Sen. Melinda Bush

Filed: 4/4/2019

 

 


 

 


 
10100SB1114sam001LRB101 04096 AWJ 59070 a

1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1114

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1114 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Counties Code is amended by changing
5Section 5-1121 as follows:
 
6    (55 ILCS 5/5-1121)
7    Sec. 5-1121. Demolition, repair, or enclosure.
8    (a) The county board of each county may demolish, repair,
9or enclose or cause the demolition, repair, or enclosure of
10dangerous and unsafe buildings or uncompleted and abandoned
11buildings within the territory of the county, but outside the
12territory of any municipality, and may remove or cause the
13removal of garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or
14unhealthy substances or materials from those buildings. If a
15township within the county makes a formal request to the county
16board as provided in Section 85-50 of the Township Code that

 

 

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1the county board commence specified proceedings under this
2Section with respect to property located within the township
3but outside the territory of any municipality, then, at the
4next regular county board meeting occurring at least 10 days
5after the formal request is made to the county board, the
6county board shall either commence the requested proceedings or
7decline to do so (either formally or by failing to commence the
8proceedings within 60 days after the request) and shall notify
9the township board making the request of the county board's
10decision. In any county having adopted, by referendum or
11otherwise, a county health department as provided by Division
125-25 of the Counties Code or its predecessor, the county board
13of any such county may upon a formal request by the city,
14village, or incorporated town demolish, repair or cause the
15demolition or repair of dangerous and unsafe buildings or
16uncompleted and abandoned buildings within the territory of any
17city, village, or incorporated town having a population of less
18than 50,000.
19    The county board shall apply to the circuit court of the
20county in which the building is located (i) for an order
21authorizing action to be taken with respect to a building if
22the owner or owners of the building, including the lien holders
23of record, after at least 15 days' written notice by mail to do
24so, have failed to commence proceedings to put the building in
25a safe condition or to demolish it or (ii) for an order
26requiring the owner or owners of record to demolish, repair, or

 

 

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1enclose the building or to remove garbage, debris, and other
2hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials from
3the building. It is not a defense to the cause of action that
4the building is boarded up or otherwise enclosed, although the
5court may order the defendant to have the building boarded up
6or otherwise enclosed. Where, upon diligent search, the
7identity or whereabouts of the owner or owners of the building,
8including the lien holders of record, is not ascertainable,
9notice mailed to the person or persons in whose name the real
10estate was last assessed and the posting of such notice upon
11the premises sought to be demolished or repaired is sufficient
12notice under this Section.
13    The hearing upon the application to the circuit court shall
14be expedited by the court and shall be given precedence over
15all other suits.
16    The cost of the demolition, repair, enclosure, or removal
17incurred by the county, by an intervenor, or by a lien holder
18of record, including court costs, attorney's fees, and other
19costs related to the enforcement of this Section, is
20recoverable from the owner or owners of the real estate or the
21previous owner or both if the property was transferred during
22the 15 day notice period and is a lien on the real estate; the
23lien is superior to all prior existing liens and encumbrances,
24except taxes, if, within 180 days after the repair, demolition,
25enclosure, or removal, the county, the lien holder of record,
26or the intervenor who incurred the cost and expense shall file

 

 

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1a notice of lien for the cost and expense incurred in the
2office of the recorder in the county in which the real estate
3is located or in the office of the registrar of titles of the
4county if the real estate affected is registered under the
5Registered Titles (Torrens) Act.
6    The notice must consist of a sworn statement setting out
7(1) a description of the real estate sufficient for its
8identification, (2) the amount of money representing the cost
9and expense incurred, and (3) the date or dates when the cost
10and expense was incurred by the county, the lien holder of
11record, or the intervenor. Upon payment of the cost and expense
12by the owner of or persons interested in the property after the
13notice of lien has been filed, the lien shall be released by
14the county, the person in whose name the lien has been filed,
15or the assignee of the lien, and the release may be filed of
16record as in the case of filing notice of lien. Unless the lien
17is enforced under subsection (b), the lien may be enforced by
18foreclosure proceedings as in the case of mortgage foreclosures
19under Article XV of the Code of Civil Procedure or mechanics'
20lien foreclosures. An action to foreclose this lien may be
21commenced at any time after the date of filing of the notice of
22lien. The costs of foreclosure incurred by the county,
23including court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, advances to
24preserve the property, and other costs related to the
25enforcement of this subsection, plus statutory interest, are a
26lien on the real estate and are recoverable by the county from

