any tenant known to be occupying the
     1 28 property, and to any record lienholder or encumbrancer
     1 29 of the property at the lienholder's or encumbrancer's
     1 30 last known address.  The city shall also cause the
     1 31 notice to be posted in a conspicuous place on the
     1 32 building.
     1 33    3.  a.  If more than one disaster=affected
     1 34 abandoned building is located on a parcel of real
     1 35 estate, the city may combine the actions into one
     1 36 petition.  The owner of the building and land,
     1 37 mortgagees of record, lienholders or encumbrancers of
     1 38 record, the county in which the property is located if
     1 39 delinquent property taxes are owing, the holder of tax
     1 40 sale certificates, and other known persons who hold an
     1 41 interest in the property shall be named as respondents
     1 42 on the petition.
     1 43    b.  The petition shall be filed in the district
     1 44 court of the county in which the property is located.
     1 45 A petition under this section shall be filed not later
     1 46 than December 31, 2010.  The action shall be in
     1 47 equity.
     1 48    4.  a.  Service on the owner and any other named
     1 49 respondents shall be by certified mail.  The petition
     1 50 shall be mailed to each respondent at the respondent's
     2  1 last known address as reflected in county records.
     2  2 The city shall also cause the petition to be published
     2  3 once in a newspaper of general circulation in the
     2  4 county within ten days of the petition being filed.
     2  5 Service of the petition shall be deemed complete on
     2  6 the date of publication.
     2  7    b.  In lieu of mailing and publishing the petition,
     2  8 the city may cause the petition to be served upon such
     2  9 persons in the manner provided by the Iowa rules of
     2 10 civil procedure for the personal service of original
     2 11 notice.
     2 12    c.  In addition to notice provided under paragraph
     2 13 "a" or paragraph "b", the city shall also cause notice
     2 14 of the petition to be posted in a conspicuous place on
     2 15 the building.
     2 16    5.  The city shall set forth in the petition all
     2 17 public nuisance conditions existing on the property,
     2 18 the fair market value of the property in the
     2 19 property's condition existing on the date the petition
     2 20 is filed as determined by an appraisal prepared for
     2 21 the city, the amount of delinquent property taxes or
     2 22 special assessments on the property, and evidence that
     2 23 the city has attempted to provide notice under
     2 24 subsection 2.  A copy of the appraisal shall be
     2 25 attached to the petition.
     2 26    6.  The city may request a hearing on the petition
     2 27 not sooner than sixty days after the filing of the
     2 28 petition.  Notice of the hearing shall be provided to
     2 29 all respondents in the manner provided in subsection
     2 30 4.  Notice of the hearing shall be given not less than
     2 31 thirty days prior to the date of the hearing.
     2 32    7.  In determining whether a property is a
     2 33 disaster=affected abandoned building, the court shall
     2 34 consider the following for each building that is
     2 35 located on the property and named in the petition and
     2 36 the building grounds:
     2 37    a.  Whether any property taxes or special
     2 38 assessments on the property were delinquent at the
     2 39 time the petition was filed.
     2 40    b.  Whether any utilities are currently being
     2 41 provided to the property.
     2 42    c.  Whether the building is unoccupied by the owner
     2 43 or lessees or licensees of the owner.
     2 44    d.  Whether the building meets the city's housing
     2 45 code for being fit for human habitation, occupancy, or
     2 46 use.
     2 47    e.  Whether the building is exposed to the elements
     2 48 such that deterioration of the building is occurring.
     2 49    f.  Whether the building is boarded up.
     2 50    g.  Past efforts to rehabilitate the building and
     3  1 grounds.
     3  2    h.  The presence of vermin, accumulation of debris,
     3  3 and uncut vegetation.
     3  4    i.  Other public nuisance conditions existing on
     3  5 the property.
     3  6    j.  Past and current compliance with orders of the
     3  7 local housing official.
     3  8    k.  Any other evidence the court deems relevant.
     3  9    8.  In lieu of the considerations in subsection 7,
     3 10 if the city can establish to the court's satisfaction
     3 11 that all parties with an interest in the property have
     3 12 received proper notice and consented to the entry of
     3 13 an order awarding title to the property to the city,
     3 14 the court shall enter judgment against the respondents
     3 15 granting the city title to the property.
     3 16    9.  If the court determines that the property is a
     3 17 disaster=affected abandoned building or that
     3 18 subsection 8 applies, the court shall enter judgment
     3 19 awarding title to the city and shall determine an
     3 20 award of damages pursuant to subsection 10.  The title
     3 21 awarded to the city shall be free and clear of any
     3 22 claims, liens, or encumbrances held by the
     3 23 respondents.
     3 24    10.  a.  If the court awards title of the property
     3 25 to the city, the court shall award to the respondents
     3 26 the fair market value of the property and shall give
     3 27 consideration to the value of the property in its
     3 28 current condition.
     3 29    b.  The city may take possession of the property
     3 30 upon deposit of the amount awarded with the clerk of
     3 31 the district court.  Notice of the deposit with the
     3 32 clerk of the district court shall be provided to all
     3 33 respondents in the manner provided in subsection 4.
     3 34 If the amount deposited with the clerk of the district
     3 35 court is not claimed within two years of the date of
     3 36 deposit, the clerk of the district court shall
     3 37 transfer the money to the city for deposit in the
     3 38 general fund of the city.>
     3 39 #2.  Title page, lines 1 and 2, by striking the
     3 40 word <abandoned property by cities> and inserting the
     3 41 following:  <disaster=affected abandoned property by
     3 42 cities in certain years>.
     3 43
     3 44
     3 45                               
     3 46 ROBERT M. HOGG
     3 47 SF 415.201 83
     3 48 md/sc/22025

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