Special assessments and all interest, penalties and charges thereon from the date of confirmation of the roll shall become a debt to the city from the persons to whom they are assessed, and until paid, shall be and remain a lien upon the property assessed, of the same character and effect as the lien created by general law for state, county and city taxes, and the lands upon which the same are a lien shall be subject to sale therefor the same as are lands upon which delinquent city taxes constitute a lien.