Section 44-14-14. Vacant and foreclosed real property registries; definitions; fees and penalties for registration

   (a) For purposes of this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Agent" means an individual with a place of business in this state at which he or she is authorized to accept inquiries, notices, and service of process on behalf of a vacant or foreclosed real property owner.

   (2) "Department" means the Department of Community Affairs.

   (3) "Foreclosed real property" means improved or unimproved real property held pursuant to a judicial or nonjudicial foreclosure of a mortgage, deed of trust, security deed, deed to secure debt, or other security instrument securing a debt or obligation owed to a creditor or a deed in lieu of foreclosure in full or partial satisfaction of a debt or obligation owed to a creditor.

   (4) "Street address" means the street or route address. Such term shall not mean or include a post office box.

   (5) "Vacant real property" means real property that:

      (A) Is intended for habitation, has not been lawfully inhabited for at least 60 days, and has no evidence of utility usage within the past 60 days; or

      (B) Is partially constructed or incomplete, without a valid building permit.

Such term shall not include a building or structure containing multiple units with common ownership that has at least one unit occupied with evidence of utility usage.

(b) Effective July 1, 2012:

   (1) A county or municipal corporation may establish by ordinance or resolution for the requirement of registration of vacant or foreclosed real property as provided in this Code section;

   (2) Notwithstanding county or municipal ordinances or resolutions that require registration for repeated ordinance violations that remain uncorrected for at least 90 days, no county or municipal corporation shall require registration of vacant property or real property that is unoccupied, uninhabited, abandoned, foreclosed, or advertised for foreclosure on any basis other than as set forth in this Code section or as may be otherwise authorized by general law; and

   (3) No county or municipal corporation shall require for purposes of a vacant or foreclosed real property registry established pursuant to this Code section any information or documentation other than as set forth in this Code section.

Any requirements of a vacant or foreclosed real property registry established by a county or municipal ordinance or resolution in effect as of July 1, 2012, that are in conflict with the requirements of this Code section shall be hereby preempted.

(c) Each registrant shall be required to file with a specifically identified office or officer a registration form, in paper or electronic format, as required by the county or municipal corporation, requiring submission of only the following information:

   (1) The real property owner's name, street address, mailing address, phone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address;

   (2) The agent's name, street address, mailing address, phone number, facsimile number, and e-mail address;

   (3) The real property's street address and tax parcel number;

   (4) The transfer date of the instrument conveying the real property to the owner; and

   (5) At such time as it becomes available, recording information, including deed book and page numbers, of the instrument conveying the real property to the owner.

(d) The department may promulgate a standard vacant or foreclosed real property registry form that requires only the information set forth in subsection (c) of this Code section, in paper and electronic format. If such form is promulgated by the department, all counties and municipal corporations with a vacant or foreclosed real property registry shall use such form.

(e) (1) When any real property is acquired by foreclosure under power of sale pursuant to Code Section 44-14-160 or acquired pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure and:

      (A) The deed under power of sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure contains the information specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section;

      (B) The deed is filed with the clerk of superior court within 60 days of the foreclosure sale or transfer of the deed in lieu of foreclosure; and

      (C) Proof of the following is provided to the office or officer in charge of the county or municipal foreclosed real property registry:

         (i) A filing date stamp or a receipt showing payment of the applicable filing fees; and

         (ii) The entire deed under power of sale or entire deed in lieu of foreclosure,

a county or municipal corporation shall not require the transferee to register such foreclosed real property pursuant to this Code section or the payment of any administrative fees pursuant to subsection (h) of this Code section.

   (2) No county or municipal corporation may require registration of vacant or foreclosed real property pursuant to this Code section within 90 days of such real property's transfer:

      (A) Pursuant to a deed under power of sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure; or

      (B) To the first subsequent transferee after the vacant real property has been acquired by foreclosure under power of sale pursuant to Code Section 44-14-160 or acquired pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure.

(f) An ordinance or resolution establishing a registry pursuant to this Code section may require a vacant or foreclosed real property owner to update the information specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section within 30 days after any change in such required information regardless of whether the information provided to the registry was in the deed under power of sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure.

(g) A vacant or foreclosed real property owner, or the agent of such owner, may apply to remove such vacant or foreclosed real property from the registry at such time as the real property no longer constitutes vacant or foreclosed real property. The county or municipal corporation shall grant or deny such application within 30 days, and if no such determination is made within 30 days, the application shall be deemed granted.

(h) An ordinance or resolution establishing a vacant or foreclosed real property registry may require the payment of administrative fees for registration which shall reasonably approximate the cost to the county or municipal corporation of the establishment, maintenance, operation, and administration of the registry. Such fees shall not exceed $100.00 per registration.

(i) An ordinance or resolution establishing a vacant or foreclosed real property registry may require penalties for failure to register or failure to update the information specified in paragraphs (1) through (5) of subsection (c) of this Code section, provided that such penalties shall not exceed $1,000.00.

(j) A county or municipal ordinance or resolution requiring the registration of vacant or foreclosed real property shall provide for administrative procedures. The administrative procedures shall include the right to appeal to the municipal or recorder's court in the city where the vacant or foreclosed real property is located or to the magistrate or recorder's court of the county in which the vacant or foreclosed real property is located, subject to applicable jurisdictional requirements. Any vacant or foreclosed real property owner affected by a county or municipal ordinance or resolution requiring vacant or foreclosed real property registration may challenge any determination made pursuant to such ordinance or resolution.

(k) An ordinance or resolution adopted by the governing authority of a county to establish a registry pursuant to this Code section may, subject to and in accordance with the requirements of this Code section, require registration of vacant or foreclosed real property within the entire territory of the county, except territory located within the boundaries of any municipal corporation, unless otherwise allowed by intergovernmental agreement between the county and municipal corporation.

(l) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to prohibit a county or municipal ordinance or resolution requiring the registration of vacant or foreclosed real property from providing for exemptions from such registration.

(m) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to impair, limit, or preempt in any way the power of a county or municipal corporation to enforce any applicable codes, as defined in Code Section 42-2-8, or to define or declare nuisances and to cause their removal or abatement by summary proceedings or otherwise.

(n) Notwithstanding Code Section 36-74-30, an ordinance or resolution establishing a vacant or foreclosed real property registry may require the registration of residential rental property if such property is vacant or foreclosed real property.

Code 1981, § 44-14-14, enacted by Ga. L. 2012, p. 656, § 1/HB 110; Ga. L. 2013, p. 634, § 2/HB 160.