Chapter 4. Delinquency And Sale of California Water Code >> Division 13. >> Part 7. >> Chapter 4.

Unpaid assessments are delinquent unless paid within six calendar months after they become due.

As used in this chapter and Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 37050), Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 37150), and Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 37175), "assessment" includes standby charges and other charges levied for the use of district water.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 36950, the board may, by resolution, provide that assessments may be paid in two equal installments, the first of which shall be delinquent if not paid within five calendar months after the assessments became due and the second of which shall be delinquent if not paid within nine calendar months after the assessments became due. Notwithstanding such provision, the entire assessment on any parcel may be paid before delinquency of the first installment. If any assessment is not evenly divisible by two, the odd cent shall be shown as a part of and included in the first installment.

As soon as possible after the assessments, or any installment thereof, become delinquent, the tax collector shall publish a notice containing all of the following:
  (a) A description of the delinquent property.
  (b) The name of the assessee.
  (c) The amount of the assessments and penalties due on the property.
  (d) The amount of the assessments and penalties delinquent on the property.
  (e) A statement that unless the delinquent assessments and penalties are paid at the district office by 12 noon on the date stated in the notice, the delinquent property will, on that date, be sold to the district for nonpayment of the delinquent assessments and penalties.
  (f) A statement that subsequent to the sale of the delinquent property to the district, the property may be redeemed by payment of the amount specified in Section 37150 and, if applicable, Section 37155.2 or, if the district has elected pursuant to Chapter 7 (commencing with Section 37175) to permit installment redemption pursuant to that chapter, that the delinquent property may be redeemed under an installment plan of redemption.
  (g) A statement of the name, address, and telephone number of the official who will furnish all information concerning redemption.
  (h) A statement that after three years from the date of sale of the delinquent property to the district the right of redemption may be terminated upon execution and delivery to the district of a collector's deed pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 37150).

The notice required by Section 36951 shall be published in the county in which the property is located in the manner prescribed in Section 6063 of the Government Code, commencing not less than 21 days nor more than 28 days prior to the date required to be stated in the notice by subdivision (e) of Section 36951.

If any error should occur in the published notice with respect to the description of any delinquent property, the name of the assessee thereof, or the amount of the assessments and penalty due thereon which might invalidate a sale thereof and such error is discovered prior to sale, the collector shall at once republish a notice as to the property affected by the error, making such notice conform to the requirements of Sections 36951 and 36952. If any error should occur in the publication of the notice with respect to the time or place of publication or the requirements of Section 36952, and such error is discovered prior to sale, the collector shall at once republish the notice in conformity with all the requirements of Sections 36951 and 36952, specifying a date for the sale not less than 21 nor more than 28 days from the date of the first republication.

On the day fixed for the sale in the published notice, or in any republished notice, the collector shall sell to the district the whole amount of each parcel of property separately assessed upon which the assessments and penalties due on the property remain unpaid for the amount of such assessment and penalty thereon.

Thereupon the collector shall, as to each parcel sold, make an entry "Sold to the district" in the assessment book, and the date of the sale.

After the delinquent sale the collector shall make out, in duplicate, and sign a certificate of sale for each parcel separately assessed and sold, setting forth all of the following:
  (a) A description of the property sold and the date of the sale.
  (b) The name of the assessee.
  (c) That the property was sold for the amount of the assessment and penalty thereon, giving the amount and year of the assessment.
  (d) The date on which the purchaser will be entitled to a deed.

The certificate of sale may be substantially in the following form, the blanks being filled to show the facts in each case:

Certificate of Sale No. ______ ___________ Water District I, the collector of ______________ Water District, certify that on the ____ day of ________, 19__, after giving the required notice, I sold to ______ Water District, the purchaser, for the sum of ______ dollars ($____) real property in the County of ______, State of California, described as follows:
  (insert description) This land was assessed to _______________. This property was sold for a delinquent assessment levied on it in the year _________ by the district, and the sale price was the sum due and unpaid on the assessment and penalty thereon. The purchaser will be entitled to a deed to the property at any time after three years from the date of sale, unless in the meantime the property is redeemed. WITNESS MY HAND and the seal of the district this ______ day of ________, 19__. (District Seal) _____________________________________ Collector of ______ Water District

Of each of the duplicate certificates of sale one shall be retained by the collector and the other shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is situated.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this part to the contrary, in the case of a sale of property for taxes or assessments, except where the sale is conducted and the funds are accounted for as provided in Division 1 (commencing with Section 101) of the Revenue and Taxation Code, all proceeds shall be accounted for and distributed as provided in Article 12 (commencing with Section 53925) of Chapter 4 of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code.

When property is sold for assessments imposed on it as the property of a particular person, no misnomer of the owner, or supposed owner, or any other mistake relating to the ownership, affects the sale or renders it void or voidable.