(a) Except as provided in Section 3698.7, the minimum price at which property may be offered for sale pursuant to this chapter shall be an amount not less than the total amount necessary to redeem, plus costs and the outstanding balance of any property tax postponement loan. For purposes of this subdivision:

(1) The “total amount necessary to redeem” is the sum of the following:

(A) The amount of defaulted taxes.

(B) Delinquent penalties and costs.

(C) Redemption penalties.

(D) A redemption fee.

(2) “Costs” are those amounts described in subdivision (c) of Section 3704.7, subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 4112, Sections 4672, 4672.1, 4672.2, 4673, and subdivision (b) of Section 4673.1.

(3) The “outstanding balance of any property tax postponement loan” is the sum of the following:

(A) The tax payments made by the Controller’s office on behalf of the claimant in the Property Tax Postponement Program.

(B) Accrued interest pursuant to Section 16183 of the Government Code, subject to Sections 20644 and 20644.5.

(C) Other associated fees and penalties as deemed appropriate by law.

(D) Less any payments already made on the property tax postponement loan.

(b) This section shall not apply to property or interests that qualify for sale in accordance with the provisions of subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 3692.

(c) If property or property interests have been offered for sale at least once and the tax collector has received no acceptable bids for that property or those interests at the minimum price determined pursuant to subdivision (a), the tax collector may, in his or her discretion and with the approval of the board of supervisors, offer that same property or those interests at the same or next scheduled sale at a minimum price that the tax collector deems appropriate in light of the most current assessed valuation of that property or those interests, or any unique circumstance with respect to that property or those interests.

(d) The current owner of tax-defaulted property subject to sale under this chapter shall not purchase that property, directly or indirectly, at a price below the minimum price determined pursuant to subdivision (a). No deed shall be transferred to the purchaser if the property is purchased, directly or indirectly, by the current owner for lower than the minimum price determined pursuant to subdivision (a).

(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 601, Sec. 1. (SB 812) Effective January 1, 2018.)