(a) No later than 10 working days after the date when a local health officer determines that property is contaminated pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 25400.20, the local health officer shall do all of the following:
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), if the property is real property, record with the county recorder a lien on the property. The lien shall specify all of the following:
(A) The name of the agency on whose behalf the lien is imposed.
(B) The date on which the property is determined to be contaminated.
(C) The legal description of the real property and the assessor’s parcel number.
(D) The record owner of the property.
(E) The amount of the lien, which shall be the greater of two hundred dollars ($200) or the costs incurred by the local health officer in compliance with this chapter, including, but not limited to, the cost of inspection performed pursuant to Section 25400.19 and the county recorder’s fee.
(2) (A) If the property is a mobilehome or manufactured home specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (t) of Section 25400.11, amend the permanent record with a restraint on the mobilehome, or manufactured home with the Department of Housing and Community Development, in the form prescribed by that department, providing notice of the determination that the property is contaminated.
(B) If the property is a recreational vehicle specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (t) of Section 25400.11, perfect by filing with the Department of Motor Vehicles a vehicle license stop on the recreational vehicle in the form prescribed by that department, providing notice of the determination that the property is contaminated.
(C) If the property is a mobilehome or manufactured home, not subject to paragraph (2) of subdivision (t) of Section 25400.11, is located on real property, and is not attached to that real property, the local health officer shall record a lien for the real property with the county recorder, and the Department of Housing and Community Development shall amend the permanent record with a restraint for the mobilehome or manufactured home, in the form and with the contents prescribed by that department.
(3) A lien, restraint, or vehicle license stop issued pursuant to paragraph (2) shall specify all of the following:
(A) The name of the agency on whose behalf the lien, restraint, or vehicle license stop is imposed.
(B) The date on which the property is determined to be contaminated.
(C) The legal description of the real property and the assessor’s parcel number, and the mailing and street address or space number of the manufactured home, mobilehome, or recreational vehicle or the vehicle identification number of the recreational vehicle, if applicable.
(D) The registered owner of the mobilehome, manufactured home, or recreational vehicle, if applicable, or the name of the owner of the real property as indicated in the official county records.
(E) The amount of the lien, if applicable, which shall be the greater of two hundred dollars ($200) or the costs incurred by the local health officer in compliance with this chapter, including, but not limited to, the cost of inspection performed pursuant to Section 25400.19 and the fee charged by the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Motor Vehicles pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (b).
(F) Other information required by the county recorder for the lien, the Department of Housing and Community Development for the restraint, or the Department of Motor Vehicles for the vehicle license stop.
(4) Issue to persons specified in subdivisions (d), (e), and (f) an order prohibiting the use or occupancy of the contaminated portions of the property.
(b) (1) The county recorder’s fees for recording and indexing documents provided for in this section shall be in the amount specified in Article 5 (commencing with Section 27360) of Chapter 6 of Part 3 of Title 3 of the Government Code.
(2) The Department of Housing and Community Development and the Department of Motor Vehicles may charge a fee to cover its administrative costs for recording and indexing documents provided for in paragraph (2) of subdivision (a).
(c) (1) A lien recorded pursuant to subdivision (a) shall have the force, effect, and priority of a judgment lien. The restraint amending the permanent record pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be displayed on any manufactured home or mobilehome title search until the restraint is released. The vehicle license stop shall remain in effect until it is released.
(2) The local health officer shall not authorize the release of a lien, restraint, or vehicle license stop made pursuant to subdivision (a), until one of the following occurs:
(A) The property owner satisfies the real property lien, or the contamination in the mobilehome, manufactured home, or recreational vehicle is abated to the satisfaction of the local health officer consistent with the notice in the restraint, or vehicle license stop and the local health officer issues a release pursuant to Section 25400.27.
(B) For a manufactured home or mobilehome, the local health officer determines that the unit will be destroyed or permanently salvaged. For the purposes of this paragraph, the unit shall not be reregistered after this determination is made unless the local health officer issues a release pursuant to Section 25400.27.
(C) The lien, restraint, or vehicle license stop is extinguished by a senior lien in a foreclosure sale.
(d) Except as otherwise specified in this section, an order issued pursuant to this section shall be served, either personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested, in the following manner:
(1) For real property, to all known occupants of the property and to all persons who have an interest in the property, as contained in the records of the recorder’s office of the county in which the property is located.
(2) In the case of a mobilehome or manufactured home, the order shall be served to the legal owner, as defined in Section 18005.8, each junior lienholder, as defined in Section 18005.3, and the registered owner, as defined in Section 18009.5.
(3) In the case of a recreational vehicle, the order shall be served on the legal owner, as defined in Section 370 of the Vehicle Code, and the registered owner, as defined in Section 505 of the Vehicle Code.
(e) If the whereabouts of the person described in subdivision (d) are unknown and cannot be ascertained by the local health officer, in the exercise of reasonable diligence, and the local health officer makes an affidavit to that effect, the local health officer shall serve the order by personal service or by mailing a copy of the order by certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, as follows:
(1) The order related to real property shall be served to each person at the address appearing on the last equalized tax assessment roll of the county where the property is located, and to all occupants of the affected unit.
(2) In the case of a mobilehome or manufactured home, the order shall be served to the legal owner, as defined in Section 18005.8, each junior lienholder, as defined in Section 18005.3, and the registered owner, as defined in Section 18009.5, at the address appearing on the permanent record and all occupants of the affected unit at the mobilehome park space.
(3) In the case of a recreational vehicle, the order shall be served on the legal owner, as defined in Section 370 of the Vehicle Code, and the registered owner, as defined in Section 505 of the Vehicle Code, at the address appearing on the permanent record and all occupants of the affected vehicle at the mobilehome park or special occupancy park space.
(f) (1) The local health officer shall also mail a copy of the order required by this section to the address of each person or party having a recorded right, title, estate, lien, or interest in the property and to the association of a common interest development, as defined in Sections 4080 and 4100 or Sections 6528 and 6534 of the Civil Code.
(2) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (1), if the affected property is a mobilehome, manufactured home, or recreational vehicle, specified in paragraph (2) of subdivision (t) of Section 25400.11, the order issued by the local health officer shall also be served, either personally or by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the owner of the mobilehome park or special occupancy park.
(g) The order issued pursuant to this section shall include all of the following information:
(1) A description of the property.
(2) The parcel identification number, address, or space number, if applicable.
(3) The vehicle identification number, if applicable.
(4) A description of the local health officer’s intended course of action.
(5) A specification of the penalties for noncompliance with the order.
(6) A prohibition on the use of all or portions of the property that are contaminated.
(7) A description of the measures the property owner is required to take to decontaminate the property.
(8) An indication of the potential health hazards involved.
(9) A statement that a property owner who fails to provide a notice or disclosure that is required by this chapter is subject to a civil penalty of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000).
(h) The local health officer shall provide a copy of the order to the local building or code enforcement agency or other appropriate agency responsible for the enforcement of the State Housing Law (Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 17910) of Division 13).
(i) The local health officer shall post the order in a conspicuous place on the property within one working day of the date that the order is issued.
(Amended (as amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 181, Sec. 65) by Stats. 2013, Ch. 605, Sec. 37. (SB 752) Effective January 1, 2014.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018