Virginia Law

Article 4. Bill in Equity for Sale of Delinquent Tax Lands.

A. When any taxes on any real estate in a locality are delinquent on December 31 following the second anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due, or, in the case of real property upon which is situated (i) any structure that has been condemned by the local building official pursuant to applicable law or ordinance; (ii) any nuisance as that term is defined in § 15.2-900; (iii) any derelict building as that term is defined in § 15.2-907.1; or (iv) any property that has been declared to be blighted as that term is defined in § 36-49.1:1, the first anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due, such real estate may be sold for the purpose of collecting all delinquent taxes on such property.

However, in a qualifying locality, as defined in § 58.1-3221.6, whenever (a) taxes on any real estate in the locality are delinquent upon the expiration of six months following the date on which such taxes became due and (b) the locality has incurred abatement costs which remain unpaid upon the expiration of six months following the date on which the abatement costs were first incurred, real estate meeting the conditions described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) may be sold for the purpose of collecting all delinquent taxes and abatement costs on such property. For the purposes of this section, "abatement costs" means costs incurred by a locality that result from the conditions described in clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv).

Upon a finding by the court, on real estate with an assessed value of $100,000 or less in any locality, that (a) any taxes on such real estate are delinquent on December 31 following the first anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due or (b) there is a lien on such real estate pursuant to § 15.2-900, 15.2-906, 15.2-907, 15.2-907.1, 15.2-908.1, or 36-49.1:1, which lien remains unpaid on December 31 following the first anniversary of the date on which such lien was recorded, the property shall be deemed subject to sale by public auction pursuant to proper notice under this subsection.

The officer charged with the duty of collecting taxes for the locality wherein the real property lies shall, at least 30 days prior to instituting any judicial proceeding pursuant to this section, send a notice to (1) the last known address of the property owner as such owner and address appear in the records of the treasurer, (2) the property address if the property address is different from the owner's address and if the real estate is listed with the post office by a numbered and named street address and (3) the last known address of any trustee under any deed of trust, mortgagee under any mortgage and any other lien creditor, if such trustee, mortgagee or lien creditor is not otherwise made a party defendant under § 58.1-3967, advising such property owner, trustee, mortgagee or other lien creditor of the delinquency and the officer's intention to take action. Such notice shall advise the taxpayer that the taxpayer may request the treasurer to enter into a payment agreement to permit the payment of the delinquent taxes, interest, and penalties over a period not to exceed 72 months in accordance with the provisions of subsection C. Such officer shall also cause to be published at least once a list of real estate which will be offered for sale under the provisions of this article in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality, at least 30 days prior to the date on which judicial proceedings under the provisions of this article are to be commenced.

The pro rata cost of such publication shall become a part of the tax and together with all other costs, including reasonable attorney fees set by the court and the costs of any title examination conducted in order to comply with the notice requirements imposed by this section, shall be collected if payment is made by the owner in redemption of the real property described therein whether or not court proceedings have been initiated. A notice substantially in the following form shall be sufficient:

Notice

Judicial Sale of Real Property

On ____ (date) proceedings will be commenced under the authority of § 58.1-3965 et seq. of the Code of Virginia to sell the following parcels for payment of delinquent taxes:

(description of properties)

B. The owner of any property listed may redeem it at any time before the date of the sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney fees, interest and costs thereon, including the pro rata cost of publication hereunder. Partial payment of delinquent taxes, penalties, reasonable attorney fees, interest or costs shall not be sufficient to redeem the property, and shall not operate to suspend, invalidate or make moot any action for judicial sale brought pursuant to this article.

C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B and of § 58.1-3954, the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may suspend any action for sale of the property commenced pursuant to this article (i) upon entering into an agreement with the owner of the real property for the payment of all delinquent amounts in installments over a period that is reasonable under the circumstances, but that in no event shall exceed 72 months, or (ii) upon written notice by an individual, not a party to the action, asserting ownership rights in the property that is the subject of the action arising by virtue of testate or intestate succession, to the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes shall promptly advise the court of such claim and seek leave to add the individual asserting the claim as a party in the action. If the court determines that the individual asserting the claim possesses an ownership interest in the property that is the subject of the action, such individual may, within 30 days of the court's finding, enter into an agreement with the treasurer or other official responsible for collecting taxes for the payment of all delinquent amounts in installments over a period that is reasonable under the circumstances, but that in no event shall exceed 72 months. Any agreement under this subsection shall provide for the payment of current tax obligations as they come due, which payments shall be credited to current tax obligations notwithstanding the provisions of § 58.1-3913 and shall be secured by the lien of the locality pursuant to § 58.1-3340.

