(65 ILCS 5/11-20-15.1)
Sec. 11-20-15.1. Lien for costs of removal, securing, and enclosing on abandoned residential property.
(a) If the municipality elects to incur a removal cost pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, or subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or a securing or enclosing cost pursuant to Section 11-31-1.01 with respect to an abandoned residential property, then that cost is a lien upon the underlying parcel of that abandoned residential property. This lien is superior to all other liens and encumbrances, except tax liens and as otherwise provided in this Section.
(b) To perfect a lien under this Section, the municipality must, within one year after the cost is incurred for the activity, file notice of the lien in the office of the recorder in the county in which the abandoned residential property is located or, if the abandoned residential property is registered under the Torrens system, in the office of the Registrar of Titles of that county, a sworn statement setting out:
(1) a description of the abandoned residential
property that sufficiently identifies the parcel;
(2) the amount of the cost of the activity;
(3) the date or dates when the cost for the activity
was incurred by the municipality; and
(4) a statement that the lien has been filed pursuant
to subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01, as applicable.
If, for any abandoned residential property, the municipality engaged in any activity on more than one occasion during the course of one year, then the municipality may combine any or all of the costs of each of those activities into a single notice of lien.
(c) To enforce a lien pursuant to this Section, the municipality must maintain contemporaneous records that include, at a minimum: (i) a dated statement of finding by the municipality that the property for which the work is to be performed has become abandoned residential property, which shall include (1) the date when the property was first known or observed to be unoccupied by any lawful occupant or occupants, (2) a description of the actions taken by the municipality to contact the legal owner or owners of the property identified on the recorded mortgage, or, if known, any agent of the owner or owners, including the dates such actions were taken, and (3) a statement that no contacts were made with the legal owner or owners or their agents as a result of such actions, (ii) a dated certification by an authorized official of the municipality of the necessity and specific nature of the work to be performed, (iii) a copy of the agreement with the person or entity performing the work that includes the legal name of the person or entity, the rate or rates to be charged for performing the work, and an estimate of the total cost of the work to be performed, (iv) detailed invoices and payment vouchers for all payments made by the municipality for such work, and (v) a statement as to whether the work was engaged through a competitive bidding process, and if so, a copy of all proposals submitted by the bidders for such work.
(d) A lien under this Section shall be enforceable exclusively at the hearing for confirmation of sale of the abandoned residential property that is held pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 15-1508 of the Code of Civil Procedure and shall be limited to a claim of interest in the proceeds of the sale and subject to the requirements of this Section. Any mortgagee who holds a mortgage on the property, or any beneficiary or trustee who holds a deed of trust on the property, may contest the lien or the amount of the lien at any time during the foreclosure proceeding upon motion and notice in accordance with court rules applicable to motions generally. Grounds for forfeiture of the lien or the superior status of the lien granted by subsection (a) of this Section shall include, but not be limited to, a finding by the court that: (i) the municipality has not complied with subsection (b) or (c) of this Section, (ii) the scope of the work was not reasonable under the circumstances, (iii) the work exceeded the authorization for the work to be performed under subsection (a) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (a) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (a) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (a) of Section 11-20-13, or subsection (a) of Section 11-31-1.01, as applicable, or (iv) the cost of the services rendered or materials provided was not commercially reasonable. Forfeiture of the superior status of the lien otherwise granted by this Section shall not constitute a forfeiture of the lien as a subordinate lien.
(e) Upon payment of the amount of a lien filed under this Section by the mortgagee, servicer, owner, or any other person, the municipality shall release the lien, and the release may be filed of record by the person making such payment at the person's sole expense as in the case of filing notice of lien.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section, a municipality may not file a lien pursuant to this Section for activities performed pursuant to Section 11-20-7, Section 11-20-8, Section 11-20-12, Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01, if: (i) the mortgagee or servicer of the abandoned residential property has provided notice to the municipality that the mortgagee or servicer has performed or will perform the remedial actions specified in the notice that the municipality otherwise might perform pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01, provided that the remedial actions specified in the notice have been performed or are performed or initiated in good faith within 30 days of such notice; or (ii) the municipality has provided notice to the mortgagee or servicer of a problem with the property requiring the remedial actions specified in the notice that the municipality otherwise would perform pursuant to subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01, and the mortgagee or servicer has performed or performs or initiates in good faith the remedial actions specified in the notice within 30 days of such notice.
(g) This Section and subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01 shall apply only to activities performed, costs incurred, and liens filed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly.
(h) For the purposes of this Section and subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01:
"Abandoned residential property" means any type of permanent residential dwelling unit, including detached single family structures, and townhouses, condominium units and multifamily rental apartments covering the entire property, and manufactured homes treated under Illinois law as real estate and not as personal property, that has been unoccupied by any lawful occupant or occupants for at least 90 days, and for which after such 90 day period, the municipality has made good faith efforts to contact the legal owner or owners of the property identified on the recorded mortgage, or, if known, any agent of the owner or owners, and no contact has been made. A property for which the municipality has been given notice of the order of confirmation of sale pursuant to subsection (b-10) of Section 15-1508 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall not be deemed to be an abandoned residential property for the purposes of subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, and Section 11-31-1.01 of this Code.
"MERS program" means the nationwide Mortgage Electronic Registration System approved by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae that has been created by the mortgage banking industry with the mission of registering every mortgage loan in the United States to lawfully make information concerning each residential mortgage loan and the property securing it available by Internet access to mortgage originators, servicers, warehouse lenders, wholesale lenders, retail lenders, document custodians, settlement agents, title companies, insurers, investors, county recorders, units of local government, and consumers.
(i) Any entity or person who performs a removal, securing, or enclosing activity pursuant to the authority of a municipality under subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13, or Section 11-31-1.01, may, in its, his, or her own name, file a lien pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section and appear in a foreclosure action on that lien pursuant to subsection (d) of this Section in the place of the municipality, provided that the municipality shall remain subject to subsection (c) of this Section, and such party shall be subject to all of the provisions in this Section as if such party were the municipality.
(i-5) All amounts received by the municipality for costs incurred pursuant to this Section for which the municipality has been reimbursed under Section 7.31 of the Illinois Housing Development Act shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit into the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund.
(j) If prior to subsection (d) of Section 11-20-7, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-8, subsection (d) of Section 11-20-12, and subsection (e) of Section 11-20-13 becoming inoperative a lien is filed pursuant to any of those subsections, then the lien shall remain in full force and effect after the subsections have become inoperative, subject to all of the provisions of this Section. If prior to the repeal of Section 11-31-1.01 a lien is filed pursuant to Section 11-31-1.01, then the lien shall remain in full force and effect after the repeal of Section 11-31-1.01, subject to all of the provisions of this Section.
(Source: P.A. 96-856, eff. 3-1-10; 96-1419, eff. 10-1-10.)
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Last modified: February 18, 2015