BILL NUMBER: AB 1557	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Skinner

                        JANUARY 26, 2012

   An act to amend Section 2929.3 of the Civil Code, relating to real
property.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1557, as introduced, Skinner. Real property: maintenance of
foreclosed property: violations.
   Existing law, until January 1, 2013, requires a legal owner to
maintain vacant residential property purchased at a foreclosure sale,
or acquired by that owner through foreclosure under a mortgage or
deed of trust. Existing law, until January 1, 2013, authorizes a
governmental entity to impose civil fines and penalties for failure
to maintain that property of up to $1,000 per day for a violation.
Existing law, until January 1, 2013, requires a governmental entity
that seeks to impose those fines and penalties to give notice of the
claimed violation and an opportunity to correct the violation at
least 14 days prior to imposing the fines and penalties, and to allow
a hearing for contesting those fines and penalties.
   This bill would extend the operation of these provisions until
January 1, 2018.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 2929.3 of the Civil Code is amended to read:
   2929.3.  (a) (1) A legal owner shall maintain vacant residential
property purchased by that owner at a foreclosure sale, or acquired
by that owner through foreclosure under a mortgage or deed of trust.
A governmental entity may impose a civil fine of up to one thousand
dollars ($1,000) per day for a violation. If the governmental entity
chooses to impose a fine pursuant to this section, it shall give
notice of the alleged violation, including a description of the
conditions that gave rise to the allegation, and notice of the entity'
s intent to assess a civil fine if action to correct the violation is
not commenced within a period of not less than 14 days and completed
within a period of not less than 30 days. The notice shall be mailed
to the address provided in the deed or other instrument as specified
in subdivision (a) of Section 27321.5 of the Government Code, or, if
none, to the return address provided on the deed or other
instrument.
   (2) The governmental entity shall provide a period of not less
than 30 days for the legal owner to remedy the violation prior to
imposing a civil fine and shall allow for a hearing and opportunity
to contest any fine imposed. In determining the amount of the fine,
the governmental entity shall take into consideration any timely and
good faith efforts by the legal owner to remedy the violation. The
maximum civil fine authorized by this section is one thousand dollars
($1,000) for each day that the owner fails to maintain the property,
commencing on the day following the expiration of the period to
remedy the violation established by the governmental entity.
   (3) Subject to the provisions of this section, a governmental
entity may establish different compliance periods for different
conditions on the same property in the notice of alleged violation
mailed to the legal owner.
   (b) For purposes of this section, "failure to maintain" means
failure to care for the exterior of the property, including, but not
limited to, permitting excessive foliage growth that diminishes the
value of surrounding properties, failing to take action to prevent
trespassers or squatters from remaining on the property, or failing
to take action to prevent mosquito larvae from growing in standing
water or other conditions that create a public nuisance.
   (c) Notwithstanding subdivisions (a) and (b), a governmental
entity may provide less than 30 days' notice to remedy a condition
before imposing a civil fine if the entity determines that a specific
condition of the property threatens public health or safety and
provided that notice of that determination and time for compliance is
given.
   (d) Fines and penalties collected pursuant to this section shall
be directed to local nuisance abatement programs.
   (e) A governmental entity may not impose fines on a legal owner
under both this section and a local ordinance.
   (f) These provisions shall not preempt any local ordinance.
   (g) This section shall only apply to residential real property.
   (h) The rights and remedies provided in this section are
cumulative and in addition to any other rights and remedies provided
by law.
   (i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
 2013   2018  , and as of that date is
repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before
January 1,  2013   2018  , deletes or
extends that date.