D. During the pendency of any installment agreement permitted under subsection C, any proceeding for a sale previously commenced shall not abate, but shall be continued on the docket of the court in which such action is pending. It shall be the duty of the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes to promptly notify the clerk of such court when obligations arising under such an installment agreement have been fully satisfied. Upon the receipt of such notice, the clerk shall cause the action to be stricken from the docket.

E. In the event the owner of the property or other responsible person defaults upon obligations arising under an installment agreement permitted by subsection C, or during the term of any installment agreement, defaults on any current obligation as it becomes due, such agreement shall be voidable by the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes upon 15 days' written notice to the signatories of such agreement irrespective of the amount remaining due. Any action for the sale previously commenced pursuant to this article may proceed without any requirement that the notice or advertisement required by subsection A, which had previously been made with respect to such property, be repeated. No owner of property which has been the subject of a defaulted installment agreement shall be eligible to enter into a second installment agreement with respect to the same property within three years of such default.

F. Any corporate, partnership or limited liability officer, as those terms are defined in § 58.1-1813, who willfully fails to pay any tax being enforced by this section, shall, in addition to other penalties provided by law, be liable to a penalty of the amount of the tax not paid, to be assessed and collected in the same manner as such taxes are assessed and collected.

G. During the pendency of the action, the circuit court in which the action is pending may, on its own motion or on the motion of any party, refer the parties to a dispute resolution proceeding pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 20.2 (§ 8.01-576.4 et seq.) of Title 8.01.

H. In any case in which real estate subject to delinquent taxes is situated in two or more jurisdictions, a suit to sell the entirety of the real estate pursuant to this article may be brought in a single jurisdiction provided that (i) taxes are delinquent in all jurisdictions for periods not less than the minimum applicable periods set forth in subsection A and (ii) the treasurer of each jurisdiction within which the property is situated consents to the suit.

The suit shall identify the taxes, penalties, interest, and other charges due in each jurisdiction. The publications and notices required pursuant to this section shall identify each of the jurisdictions in which the property is situated. Upon sale of the property, the order confirming the sale shall provide for the payment of taxes, penalties, interest, and other charges to each jurisdiction, and copies of the order confirming the sale and the deed conveying the property to the purchaser shall be recorded among the land records of the clerk's office of the circuit court for each jurisdiction within which the property that is the subject of the suit is situated. No final order confirming sale shall be entered sooner than 90 days following the provision of notice to parties in accordance with subsection A or, if later, 90 days following the receipt of notice by the treasurer or other official responsible for collecting taxes from an individual, not previously made a party to the action, in accordance with clause (ii) of subsection C.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.1; 1973, c. 467; 1982, c. 669; 1983, cc. 37, 345; 1984, c. 675; 1988, c. 306; 1994, c. 884; 1995, c. 547; 1996, cc. 323, 710; 1997, c. 724; 1999, c. 674; 2002, c. 64; 2003, c. 168; 2004, c. 968; 2009, cc. 181, 551; 2013, c. 334; 2015, c. 50; 2020, c. 1213; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 116; 2023, c. 292.

In addition to the authority provided by subsection A of § 58.1-3965, a city may also, by ordinance, institute proceedings to sell in accordance with law any real estate when any taxes on such real estate are delinquent on December 31 following the first anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due provided proper notice is given in accordance with subsection A of § 58.1-3965.

2000, c. 756.

In addition to the authority provided by subsection A of § 58.1-3965, a locality may provide, as part of any ordinance adopted pursuant to Article 6 (§ 15.2-5152 et seq.) of Chapter 51 of Title 15.2 (i) to create a community development authority or (ii) to levy special taxes or special assessments on real property within any district covered by the community development authority or on abutting property within the district, that proceedings be instituted to sell any such real property when any special tax or special assessment described under subdivision A 3 or A 5 of § 15.2-5158 imposed on the property is delinquent on the first anniversary of the date on which the tax or assessment became due.

