Can an Oregon county take an abandoned house for back taxes without waiting two years?
Yes, if the county has adopted an ordinance for it. A county can have a tax-foreclosed property that is being wasted or abandoned deeded to it once a 30-day period runs out, instead of holding it for the normal two years.
Abandonment here means nobody with an ownership or lien interest has occupied the property for six months in a row, and its value has dropped or will drop sharply if it stays empty.
The county must first hold a hearing where the owner and anyone with a lien or interest can be heard. Notice of that hearing goes out at least 30 days ahead, by both certified and regular first-class mail.
If the county finds waste or abandonment, the owner loses any right to possession, and the property is deeded to the county after 30 days. Once that deed is signed, all rights to redeem the property end.
Can an Oregon city or county get a receiver to fix up an abandoned, unsafe house?
If a home's building or housing code violations make it a threat to public health, safety or welfare, the city or county can ask the circuit court to appoint a receiver. The Legislature set up this receivership so cities and counties could upgrade substandard and abandoned homes.
At least 60 days before filing, the city or county must mail every interested party a notice warning that it may seek a receiver unless someone acts within 60 days.
The city or county can't file while a probate case for the owner is pending in that county, or while a lender or land-sale seller is actively foreclosing.
The court must appoint a receiver if the property is a threat and, for example, no interested party shows up within 30 days after being served. The receiver can be a housing authority, an urban renewal agency, a nonprofit focused on local housing conditions, or a city or county agency.
A receiver can take possession and control of the property, collect rents, and pay the back taxes and other government charges on it.
Instead of a receiver, the court can enter a judgment for the estimated repair cost against a property no one lives in, when that cost is more than a quarter of its market value.
The court's order on the receiver's report can be recorded as a lien on the property, with priority over other liens and mortgages as the law sets out. The receivership ends only by court order, after the work is done and someone shows the property will be managed to housing-code standards.
How long does an Oregon owner have to redeem a house after tax foreclosure?
After the foreclosure judgment, the county normally holds the property for two years unless it is redeemed sooner. During those two years, the owner, an heir, or a lienholder can redeem by paying the judgment amount with interest, a five percent penalty and a fee.
Oregon property becomes subject to tax foreclosure once three years have passed since the taxes first went delinquent.
If the county later sells or keeps the property, the former owner or their heirs can claim any surplus beyond the county's allowable costs. Claims for a surplus are made with the State Treasurer.
Back taxes are one clock; a late mortgage on an empty Oregon house is another, and this guide to Oregon foreclosure covers that one.
How do you report a run-down or unsafe property in Portland, Oregon?
Portland takes reports of code violations through an online form and keeps the reporter's information confidential. The form covers concerns about property maintenance or safety, such as an overgrown yard, unsafe conditions or a poorly maintained building.
To report by phone or check on a report, people can call the city's Property and Compliance Help Line. PDX 311 also takes questions and reports through a representative at 311 or (503) 823-4000.
PortlandMaps shows the progress of a reported case.
You can also tell me where it is. I'll find out who owns it and reach out about buying it and fixing it up.