Alabama 2025 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB331 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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1	1	HB331INTRODUCED
2	2	Page 0
3	3	HB331
4	4	7I3FV22-1
5	5	By Representatives Tillman, Hendrix, Sellers, Moore (M), Givan
6	6	(N & P)
7	7	RFD: County and Municipal Government
8	8	First Read: 25-Feb-25
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14	14	6 7I3FV22-1 02/19/2025 PMG (L)cr 2025-793
15	15	Page 1
16	16	First Read: 25-Feb-25
17	17	SYNOPSIS:
18	18	Relating to Class 1 municipalities; to authorize
19	19	a Class 1 municipality to enact by ordinance provisions
20	20	for vacant real property registration; to require a
21	21	registration fee for the registration of vacant
22	22	properties; and to enact and enforce maintenance
23	23	standards for vacant properties.
24	24	A BILL
25	25	TO BE ENTITLED
26	26	AN ACT
27	27	Relating to vacant real property located in a Class 1
28	28	municipality; to authorize the governing body of a Class 1
29	29	municipality to enact and enforce vacant property registration
30	30	ordinances.
31	31	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
32	32	Section 1. This act shall apply only to a Class 1
33	33	municipality.
34	34	Section 2. The provisions of this act shall apply in
35	35	any Class 1 municipality that adopts this act to be applicable
36	36	to the registration of vacant property in the municipality.
37	37	Section 3. The Legislature finds and declares all of
38	38	the following:
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66	66	28 HB331 INTRODUCED
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68	68	the following:
69	69	(1) Vacant properties create numerous problems in a
70	70	Class 1 municipality, including a propensity to foster
71	71	criminal activity, create blight and blighting conditions,
72	72	create public health problems, and otherwise diminish quality
73	73	of life for residents and business operators in the
74	74	surrounding area.
75	75	(2) Vacant properties negatively impact the property
76	76	rights of neighboring property owners by reducing the value of
77	77	surrounding properties, impacting the quality of life of
78	78	adjacent property owners, increasing the risk of property
79	79	damage through arson and vandalism, and discouraging
80	80	neighborhood stability and revitalization.
81	81	(3) Abandoned properties are presumptively considered
82	82	to be nuisances, in view of their negative effects on nearby
83	83	properties and the residents or users of those properties.
84	84	(4) Vacant properties require a Class 1 municipality to
85	85	expend significant monetary and personnel resources and to
86	86	incur a disproportionate cost to address problems of vacant
87	87	and abandoned structures, which include, but are not limited
88	88	to, property inspections, nuisance abatement, fire calls, and
89	89	police calls.
90	90	(5) Vacant properties represent unrealized economic
91	91	growth for a Class 1 municipality.
92	92	(6) A vacant property registration ordinance would
93	93	allow a Class 1 municipality to discourage property vacancy,
94	94	to maintain unoccupied buildings, to provide a database of
95	95	vacant properties and their owners in order to better ensure
96	96	compliance with applicable property codes, and to assess fees
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126	126	compliance with applicable property codes, and to assess fees
127	127	for the increased public costs associated with vacant
128	128	properties.
129	129	(7) Fees imposed under a vacant property registration
130	130	ordinance have the potential to benefit the owners of vacant
131	131	properties by helping to finance additional government
132	132	services by a Class 1 municipality to protect the value and
133	133	security of such properties.
134	134	(8) Enactment of a vacant property registration
135	135	ordinance is a proper exercise of governmental authority to
136	136	protect the public health, safety, and welfare of community
137	137	residents and a valid regulatory scheme.
138	138	Section 4. The purposes of this act are to promote the
139	139	health, safety, and welfare of residents in a Class l
140	140	municipality by providing authority for a Class 1 municipality
141	141	to enact a vacant property registration ordinance. The
142	142	ordinance will allow a Class 1 municipality to identify and
143	143	register vacant properties, collect fees to compensate for the
144	144	public costs of vacant properties, plan for the rehabilitation
145	145	of vacant properties, and encourage the occupancy of vacant
146	146	properties.
147	147	Section 5. For purposes of this act the following terms
148	148	have the following meanings:
149	149	(1) EVIDENCE OF VACANCY. Any condition or circumstance
150	150	that on its own or in combination with other conditions or
151	151	circumstances would lead a reasonable person to believe that a
152	152	residential building or commercial building is vacant.
153	153	Conditions or circumstances may include, but are not limited
154	154	to:
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184	184	to:
185	185	a. Overgrown or dead vegetation, including grass,
186	186	shrubbery, and other plantings;
187	187	b. An accumulation of abandoned personal property,
188	188	trash, or other waste;
189	189	c. Visible deterioration or lack of maintenance of any
190	190	building or structure on the property;
191	191	d. Graffiti or other defacement of any building or
192	192	structure on the property;
193	193	e. An absence of legal occupancy or routine legal
194	194	activity occurring on the property; or
195	195	f. Any other condition or circumstance reasonably
196	196	indicating that the property is not occupied for residential
197	197	purposes or being used for the operation of a lawful business.