No proceedings shall be instituted under this section to sell real property that is a single family residence if the owner of the property is the resident on such first anniversary date. No proceedings shall be instituted under this section to sell an individual residential unit in a multi-unit structure or building if the owner of the unit is the resident of the unit on such first anniversary date.

Proper notice in accordance with subsection A of § 58.1-3965 shall be required, and the sale shall be made in accordance with law and subject to all other applicable provisions of this article.

2011, c. 324.

Proceedings under this article shall be instituted and conducted in the name of the county, city or town in which the real estate lies, by such attorney as the governing body or treasurer of the county, city or town employs for such purpose. The governing body or treasurer may require the attorney to give bond in an amount to be fixed by it, with surety to be approved by it, conditioned upon the lawful accounting for all funds which may come into his hands as such attorney under this article, and the premium on the bond may be ordered to be paid out of the local treasury. The bond shall be delivered to the clerk of the circuit court of the county or city and shall be recorded by the clerk in his special commissioner's bond book.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.2; 1973, c. 467; 1984, c. 675; 1997, c. 724.

Proceedings under this article for the appointment of a special commissioner under § 58.1-3970.1 or the sale of real estate on which county, city, or town taxes are delinquent shall be by bill in equity, filed in the circuit court of the county or city in which such real estate is located, to subject the real estate to the lien for such delinquent taxes.

Any party with an interest in such real estate, including a lienor or person with a claim of title, but not including a person whose interest in the real estate is secured by a deed of trust properly recorded, shall file his claim within 90 days after notice of such proceedings. Failure to timely file shall bar any such claims.

Any party who is not otherwise served shall be served by publication pursuant to § 8.01-316. Any person served by publication may petition to have the case reheard, but, notwithstanding § 8.01-322, only for good cause shown, and only within 90 days of entry of the confirmation of sale.

All necessary parties shall be made parties defendant. A guardian ad litem shall be appointed for persons under a disability as defined in § 8.01-2, and for all persons proceeded against by an order of publication as parties unknown. The beneficiary or beneficiaries under any deed of trust, security interest or mortgage shall not be deemed necessary parties, provided any trustee under the deed of trust, any mortgagee under the mortgage, and any lien creditor are given notice as prescribed in § 58.1-3965, except that either the beneficiary or beneficiaries, or the trustee or trustees, under any deed of trust, security interest or mortgage securing a financial institution, or any lien creditor that is a financial institution, shall be necessary parties defendant. After filing of suit and a lis pendens, any party who thereafter acquires an interest in the delinquent real estate, including a lienor or party with a claim of title, shall not be deemed a necessary party, but shall be permitted to intervene in the proceedings to file his claim. Failure to file such a claim shall bar any such claim. The title conveyed to the purchaser at the judicial sale shall be held to bar any disabilities of parties defendant, and shall be free of all claims of any creditor, person, or entity, including those claims of beneficiaries under any deed of trust or mortgage, provided that notice was given or the creditor, person, or entity was made a party defendant.

Such proceedings shall be held in accordance with the requirements, statutory or arising at common law, relative to effecting the sale of real estate by a creditor's bill in equity to subject real estate to the lien of a judgment creditor, provided that publication, if necessary, shall be as provided by § 8.01-321.

In proceedings under this article, the character of the title acquired by the purchaser of such real estate at such sale shall be governed by the principles and rules applicable to the titles of purchases at judicial sales of real estate generally; however nothing herein shall be construed to affect any easements recorded prior to the date of sale.