 

 

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1the owner or owners of the real estate.
2    All liens arising under this subsection (a) shall be
3assignable. The assignee of the lien shall have the same power
4to enforce the lien as the assigning party, except that the
5lien may not be enforced under subsection (b).
6    If the appropriate official of any county determines that
7any dangerous and unsafe building or uncompleted and abandoned
8building within its territory fulfills the requirements for an
9action by the county under the Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation
10Act, the county may petition under that Act in a proceeding
11brought under this subsection.
12    (b) In any case where a county has obtained a lien under
13subsection (a), the county may enforce the lien under this
14subsection (b) in the same proceeding in which the lien is
15authorized.
16    A county desiring to enforce a lien under this subsection
17(b) shall petition the court to retain jurisdiction for
18foreclosure proceedings under this subsection. Notice of the
19petition shall be served, by certified or registered mail, on
20all persons who were served notice under subsection (a). The
21court shall conduct a hearing on the petition not less than 15
22days after the notice is served. If the court determines that
23the requirements of this subsection (b) have been satisfied, it
24shall grant the petition and retain jurisdiction over the
25matter until the foreclosure proceeding is completed. The costs
26of foreclosure incurred by the county, including court costs,

 

 

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1reasonable attorneys' fees, advances to preserve the property,
2and other costs related to the enforcement of this subsection,
3plus statutory interest, are a lien on the real estate and are
4recoverable by the county from the owner or owners of the real
5estate. If the court denies the petition, the county may
6enforce the lien in a separate action as provided in subsection
7(a).
8    All persons designated in Section 15-1501 of the Code of
9Civil Procedure as necessary parties in a mortgage foreclosure
10action shall be joined as parties before issuance of an order
11of foreclosure. Persons designated in Section 15-1501 of the
12Code of Civil Procedure as permissible parties may also be
13joined as parties in the action.
14    The provisions of Article XV of the Code of Civil Procedure
15applicable to mortgage foreclosures shall apply to the
16foreclosure of a lien under this subsection (b), except to the
17extent that those provisions are inconsistent with this
18subsection. For purposes of foreclosures of liens under this
19subsection, however, the redemption period described in
20subsection (b) of Section 15-1603 of the Code of Civil
21Procedure shall end 60 days after the date of entry of the
22order of foreclosure.
23    (c) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the
24county board of any county may petition the circuit court to
25have property declared abandoned under this subsection (c) if:
26        (1) the property has been tax delinquent for 2 or more

 

 

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1    years or bills for water service for the property have been
2    outstanding for 2 or more years;
3        (2) the property is unoccupied by persons legally in
4    possession; and
5        (3) the property contains a dangerous or unsafe
6    building.
7    All persons having an interest of record in the property,
8including tax purchasers and beneficial owners of any Illinois
9land trust having title to the property, shall be named as
10defendants in the petition and shall be served with process. In
11addition, service shall be had under Section 2-206 of the Code
12of Civil Procedure as in other cases affecting property.
13    The county, however, may proceed under this subsection in a
14proceeding brought under subsection (a). Notice of the petition
15shall be served by certified or registered mail on all persons
16who were served notice under subsection (a).
17    If the county proves that the conditions described in this
18subsection exist and the owner of record of the property does
19not enter an appearance in the action, or, if title to the
20property is held by an Illinois land trust, if neither the
21owner of record nor the owner of the beneficial interest of the
22trust enters an appearance, the court shall declare the
23property abandoned.
24    If that determination is made, notice shall be sent by
25certified or registered mail to all persons having an interest
26of record in the property, including tax purchasers and

 

 

