Article 1. Delinquency Sales On Unbonded Assessments of California Water Code >> Division 15. >> Part 7. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 1.

(a) After any installment of an unpaid assessment on which bonds have not been issued has become delinquent, the county treasurer may, only upon the request of the district, publish once a week for two weeks in a newspaper of general circulation published in each county where delinquency exists a notice containing a list of all delinquencies in the county. At the same time as the publication, the county treasurer shall mail the notice to the last known address of the property owner, as shown on the latest county tax roll.
  (b) No property may be sold pursuant to this article in the absence of publication and notice to the owner pursuant to subdivision (a).

The notice shall contain the following:
  (a) A description of the parcels assessed, as described in the assessment list or operation and maintenance assessment roll or by reference number as set forth in the assessment list or roll on file in the office of the county treasurer (stating the date and time the list or roll was so filed), or by other appropriate reference thereto sufficient to identify the parcel, and shall refer to the assessment list or roll for further particulars.
  (b) The name of the person to whom the parcel is assessed or a statement that it is assessed to unknown owners if that is the case.
  (c) The amount of the delinquent installment, interest, and penalty due on the parcel calculated from the date of the call to the date of the sale if the delinquency is on an original unbonded assessment or from the date of delinquency to the date of sale if the delinquency is on an installment of an operation and maintenance assessment, together with a fee, to be determined by the district and the county treasurer, not to exceed the amount necessary to cover the costs incurred by the district and the county treasurer in conducting the sale.
  (d) A notice that the parcel assessed will be sold by the county treasurer on the date therein stated, in front of the courthouse of the principal county to pay the amount of the installment with accrued interest, penalty, and costs.
  (e) A notice that the sale may be avoided by payment prior thereto of the delinquent installment, penalty, and interest to the date of sale, plus a fee, to be determined by the district and the county treasurer, not to exceed the amount necessary to cover the costs incurred.

The date of the sale shall be not less than 10 days after the date of the last publication of the notice.

The county treasurer may postpone the sale for not less than 10 nor more than 30 days at any one time by a written notice posted at the place of sale.

If, for any reason, a parcel upon which an assessment or any installment thereof is delinquent in whole or in part is not sold at the time or place specified in the notice of sale or to which the sale was postponed, the county treasurer shall publish a new notice of sale and sell the parcel in the manner provided herein for delinquent sales.

At the time of the sale, the county treasurer shall sell the parcel to himself or herself and his or her successors in office, as trustee for the district, for the amount due on the installment, accrued interest, penalty, and costs.

If more than one installment of an assessment or more than one assessment on the same parcel is delinquent at the time of the sale, the county treasurer may sell the parcel for the total amount of all installments and assessments then delinquent on the parcel in one sale.

The owner of any parcel offered for sale to pay a delinquent assessment or installment thereof may designate in writing to the county treasurer prior to the sale the portion he or she wishes first sold if less than the whole.

If the owner fails to designate the portion of the parcel he or she wishes sold for a delinquent assessment, the county treasurer may sell the whole or the least portion of the land that will bring the amount due for the assessment, accrued interest, penalty and costs.

A certificate of sale shall be executed by the county treasurer to the county treasurer, as trustee for the district, and the certificate of sale shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder in the county where the parcel described in the certificate is situated. The district shall reimburse the county treasurer for any costs incurred pursuant to this section.

The certificate of sale is prima facie evidence that:
  (a) The parcel was assessed and the assessment duly apportioned as required by law.
  (b) The assessment was not paid.
  (c) Proper notice of the sale was given and published by the county treasurer.
  (d) The sale was had at the time and place specified in the notice or at the time to which the sale was regularly continued.
  (e) All steps and proceedings required to be taken by the county treasurer to make a valid sale were taken.
  (f) The deed thereafter made by the county treasurer, duly acknowledged, if no redemption is made, shall be prima facie evidence of the same facts as the certificates.

The county treasurer, at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the redemption period, shall give notice by registered mail of the fact of sale, the purchase price paid, the date of termination of the redemption period, and the fact that a failure to redeem by payment of the purchase price plus interest following the date of the sale, and plus costs incurred as a result of the sale to the county treasurer within the redemption period will result in permanent loss of the property by issuance of a treasurer's deed. The notice shall be mailed to the owner's last known address as shown on the last equalized county assessment roll. The notice shall also be mailed to any other person or entity holding an interest in the parcel requesting notice by written instrument identifying the parcel filed with the district office, and mailed to the address specified in the request. The district may impose a charge for each request. Notwithstanding Section 51646, if the county treasurer fails to give the notice, the redemption period set forth in Section 51646 shall be extended to the date 60 days following the date of mailing of the notice in the manner provided for in this section.

Any person interested in the parcel may redeem it at any time within one year after the sale by paying to the county treasurer the amount for which it was sold, with interest thereon at the rate of 1 1/2 percent per month from the date of the sale, together with reasonable costs incurred by the county treasurer and the district as a result of the delinquency sale and redemption.

When the parcel is redeemed a certificate of redemption shall be issued by the county treasurer to the redemptioner, and the certificate shall be recorded in the office of the county recorder.

If no redemption is made within one year, the district is entitled to a deed executed by the county treasurer. The district shall reimburse the county treasurer for any costs incurred pursuant to this section.

The deed shall convey the parcel free of all liens and encumbrances excepting any prior or subsequent district assessment.

Each installment of an assessment remaining unpaid at the time of the delinquency sale may be called and collected in the manner provided in this part, except that no parcel sold and conveyed to the county treasurer as trustee for the district at the delinquency sale shall, during the period so held, be sold by the county treasurer for delinquent installment.

If a call on an assessment on any parcel sold to the county treasurer as trustee for the district becomes delinquent during the redemption period, the parcel shall be again sold as provided in this article, but only to the county treasurer as trustee for the district, for the amount of the subsequent delinquent installment, interest, and penalty.

No sale, certificate of sale, or deed made for a valid delinquent assessment shall be adjudged invalid, unless the amount of the delinquent assessment, penalties, interest and costs has been refunded to the purchaser of the parcel.

If, prior to the redemption, the parcel has been sold at a delinquency sale, the money paid by the county treasurer at the sale shall be refunded to him or her upon redemption of the parcel.