The former owner, his heirs or assigns of any real estate sold under this article shall be entitled to the surplus received from such sale in excess of the taxes, penalties, interest, reasonable attorneys' fees, costs and any liens chargeable thereon. If no claim for payment of the indebtedness secured by any lien chargeable thereon is made by an unknown beneficiary of such lien, or if no claim for such surplus is made by such former owner, his heirs or assigns, within two years after the date of confirmation of such sale, then such amount secured by the lien of the unknown beneficiary, surplus, or both, as applicable, shall be paid by the clerk of the court in which such suit was instituted to the county, city, or town that received proceeds from the sale of the real estate. If a county and a town receive proceeds from the same sale, then such surplus shall be divided between the county and town pro rata based on the relative amount of proceeds received by each. Upon request of the former owner, his heirs or assigns, or unknown beneficiary of any real estate sold under this article, and after a showing of a prior entitlement thereto, the governing body of any county or city which has received such surplus funds may, in its discretion, grant relief, by ordinance, to such former owner, heir, or assign, or unknown beneficiary and pay over such amount as the governing body may deem appropriate to such former owner, heir, assign, or unknown beneficiary.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.3; 1973, c. 467; 1984, c. 675; 1990, cc. 831, 918; 1992, c. 854; 1993, cc. 51, 372; 1994, cc. 295, 884; 1996, c. 710; 1997, c. 327; 1999, cc. 403, 869; 2000, c. 756; 2001, c. 37; 2004, c. 645; 2006, c. 616; 2009, c. 682.

In any proceeding under this article, two or more parcels of real estate may be covered by one bill if they were assessed against or are owned by the same party or parties, or if they are assessed against and owned by different parties but each parcel is assessed at a value which does not exceed $100,000.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.4; 1973, c. 467; 1978, c. 54; 1984, c. 675; 1985, c. 60; 1991, c. 243.

The court shall have the option, for good cause shown after proper objection made by any party respondent, to refer the case to a commissioner in chancery for hearing and report, in which case, the order of reference shall be to a commissioner in chancery or special master other than the attorney (or any attorney practicing in the same firm as the attorney) employed to subject the real estate to the lien of any taxes. Upon (i) receipt of proper service of process on all parties defendant, a written real estate title certificate and the written report of a licensed real estate appraiser where there is no dispute as to title or value, (ii) the receipt of the report of the commissioner in chancery, or (iii) where the assessor for the locality files an affidavit with the court of value and the value is averred to not exceed $100,000, the court may appoint a special commissioner to sell the properties and execute the necessary deeds when a sale is found necessary or advisable. The court may designate the attorney employed by the governing body of the locality to bring the suit.

The sale price achieved at a public auction shall be prima facie, but rebuttable, evidence of the value of the property for purposes of the approval of the sale. If the attorney employed by the governing body of the locality be appointed a special commissioner to sell the land and execute the deed and he has already given the bond hereinabove mentioned, no additional bond shall be required of him as special commissioner unless the court regards the bond already given as insufficient in amount. No fee or commission shall be allowed or paid to any attorney for acting under the order of reference or as special commissioner, except as hereinafter provided, and the compensation contracted to be paid any such attorney by the governing body, whether the employment was on a salary, commission or other basis, shall be in full for all services rendered by him. The court shall allow as part of the costs, to be paid into the treasury of the locality, a reasonable sum to defray the cost of its attorneys and the expenses of publication and appraisal necessary for the purpose of instituting such suit and such fees and commissions, including fees for preparing and executing deeds, as would be allowed if the suit were an ordinary lien creditor's suit. When the special commissioner is other than the attorney employed by the locality the court may allow him reasonable fees for selling the land and executing the deed, payable out of the proceeds of sale.

In any case in which the attorney representing the locality and the governing body thereof have failed to reach an agreement as to a salary or commission or other basis as compensation for the services of such attorney, the court in which any proceedings are brought under this article may allow from the proceeds of the sale of any such real estate such fee as the court shall deem reasonable and proper to the attorney representing any such locality in such proceeding.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.5; 1973, c. 467; 1984, c. 675; 1997, c. 724; 1999, c. 674; 2005, c. 885; 2006, c. 333; 2009, cc. 181, 551; 2012, c. 627; 2014, c. 34.

The county, city or town may be a purchaser at any sale held under this article or under any other provision of law for the enforcement of tax liens.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.6; 1973, c. 467; 1984, c. 675.