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1beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to
2the property, stating that title to the property will be
3transferred to the county unless, within 30 days of the notice,
4the owner of record enters an appearance in the action, or
5unless any other person having an interest in the property
6files with the court a request to demolish the dangerous or
7unsafe building or to put the building in safe condition.
8    If the owner of record enters an appearance in the action
9within the 30 day period, the court shall vacate its order
10declaring the property abandoned. In that case, the county may
11amend its complaint in order to initiate proceedings under
12subsection (a).
13    If a request to demolish or repair the building is filed
14within the 30 day period, the court shall grant permission to
15the requesting party to demolish the building within 30 days or
16to restore the building to safe condition within 60 days after
17the request is granted. An extension of that period for up to
1860 additional days may be given for good cause. If more than
19one person with an interest in the property files a timely
20request, preference shall be given to the person with the lien
21or other interest of the highest priority.
22    If the requesting party proves to the court that the
23building has been demolished or put in a safe condition within
24the period of time granted by the court, the court shall issue
25a quitclaim judicial deed for the property to the requesting
26party, conveying only the interest of the owner of record, upon

 

 

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1proof of payment to the county of all costs incurred by the
2county in connection with the action, including but not limited
3to court costs, attorney's fees, administrative costs, the
4costs, if any, associated with building enclosure or removal,
5and receiver's certificates. The interest in the property so
6conveyed shall be subject to all liens and encumbrances on the
7property. In addition, if the interest is conveyed to a person
8holding a certificate of purchase for the property under the
9Property Tax Code, the conveyance shall be subject to the
10rights of redemption of all persons entitled to redeem under
11that Act, including the original owner of record.
12    If no person with an interest in the property files a
13timely request or if the requesting party fails to demolish the
14building or put the building in safe condition within the time
15specified by the court, the county may petition the court to
16issue a judicial deed for the property to the county. A
17conveyance by judicial deed shall operate to extinguish all
18existing ownership interests in, liens on, and other interest
19in the property, including tax liens.
20    (d) Each county may use the provisions of this subsection
21to expedite the removal of certain buildings that are a
22continuing hazard to the community in which they are located.
23    If the official designated to be in charge of enforcing the
24county's building code determines that a building is open and
25vacant and an immediate and continuing hazard to the community
26in which the building is located, then the official shall be

 

 

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1authorized to post a notice not less than 2 feet by 2 feet in
2size on the front of the building. The notice shall be dated as
3of the date of the posting and shall state that unless the
4building is demolished, repaired, or enclosed, and unless any
5garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy
6substances or materials are removed so that an immediate and
7continuing hazard to the community no longer exists, then the
8building may be demolished, repaired, or enclosed, or any
9garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy
10substances or materials may be removed, by the county.
11    Not later than 30 days following the posting of the notice,
12the county shall do both of the following:
13        (1) Cause to be sent, by certified mail, return receipt
14    requested, a notice to all owners of record of the
15    property, the beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust
16    having title to the property, and all lienholders of record
17    in the property, stating the intent of the county to
18    demolish, repair, or enclose the building or remove any
19    garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy
20    substances or materials if that action is not taken by the
21    owner or owners.
22        (2) Cause to be published, in a newspaper published or
23    circulated in the county where the building is located, a
24    notice setting forth (i) the permanent tax index number and
25    the address of the building, (ii) a statement that the
26    property is open and vacant and constitutes an immediate

 

 

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1    and continuing hazard to the community, and (iii) a
2    statement that the county intends to demolish, repair, or
3    enclose the building or remove any garbage, debris, or
4    other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or
5    materials if the owner or owners or lienholders of record
6    fail to do so. This notice shall be published for 3
7    consecutive days.
8    A person objecting to the proposed actions of the county
9board may file his or her objection in an appropriate form in a
10court of competent jurisdiction.
11    If the building is not demolished, repaired, or enclosed,
12or the garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or
13unhealthy substances or materials are not removed, within 30
14days of mailing the notice to the owners of record, the
15beneficial owners of any Illinois land trust having title to
16the property, and all lienholders of record in the property, or
17within 30 days of the last day of publication of the notice,
18whichever is later, the county board shall have the power to
19demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove any
20garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy
21substances or materials.
22    The county may proceed to demolish, repair, or enclose a
23building or remove any garbage, debris, or other hazardous,
24noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials under this
25subsection within a 120-day period following the date of the
26mailing of the notice if the appropriate official determines