198	198	(2) OWNER. A person who individually or jointly with
199	199	others:
200	200	a. Has legal title to the property, with or without
201	201	actual possession, or who is shown to be the owner or owners
202	202	of record in the records of the probate office;
203	203	b. Has charge, care, or control of the property as
204	204	owner or agent of the owner;
205	205	c. Is an executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian
206	206	of the estate of the owner;
207	207	d. Is the agent of the owner for the purpose of
208	208	managing, controlling, or collecting rents; or
209	209	e. Is entitled to control or direct the management or
210	210	disposition of the property.
211	211	(3) RESIDENTIAL BUILDING. A house, condominium,
212	212	townhouse, apartment unit or building, or any other building
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242	242	townhouse, apartment unit or building, or any other building
243	243	where the whole building or parts thereof are designed or used
244	244	as residential dwellings or auxiliary uses to a residential
245	245	dwelling.
246	246	(4) VACANT. A residential building or commercial
247	247	building that is lacking habitual presence of human beings who
248	248	have a legal right to be on the property, or at which
249	249	substantially all lawful business operations or residential
250	250	occupancy has ceased for a period of 90 consecutive days. In
251	251	determining whether a property is vacant, a Class l
252	252	municipality may consider, among other factors, evidence of
253	253	vacancy.
254	254	Section 6. (a) The governing body of a Class 1
255	255	municipality may adopt a vacant property registration
256	256	ordinance that establishes a vacant property registration and
257	257	maintenance program that applies to any type of either
258	258	residential or commercial buildings, or both, located within
259	259	the corporate limits of the municipality, except that a vacant
260	260	property registration ordinance shall not apply to property
261	261	owned by the federal government, the State of Alabama, any
262	262	political subdivision thereof, or a public corporation.
263	263	(b) A vacant property registration ordinance shall
264	264	create a city-wide vacant property registration database and
265	265	clearly designate a program administrator.
266	266	Section 7. (a) Owners of vacant property subject to a
267	267	vacant property registration ordinance shall register the
268	268	property with the program administrator within 30 days after
269	269	the property becomes vacant or within 30 days after assuming
270	270	ownership of the vacant property, whichever is later, or
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300	300	ownership of the vacant property, whichever is later, or
301	301	within 10 days after receipt of notice by the municipality
302	302	that the property is vacant.
303	303	(b) A vacant property registration ordinance
304	304	registration form shall be in either paper or electronic form,
305	305	and the following information, at a minimum, shall be
306	306	required:
307	307	(1) The name, street address, mailing address,
308	308	telephone number, and, if applicable, the facsimile number and
309	309	email address of the property owner and his or her agent who
310	310	is an individual at least 21 years of age who is designated by
311	311	the owner as authorized agent for receiving notice of code
312	312	violations and for receiving process in any court proceeding
313	313	or administrative enforcement proceeding on behalf of the
314	314	owner in connection with the enforcement of any applicable
315	315	law, regulation, or code.
316	316	(2) The street address and parcel identification number
317	317	of the vacant property.
318	318	(3) The transfer date of the instrument conveying the
319	319	property to the owner.
320	320	(4) The date on which the property became vacant.
321	321	(c)(1) A vacant property registration ordinance may
322	322	require payment of a fee upon registration of the vacant
323	323	property pursuant to subsection (a) and may require the
324	324	payment of supplemental registration fees every 12 months
325	325	thereafter for as long as the property remains on the vacant
326	326	property registration database. The initial registration fee
327	327	shall be not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250)
328	328	annually for a residential property and not more than one
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358	358	annually for a residential property and not more than one
359	359	thousand dollars ($1,000) annually for a commercial property.
360	360	A supplemental registration fee shall be not more than double
361	361	the previous fee amount, with a maximum supplemental
362	362	registration fee of 10 times the initial registration fee
363	363	amount.
364	364	(2) Registration fees may be refundable on a prorated
365	365	basis for the year preceding the date on which the property is
366	366	no longer vacant.
367	367	(3) A vacant property registration ordinance shall
368	368	provide an exemption for time periods set forth in the
369	369	ordinance to the registration and fee requirements for vacant
370	370	property that is advertised in good faith for sale or lease.