A. 1. Except as provided in subsection B, in any proceedings under this article for the sale of a parcel or parcels of real estate that meet all of the following: (i) each parcel has delinquent real estate taxes or the locality has a lien against the parcel for removal, repair, or securing of a building or structure; removal of trash, garbage, refuse, or litter; or the cutting of grass, weeds, or other foreign growth; (ii) each parcel has an assessed value of $75,000 or less; and (iii) (a) such taxes and liens, together, including penalty and accumulated interest, exceed 50 percent of the assessed value of the parcel, (b) such taxes alone exceed 25 percent of the assessed value of the parcel, or (c) for parcels containing a structure that is a derelict building, as that term is defined in § 15.2-907.1, such taxes and liens, together, including penalty and accumulated interest, exceed 25 percent of the assessed value of the parcel, the locality may petition the circuit court to appoint a special commissioner to execute the necessary deed or deeds to convey the real estate, in lieu of the sale at public auction, to the locality, to the locality's land bank entity, or to an existing nonprofit entity designated by the locality to carry out the functions of a land bank entity pursuant to § 15.2-7512. After notice as required by this article, service of process, and upon answer filed by the owner or other parties in interest to the bill in equity, the court shall allow the parties to present evidence and arguments, ore tenus, prior to the appointment of the special commissioner. Any surplusage accruing to a locality, land bank entity, or existing nonprofit entity as a result of the sale of the parcel or parcels after the receipt of the deed shall be payable to the beneficiaries of any liens against the property and to the former owner, his heirs or assigns in accordance with § 58.1-3967. No deficiency shall be charged against the owner after conveyance to the locality, land bank entity, or existing nonprofit entity.

2. A land bank entity or existing nonprofit entity receiving any parcel pursuant to this section shall either (i) sell the property to a third party in an arms-length transaction or, if the land bank entity or existing nonprofit entity develops the property before selling it, make such sale within a reasonable period of time after completing such development or (ii) if the land bank entity or existing nonprofit entity does not intend to sell the property, pay to the beneficiaries of any liens against the property and to the former owner, his heirs or assigns any amount of surplusage, if any, that would result if the property were sold and the proceeds distributed in accordance with § 58.1-3967. For purposes of this section, "existing nonprofit entity" and "land bank entity" have the same meaning as those terms are defined in § 15.2-7500.

B. For a parcel or parcels of real estate in a locality with a score of 100 or higher on the fiscal stress index, as published by the Department of Housing and Community Development in July 2020, all of the provisions of subsection A shall apply except (i) that the percentage of taxes and liens, together, including penalty and accumulated interest, and the percentage of taxes alone set forth in clauses (iii) (a) and (b) of subsection A shall exceed 35 percent and 15 percent, respectively, of the assessed value of the parcel or parcels or (ii) that the percentage of taxes and liens, together, including penalty and accumulated interest, and the percentage of taxes alone set forth in clauses (iii) (a) and (b) of subsection A shall exceed 20 percent and 10 percent, respectively, of the assessed value of the parcel or parcels, and each parcel has an assessed value of $150,000 or less, provided that under this clause the property is not an occupied dwelling, and the locality enters into an agreement for sale of the parcel to a nonprofit organization to renovate or construct a single-family dwelling on the parcel for sale to a person or persons to reside in the dwelling whose income is below the area median income.

C. For sales by a nonprofit organization pursuant to subsection B, such sales may include either (i) both the land and the structural improvements on a property or (ii) only the structural improvements of a property and not the land the structural improvements are located on. A sale of only the structural improvements is permissible only if (a) the structural improvements are subject to a ground lease with a community land trust, as that term is defined in § 55.1-1200; (b) the structural improvements are subject to a ground lease that has a term of at least 90 years; and (c) the community land trust retains a preemptive option to purchase such structural improvements at a price determined by a formula that is designed to ensure that the improvements remain affordable in perpetuity to low-income and moderate-income families earning less than 120 percent of the area median income, adjusted for family size.

1999, c. 869; 2003, cc. 16, 156; 2004, c. 968; 2011, c. 688; 2012, cc. 87, 610; 2014, c. 519; 2015, c. 379; 2019, cc. 159, 541; 2020, c. 244; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 408; 2022, cc. 15, 713.

