John Doll voted Yea (Passage) on this Legislation.
Title: Authorizes District Courts to Transfer Possession of Abandoned Properties
Vetoed by Governor Sam Brownback
Title: Authorizes District Courts to Transfer Possession of Abandoned Properties
Vote to pass a bill that authorizes district courts to possess an abandoned property and transfer temporary possession to an organization for rehabilitation, expiring July 1, 2020.
Defines “abandoned property” as any real estate that meets at least one of the following criteria (Sec. 1):
Residential real estate for which taxes have been unpaid for 2 years and has been unoccupied continuously by its legal owners for 90 days;
Residential real estate that has been unoccupied continuously by its legal owners for 365 days and has had a blighting influence on surrounding properties; or
Commercial real estate for which taxes have been unpaid for 2 years and has had a blighting influence on surrounding properties.
Exempts residential property that is subject to a mortgage or ownership dispute (Sec. 1).
Defines “blighting influence” as conditions that are dangerous or injurious to the health, safety, and welfare of its occupants or neighboring residents including the following (Sec. 1):
Defects increasing fire and accident hazards;
Air pollution;
Lack of sanitary facilities;
Unsightly stored or parked material;
Structural defects and disrepair;
Vermin infestation; or
Violation of maintenance codes constituting a health or safety threat.
Authorizes a non-profit organization that has existed for at least 3 years to file a petition with district courts to temporarily possess an abandoned property under the following conditions (Secs. 1 & 2):
The organization intends to rehabilitate and use the property as a housing-related facility;
The organization has notified parties interested in the property and the enforcing officer between 20 and 60 days before the petition is filed.
Authorizes the courts to grant legal owners 90 days to ensure that their property is in compliance with fire, housing and building codes in order to dismiss a petition to possess their property (Sec. 2).
Prohibits the court from sustaining petitions solely due to the legal owner’s delinquent property taxes (Sec. 2).
Authorizes organizations to seek quiet title to an abandoned property at least 1 year after its temporary possession (Sec. 2).
Title: Authorizes District Courts to Transfer Possession of Abandoned Properties