Property tax: tax-defaulted property sales.

Existing law governs the sale to certain entities of a property that has been tax defaulted for 5 years or more, or 3 years or more, as applicable, in an applicable county, including by authorizing the state, county, any revenue district the taxes of which on the property are collected by county officers, or a redevelopment agency created pursuant to the California Community Redevelopment Law, to purchase the property or any part thereof, as prescribed. Existing law also authorizes a nonprofit organization to purchase, with the approval of the board of supervisors of the county in which it is located, a residential or vacant property that has been tax-defaulted for 5 years or more, or 3 years or more if the property is subject to a nuisance abatement lien, as prescribed. Existing law requires the sales price of a property sold pursuant to the provisions described or referenced above to include certain amounts, including all defaulted taxes and assessments and all associated penalties and costs. This bill would prohibit a property or property interest from being offered for sale under the provisions described above if that property or property interest has not been offered for sale under the provisions described below. Existing law generally authorizes a county tax collector to sell to any person tax-defaulted property 5 years or more, or 3 years or more, as applicable, after that property has become tax defaulted. Existing law authorizes a party of interest in the property to file with the county a claim for the excess proceeds, in proportion to that person's interest held with others of equal priority in the property at the time of sale, at any time before the expiration of one year following the recordation of the tax collector's deed to the purchaser and provides for the distribution of those excess proceeds. Existing law requires, if excess proceeds from the sale of tax-defaulted property exceed $150, the county to provide notice of the right to claim the excess proceeds, as prescribed. This bill would increase the claims period described above to 2 years if the county does not receive any claims before the expiration of one year following the recordation of the tax collector's deed to the purchaser and would make conforming changes. The bill would also require the notice described above to include certain information, including the consequences for failing to apply for excess proceeds within the claims period. By requiring a county to administer the claims period for a longer time period and to include additional information in the required notice of the right to claim excess proceeds, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.