A. For purposes of this section, "tax delinquent property" means any real property for which real property taxes are delinquent on December 31 following the second anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due or, in the case of real property upon which is situated (i) any structure that has been condemned by the local building official pursuant to applicable law or ordinance, (ii) any nuisance as that term is defined in § 15.2-900, (iii) any derelict building as that term is defined in § 15.2-907.1, or (iv) any property that has been declared to be blighted pursuant to § 36-49.1:1, for which real property taxes are delinquent on the first anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due.

B. Any county, city, or town may deem paid in full all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest, and other costs on any tax delinquent property and notify credit reporting agencies that such amounts are deemed paid in full, in exchange for conveyance of the property by the owner to a land bank entity created pursuant to Chapter 75 (§ 15.2-7500 et seq.) of Title 15.2 or an organization that has been granted tax-exempt status under § 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code and that builds, renovates, or revitalizes affordable housing for low-income families.

2015, c. 498; 2016, cc. 159, 383.

A. The attorney shall periodically report to the governing body employing him every parcel of real estate which he ascertains to be improperly placed on the delinquent land books and the governing body, upon satisfying itself of the correctness of the report, or correcting it to conform to the facts, shall certify the information to the treasurer who shall mark his delinquent land book accordingly. The attorney shall make the same report to the commissioner of the revenue and request that the commissioner of the revenue correct the assessment of such property pursuant to § 58.1-3981, and the attorney shall, to the extent necessary if the correction is not or cannot be made pursuant to § 58.1-3981, move the court to enter an order correcting such assessment accordingly.

B. If any parcel which is improperly placed on the delinquent land books is sold under the provisions of this article, the purchaser shall be entitled to a refund of the entire amount he paid for such parcel. The governing body shall reimburse the court or the appropriate party for costs and fees allowed out of such payment.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.7; 1973, c. 467; 1983, c. 255; 1984, c. 675; 1994, c. 540; 2012, c. 627.

Reserved.

On June 1, 1973, the title to any real estate purchased by the treasurer of any county, city or town in the name of the Commonwealth pursuant to §§ 58-1067 through 58-1072, which are hereby repealed, and not sold by the treasurer pursuant to such sections shall revert to the former owner or owners, or his or their heirs, successors and assigns, subject to the lien created by § 58.1-3340. The liens of such delinquent taxes shall continue to be recorded in the appropriate clerk's office or other office where such liens are customarily recorded.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.9; 1973, c. 467; 1984, c. 675.

Any owner of the real estate described in any notice published pursuant to § 58.1-3965 or any bill in equity filed pursuant to this article, or his or their heirs, successors and assigns, shall have the right to redeem such real estate prior to the date set for a judicial sale thereof by paying into court all taxes, penalties and interest due with respect to such real estate, including any outstanding taxes, penalties, and interest owed to a town or other concurrent taxing entity, together with all costs including costs of publication and a reasonable attorney fee set by the court. Any person who has paid any taxes on such real estate shall have a lien thereon for any taxes paid, plus interest at the rate of six percent per year.

Code 1950, § 58-1117.10; 1973, c. 467; 1983, c. 345; 1984, c. 675; 2012, c. 627.

A. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may sell, at public auction, any parcel of real property that is assessed at $10,000 or less, provided that the taxes on such parcel are delinquent on December 31 following the third anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due.

B. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may in addition sell, at public auction, any parcel of real property that is assessed at more than $10,000 but no more than $25,000, provided that the taxes on such parcel are delinquent on December 31 following the third anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due, it is not subject to a recorded mortgage or deed of trust lien, and such parcel:

1. Is unimproved and measures no more than 43,560 square feet (1.0 acre);

2. Is unimproved and is determined to be unsuitable for building due to the size, shape, zoning, floodway, or other environmental designations of the parcel made by the locality's zoning administrator or other official designated by the locality to administer its zoning ordinance and carry out the duties set forth in subdivision A 4 of § 15.2-2286;

3. Has a structure on it that has been condemned by the local building official pursuant to applicable law or ordinance;

4. Has been declared by the locality a nuisance as that term is defined in § 15.2-900;

5. Contains a derelict building as that term is defined in § 15.2-907.1; or

6. Has been declared by the locality to be blighted as that term is defined in § 36-3.

For purposes of determining the area of any parcel, the area or acreage found in the locality's land book shall be determinative.

