1907.03 NOTIFICATION OF FORECLOSURE FILING AND REGISTRATION OF FORECLOSED PROPERTY.
(a) Any Mortgagee who holds a mortgage on Real Property located within the City shall perform an inspection of the property upon default by the mortgagor as evidenced by the filing of a Foreclosure Action.
(b) Property inspected pursuant to subsection (a) above that remains in Foreclosure shall be inspected every thirty (30) days by the Mortgagee or Mortgagee's designee. If an inspection shows a change in the property's occupancy status the Mortgagee shall, within ten (10) days of that inspection, update the occupancy status of the property registration.
(c) Within ten (10) days of the date any Mortgagee files a Foreclosure Action, the Mortgagee shall register the Real Property with the City and, at the time of registration, indicate whether the property is Vacant, and if so shall designate in writing a Authorized Agent To inspect, maintain, and secure the Real Property subject to the mortgage under a Foreclosure Action when legally possible. A separate registration is required for each property under a Foreclosure Action, regardless of whether it is occupied or vacant.
(d) Initial registration pursuant to this section shall contain at a minimum the name of the Mortgagee, the mailing address of the Mortgagee, e-mail address, telephone number and name of the Property Manager and said person's address, e-mail address, and telephone number.
(e) At the time of initial registration, each registrant shall pay a non-refundable Semi-Annual Registration fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each property. Subsequent non-refundable Semi-Annual renewal registrations of properties and fees in the amount of two hundred dollars ($200.00) are due within ten (10) days of the expiration of the previous registration. Said fees shall be used to offset the costs of: (1) registration and registration enforcement, (2) code enforcement and mitigation related to Defaulted properties, (3) post-closing counseling and Foreclosure intervention limited to Owner-occupied persons in Default, which may not include cash and mortgage modification assistance, and (4) for any related purposes as may be adopted in the policy set forth in this Chapter. Said fees shall be deposited to a special account in the City's Finance Department dedicated to the cost of implementation and enforcement of this Ordinance and fulfilling the purpose and intent of this Chapter. None of the funds provided for in this section shall be utilized for the legal defense of Foreclosure Actions.
(f) Each individual property on the Registry that has been registered for twelve (12) months or more prior to the Effective Date shall have thirty (30) days to renew the registration and pay the non-refundable two hundred dollars ($200.00) Semi-Annual Registration fee. Properties registered less than twelve (12) months prior to the Effective Date shall renew the registration every six (6) months from the expiration of the original registration renewal date and shall pay the non-refundable two hundred dollars ($200.00) Semi-Annual Registration Fee.
(g) If the mortgage and/or servicing on a Foreclosed Property is sold or transferred, the new Mortgagee is subject to all the terms of this Chapter. Within ten (10) days of the transfer, the new Mortgagee shall register the property or update the existing registration. The previous Mortgagee(s) will not be released from the responsibility of paying all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties accrued during that Mortgagee's involvement with the Foreclosed Property.
(h) If the Mortgagee sells or transfers the Foreclosed Property in a non-arm's length transaction to a related entity or person, the transferee is subject to all the terms of this Chapter. Within ten (10) days of the transfer, the transferee shall register the property or update the existing registration. Any and all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties, regardless of who the Mortgagee was at the time registration was required, including, but not limited to, unregistered periods during the Foreclosure process, are the responsibility of the transferee and are due and payable with the updated registration. The previous Mortgagee will not be released from the responsibility of paying all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties accrued during that Mortgagee's involvement with the Foreclosed Property.
(i) If the Foreclosing or Foreclosed Property is not registered, or the registration fee is not paid within thirty (30) days of when the registration or renewal is required pursuant to this section, a late fee equivalent to ten percent (10%) of the Semi-Annual Registration fee shall be charged for every thirty-day period (30), or portion thereof, the property is not registered and shall be due and payable with the registration.
(j) In the event the City is required to perform any abatement activity, as that term is defined in Ohio Revised Code 715.261, with respect to the Foreclosing or Foreclosed Property, the City shall be entitled to certify its costs and expenses associated with the abatement work, inclusive of any unpaid registration fees, to the County Auditor who shall place the costs as a charge upon the tax list and duplicate. The costs shall be a lien upon the property from and after the date the costs were incurred.
(k) This section shall also apply to properties that have been the subject of a foreclosure sale where title is transferred to the Mortgagee as well as any properties transferred to the Mortgagee under a deed in lieu of foreclosure or by any other legal means.
(l) Properties subject to this Chapter shall remain subject to the Semi-Annual Registration requirement, and the inspection, security, and maintenance standards of this section as long as the property remains a Foreclosed Property.
(m) Failure of the Mortgagee and/or property Owner of record to properly register or to modify the registration to reflect a change of circumstances as required by this ordinance is a violation of this Chapter and shall be subject to enforcement by any of the enforcement means available to the City.
(n) If any property is in violation of this Chapter, the City may take the necessary action to ensure compliance with and/or place a lien on the property for the cost of the outstanding obligation and any additional cost incurred to the property into compliance.
(o) Registration of Foreclosed Property does not alleviate the Mortgagee and/or Owner from obtaining all required licenses, permits and inspections required by applicable code or State Statutes. Acquisition of required licenses, permits and inspections or registration of rental property does not alleviate the requirement for the property to be registered under this section. Mortgagee and/or Owner is expected to update the status of the property in the event of a Mortgagee managed rental. (Ord. 2022-4-26. Passed 4-13-22.)