For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
CREDITOR. Any person or any federal or state chartered bank, savings bank, savings and loan association, credit union or any other financial institution or entity acting on behalf of the creditor named in the debt obligation including, but not limited to, servicers.
DWELLING UNIT. A group of rooms located within any building, structure or house used for residential purposes, forming a single housekeeping unit with facilities which are designed and used for living, sleeping, cooking and/or eating.
RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. Any real property and the improvements, buildings, structures or house thereon, whether single or multi-family, whether or not owner occupied, used for residential purposes, containing one or more dwelling units.
VACANT. A residential property having no legal resident or tenant. Evidence of vacancy may include any condition that, on its own or combined with other present conditions, would lead a reasonable person to believe that the property is uninhabited. Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, overgrown or dead vegetation; accumulation of flyers, mail or trash; rodent infestation; disconnected utilities; the absence of window coverings or furniture; broken and/or boarded up windows and entryways; neglect or lack of general maintenance; and, statements of neighbors, delivery persons or government employees as to the lack of occupancy. The abandonment or voluntary "walk away" by the owner of any residential property in which any creditor holds a mortgage interest shall be considered as evidence of vacancy.
VACANT PROPERTY REGISTRATION FORM. A form publicly available from the Department of Development Services that creditors and owners of vacant residential property subject to the requirements of this chapter must complete and submit as specified herein.
VACANT, FORECLOSED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY. A vacant residential property upon which a creditor has filed an action in foreclosure in Circuit Court in order to recover monies pursuant to a mortgage which is secured by residential property.
(Ord. O-2014-005, passed 3-24-2014)