C. The treasurer or other duly authorized official responsible for collecting taxes may in addition sell, at public auction, any parcel of real property that is assessed at more than $25,000 but no more than $40,000, provided that the taxes on such parcel are delinquent on December 31 following the third anniversary of the date on which such taxes have become due, such parcel is not subject to a recorded mortgage or deed of trust lien, such parcel is within an area designated by the local governing body as an urban redevelopment or revitalization zone, and such parcel is unimproved and measures no more than 21,825 square feet (0.5 acre). For purposes of determining the area of any parcel, the area or acreage found in the locality's land book shall be determinative.

D. At least 30 days prior to conducting a sale under this section, the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes shall:

1. Send notice by certified or registered mail to the record owner or owners of such property and anyone appearing to have an interest in the property at their last known address as contained in the records of the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes; and

2. Post notice of such sale at the property location, if such property has frontage on any public or private street, and at the circuit courthouse of the locality.

E. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes shall also cause a notice of sale to be published in the legal classified section of a newspaper of general circulation in the locality in which the property is located at least seven days prior to the sale; however, if the annual taxes assessed on the property are less than $500, such notice may be placed, in lieu of publication, on the treasurer's or local government's website beginning at least seven days prior to sale and through the date of sale. The pro rata costs of posting notice, publication, and mailing shall become a part of the tax and shall be collected if payment is made in redemption of such real property.

F. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may advertise and sell multiple parcels at the same time and place pursuant to one notice of sale.

G. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may enter into an agreement with the owner of such parcel for payment over time.

H. The owner of any property, or other interested party, may redeem it at any time prior to the date of the sale by paying all accumulated taxes, penalties, interest, and costs thereon, including reasonable attorney fees. Partial payment of delinquent taxes, penalties, interest, or costs shall be insufficient to redeem the property and shall not operate to suspend, invalidate, or nullify any sale brought pursuant to this section.

I. At the time of sale, the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes shall sell to the highest bidder at public auction each parcel that has not been redeemed by the owner. Such sale shall be free and clear of the locality's tax lien, but shall not affect easements or other rights of record recorded prior to the date of sale or liens recorded prior to the date of sale unless the treasurer has given the lienholder written notice of the sale at least 30 days prior to the sale, at the lienholder's address of record and through his registered agent, if any. The treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes shall tender a special warranty deed pursuant to this section to effectuate the conveyance of the parcel to the highest bidder.

J. If the sale proceeds are insufficient to pay the amounts owed in full, the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes may remove the unpaid taxes from the books and mark the same as satisfied. The sale proceeds shall be applied first to the costs of sale, then to the taxes, penalty, interest, and fees due on the parcel, and thereafter to any other taxes or other charges owed by the former owner to the jurisdiction.

K. Any excess proceeds shall remain the property of the former owner, subject to claims of creditors, and shall be kept by the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes in an interest-bearing escrow account. If any petition for excess proceeds is made to the treasurer or other officer responsible for collecting taxes under this section, the treasurer or officer holding the funds shall forward the funds to the locality's circuit court clerk to be interpleaded along with a copy of the claim for excess proceeds. A copy of such transmission shall be forwarded to the claimant. The burden of scheduling a hearing with the circuit court on the claim shall be that of the claimant and shall be made within two years of the date of the sale of the property that generated the excess funds. In the event that funds remain with the court two years after the date of the sale, the locality may petition to have the funds distributed to the locality's general fund. If no claim for payment of excess proceeds is made within two years after the date of sale, the treasurer or other responsible officer shall deposit the excess proceeds in the jurisdiction's general fund.

L. If the sale does not produce a successful bidder, the treasurer or other responsible officer shall add the costs of sale incurred by the jurisdiction to the delinquent real estate account.

2004, c. 100; 2006, c. 616; 2014, c. 28; 2015, c. 59; 2017, c. 437; 2020, c. 257; 2023, cc. 506, 507; 2024, c. 636.

Reserved.