371	371	(4) A vacant property registration ordinance may
372	372	provide exemptions to the registration and fee requirements,
373	373	including, but not limited to, for vacant property:
374	374	a. Only considered to be a seasonal residence;
375	375	b. Damaged by fire, weather, an act of God, or
376	376	vandalism, and the owner demonstrates his or her intent to
377	377	repair or renovate;
378	378	c. Under construction or renovation;
379	379	d. Where the owner is temporarily absent but who has
380	380	demonstrated his or her intent to return;
381	381	e. That is subject to divorce, probate, or estate
382	382	proceedings;
383	383	f. When the owner or occupant of the vacant property
384	384	files with the program administrator a detailed statement of
385	385	the owner or occupant's plans for restoration of the vacant
386	386	property to productive use and occupancy during the 12-month
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416	416	property to productive use and occupancy during the 12-month
417	417	period following the date when the initial registration of the
418	418	property would otherwise be due. If the restoration or
419	419	occupancy of the property has not commenced by the end of the
420	420	12-month period, the owner or occupant shall be liable for any
421	421	fee waived. The program administrator may extend the waiver of
422	422	the registration fee for not more than one additional year in
423	423	response to a written request by the property owner or
424	424	occupant where the program administrator finds that compelling
425	425	conditions outside the owner or occupant's control made it
426	426	impossible for the owner or occupant to restore the property
427	427	within the initial 12-month period; or
428	428	g. In other situations in which the governing body of
429	429	the municipality, on a case-by-case basis and upon request by
430	430	the property owner, determines that an exemption of a vacant
431	431	property from registration is appropriate upon a finding for
432	432	good cause shown that the owner or lawful occupant will be
433	433	unable to occupy the building for a determinant period of
434	434	time, provided that the property owner or occupant provides a
435	435	detailed statement of the owner or occupant's plans for
436	436	restoration of the vacant property to productive use and
437	437	occupancy during the 12-month period following the date when
438	438	the initial registration of the property would otherwise be
439	439	due.
440	440	(d) A vacant property registration ordinance may
441	441	require that when the owner of the vacant property resides
442	442	outside of the state, the owner shall provide the name and
443	443	address of an individual who resides within the state who is
444	444	authorized to accept service of process and notices of fees
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474	474	authorized to accept service of process and notices of fees
475	475	due under this act on behalf of the owner and who is
476	476	designated as a responsible, local party or agent for the
477	477	purposes of notification in the event of an emergency
478	478	affecting the public health, safety, or welfare.
479	479	Section 8. (a) A vacant property registration ordinance
480	480	shall:
481	481	(1) Provide that a subsequent owner or owners of
482	482	property subject to the ordinance shall assume the obligations
483	483	of the previous owner or owners;
484	484	(2) Provide for removal of the property from the vacant
485	485	property registration database when the property is no longer
486	486	vacant;
487	487	(3) Require submission of an owner plan for restoration
488	488	and occupancy of the property; and
489	489	(4) Provide that owners have the right to prior notice
490	490	and to appeal adverse decisions of the municipality or the
491	491	program administrator. Prior notice shall be sent by certified
492	492	mail to the registered owner at the address maintained in the
493	493	probate office or according to the records of the tax assessor
494	494	or revenue commissioner, if different, at least 10 days prior
495	495	to the adverse decision.
496	496	(b) A vacant property registration ordinance may allow
497	497	the program administrator or his or her designee to inspect
498	498	the interior and exterior of the vacant property upon
499	499	registration and at one--year intervals thereafter or more
500	500	frequently if necessary to protect public health and safety,
501	501	for so long as the property remains on the vacant property
502	502	registration database.
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532	532	registration database.
533	533	(c) A vacant property registration ordinance may
534	534	provide for municipal fines for failure to comply with its
535	535	requirements. A municipality may enforce the collection of
536	536	vacant property registration fees by civil action in any court
537	537	of competent jurisdiction. Unpaid vacant property registration
538	538	fees and unpaid fines for any violation of a vacant property
539	539	registration ordinance shall become a lien on the applicable
540	540	property upon the recording of a notice of the lien in the
541	541	probate office. The lien created under this subsection shall
542	542	be superior to all other liens, except those liens for taxes
543	543	described or referenced in Section 11-51-6, Code of Alabama
544	544	1975.
545	545	(d) The vacant property registration ordinance may
546	546	require that the owner enclose and secure the vacant property
547	547	within a designated period of time and thereafter to maintain
548	548	the vacant property to minimum standards required under
549	549	applicable state law and municipal ordinances and codes or to
550	550	standards adopted under the vacant property registration
551	551	ordinance. The ordinance may include authority for the
552	552	municipality, following notice to the owner, to act to bring
553	553	the vacant property into compliance with the applicable
554	554	standards, or otherwise eliminate the public nuisance caused
555	555	by any noncomplaint conditions; provided, however, that
556	556	nothing in this section is to be interpreted to impose a duty,
557	557	obligation, or requirement that a municipality must undertake
558	558	such repairs, demolition, or maintenance measures which remain
559	559	as obligations and responsibilities of the owner. Cost of the
560	560	repairs, demolition, and maintenance and related legal and
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590	590	repairs, demolition, and maintenance and related legal and
591	591	administrative costs incurred by the municipality shall be
592	592	paid by the owner. A vacant property registration ordinance
593	593	may provide that these costs shall become a lien on the
594	594	applicable property, upon the recording of a notice of the
595	595	lien in the probate office, or may be collected in civil
596	596	proceedings against the owner.
597	597	Section 9. The provisions of this act shall be
598	598	supplemental and in pari materia with other laws of the State
599	599	of Alabama relating to vacant or abandoned property.
600	600	Section 10. This act shall become effective on October
601	601	1, 2025.
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