 

 

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1that the demolition, repair, enclosure, or removal of any
2garbage, debris, or other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy
3substances or materials is necessary to remedy the immediate
4and continuing hazard. If, however, before the county proceeds
5with any of the actions authorized by this subsection, any
6person has sought a hearing under this subsection before a
7court and has served a copy of the complaint on the chief
8executive officer of the county, then the county shall not
9proceed with the demolition, repair, enclosure, or removal of
10garbage, debris, or other substances until the court determines
11that that action is necessary to remedy the hazard and issues
12an order authorizing the county to do so.
13    Following the demolition, repair, or enclosure of a
14building, or the removal of garbage, debris, or other
15hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials under
16this subsection, the county may file a notice of lien against
17the real estate for the cost of the demolition, repair,
18enclosure, or removal within 180 days after the repair,
19demolition, enclosure, or removal occurred, for the cost and
20expense incurred, in the office of the recorder in the county
21in which the real estate is located or in the office of the
22registrar of titles of the county if the real estate affected
23is registered under the Registered Titles (Torrens) Act. The
24notice of lien shall consist of a sworn statement setting forth
25(i) a description of the real estate, such as the address or
26other description of the property, sufficient for its

 

 

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1identification; (ii) the expenses incurred by the county in
2undertaking the remedial actions authorized under this
3subsection; (iii) the date or dates the expenses were incurred
4by the county; (iv) a statement by the official responsible for
5enforcing the building code that the building was open and
6vacant and constituted an immediate and continuing hazard to
7the community; (v) a statement by the official that the
8required sign was posted on the building, that notice was sent
9by certified mail to the owners of record, and that notice was
10published in accordance with this subsection; and (vi) a
11statement as to when and where the notice was published. The
12lien authorized by this subsection may thereafter be released
13or enforced by the county as provided in subsection (a).
14    (e) In any case where a county has obtained a lien under
15subsection (a), the county may also bring an action for a money
16judgment against the owner or owners of the real estate in the
17amount of the lien in the same manner as provided for bringing
18causes of action in Article II of the Code of Civil Procedure
19and, upon obtaining a judgment, file a judgment lien against
20all of the real estate of the owner or owners and enforce that
21lien as provided for in Article XII of the Code of Civil
22Procedure.
23    (f) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, if a
24county finds that within a residential property of 1 acre or
25less there is an accumulation or concentration of: garbage;
26organic materials in an active state of decomposition

 

 

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1including, but not limited to, carcasses, food waste, or other
2spoiled or rotting materials; human or animal waste; debris; or
3other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or
4materials, which present an immediate threat to the public
5health or safety or the health and safety of the occupants of
6the property, the county may, without any administrative
7procedure to bond, petition the court for immediate injunctive
8relief to abate or cause the abatement of the condition that is
9causing the threat to health or safety, including an order
10causing the removal of any unhealthy or unsafe accumulations or
11concentrations of the material or items listed in this
12subsection from the structure or property. The county shall
13file with the circuit court in which the property is located a
14petition for an order authorizing the abatement of the
15condition that is causing the threat to health or safety. A
16hearing on the petition shall be set within 5 days, not
17including weekends or holidays, from the date of filing. To
18provide notice of such hearing, the county shall make every
19effort to serve the property's owners of record with the
20petition and summons and, if such service cannot be had, shall
21provide an affidavit to the court at the hearing showing the
22service could not be had and the efforts taken to locate and
23serve the owners of record. The county shall also post a sign
24at the property notifying all persons of the court proceeding.
25Following the abatement actions, the county may file a notice
26of lien for the cost and expense of actions taken under this

 

 

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1subsection as provided in subsection (a).
2(Source: P.A. 97-549, eff. 8-25-11; 98-138, eff. 8-2-13.)".