(A) On and after the effective date of an ordinance or resolution adopted pursuant to section 5722.02 of the Revised Code, nonproductive land within an electing subdivision's boundaries that the subdivision wishes to acquire and that has either been advertised and offered for sale or is otherwise available for acquisition pursuant to a foreclosure proceeding as provided in section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.18 of the Revised Code, but is not sold for want of a minimum bid, shall be sold or transferred to the electing subdivision in the manner set forth in this section or sections 323.65 to 323.79 of the Revised Code.

(B) Upon receipt of an ordinance or resolution under section 5722.02 of the Revised Code, the county prosecuting attorney shall compile and deliver to the electing subdivision a list of all delinquent land within the electing subdivision with respect to which a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.18 of the Revised Code has been instituted and is pending. The prosecuting attorney shall notify the electing subdivision of the identity of all delinquent land within the subdivision whenever a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.18 of the Revised Code is commenced with respect to that land.

(C) The electing subdivision shall select from such lists the delinquent lands that constitute nonproductive lands that it wishes to acquire, and shall notify the prosecuting attorney of its selection prior to the advertisement and sale of the nonproductive lands pursuant to such a foreclosure proceeding, or as otherwise provided in sections 323.65 to 323.79 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding the sales price provisions to the contrary in division (A) of section 323.28 or in divisions (A)(1) and (C) of section 5721.19 of the Revised Code, selected nonproductive lands subject to a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.18 of the Revised Code that require a sale shall be advertised for sale and be sold, without appraisal, for not less than the amount determined under division (A)(1) of section 323.28 or sections 323.65 to 323.79 of the Revised Code in the case of selected nonproductive lands subject to a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 323.25 or sections 323.65 to 323.79 of the Revised Code, or the amount determined under division (A)(2) of section 5721.19 in the case of selected nonproductive lands subject to a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 5721.18 of the Revised Code, or as prescribed in sections 323.65 to 323.79 of the Revised Code. Except as otherwise authorized in section 323.78 of the Revised Code, all nonproductive lands so selected, when advertised for sale pursuant to a foreclosure proceeding, shall be advertised separately from the advertisement applicable to other delinquent lands. Notwithstanding division (A) of section 5721.191 of the Revised Code, the minimum amount for which selected nonproductive lands subject to a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 5721.18 of the Revised Code will be sold, as specified in the advertisement for sale, shall equal the sum of the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, interest, and costs due on the parcel as determined under division (A)(2) of section 5721.19 of the Revised Code. Notwithstanding provisions to the contrary in division (A) of section 323.28 of the Revised Code, the minimum amount for which selected nonproductive lands subject to a foreclosure proceeding pursuant to section 323.25 of the Revised Code will be sold, as specified in the advertisement for sale, shall equal the amount specified in division (A)(1) of section 323.28 of the Revised Code. The advertisement relating to the selected nonproductive lands also shall include a statement that the lands have been determined by the electing subdivision to be nonproductive lands and that, if at a foreclosure sale no bid for the appropriate amount specified in this division is received, such lands shall be sold or transferred to the electing subdivision.

(D) If any nonproductive land selected by an electing subdivision is advertised and offered for sale at one sale pursuant to this section but is not sold for want of a minimum bid, the electing subdivision that selected the nonproductive land shall be deemed to have submitted the winning bid at such sale, and the land is deemed sold to the electing subdivision for no consideration other than the amounts charged under divisions (E) and (F) of this section. If both a county and a township within that county have adopted a resolution pursuant to section 5722.02 of the Revised Code and both subdivisions select the same parcel or parcels of land, the subdivision that first notifies the prosecuting attorney of such selection shall be the electing subdivision deemed to have submitted the winning bid under this division. If a municipal corporation and a county land reutilization corporation select the same parcel or parcels of land, the municipal corporation shall be deemed the winning bidder under this division. The officer conducting the sale shall announce the bid of the electing subdivision at the sale and shall report the proceedings to the court for confirmation of sale.

(E) Upon the sale or transfer of any nonproductive land to an electing subdivision, the county auditor shall charge the costs, as determined by the court, incurred in the foreclosure proceeding instituted under section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.18 of the Revised Code and applicable to the nonproductive land to the taxing districts, including the electing subdivision, in direct proportion to their interest in the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, and interest on the nonproductive land due and payable at the time the land was sold pursuant to the foreclosure proceeding. The interest of each taxing district in the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, and interest on the nonproductive land shall bear the same proportion to the amount of those taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, and interest that the amount of taxes levied by each district against the nonproductive land in the preceding tax year bears to the taxes levied by all such districts against the nonproductive land in the preceding tax year. If the electing subdivision is a county land reutilization corporation and the nonproductive land is sold or transferred to the corporation, the corporation shall be deemed to have the proportionate interest of the county on whose behalf it has been designated and organized in the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, and interest on the nonproductive land in that county. In making a semiannual apportionment of funds, the auditor shall retain at the next apportionment the amount charged to each such taxing district, except that in the case of nonproductive land sold or transferred to a county land reutilization corporation , the auditor shall provide an invoice to the corporation for the amount charged to it.

(F) The officer conducting the sale shall execute and file for recording a deed conveying title to the land upon the filing of the entry of the confirmation of sale, unless the nonproductive land is redeemed under section 323.31 or 5721.18 of the Revised Code. If the alternative redemption period applies under section 323.78 of the Revised Code, the officer shall not execute the deed and file it for recording until the alternative redemption period expires. In either case, once the deed has been recorded, the officer shall deliver the deed to the electing subdivision; thereupon, title to the land is incontestable in the electing subdivision and free and clear of all liens and encumbrances, except those easements and covenants of record running with the land and created prior to the time at which the taxes or assessments, for the nonpayment of which the land is sold or transferred at foreclosure, became due and payable.

When title to a parcel of land upon which a lien has been placed under section 715.261, 743.04, or 6119.06 of the Revised Code is transferred to a county land reutilization corporation under this section, the lien on the parcel shall be extinguished if the lien is for costs or charges that were incurred before the date of the transfer to the corporation and if the corporation did not incur the costs or charges, regardless of whether the lien was attached or the costs or charges were certified before the date of transfer. In such a case, the corporation and its successors in title shall take title to the property free and clear of any such lien and shall be immune from liability in any action to collect such costs or charges.

If a county land reutilization corporation takes title to property under this chapter before any costs or charges have been certified or any lien has been placed with respect to the property under section 715.261, 743.04, or 6119.06 of the Revised Code, the corporation shall be deemed a bona fide purchaser for value without knowledge of such costs or lien, regardless of whether the corporation had actual or constructive knowledge of the costs or lien, and any such lien shall be void and unenforceable against the corporation and its successors in title.

At the time of the sale or transfer, the officer shall collect and the electing subdivision shall pay the fee required by law for transferring and recording of deeds. In accordance with section 1724.10 of the Revised Code, an electing subdivision that is a county land reutilization corporation shall not be required to pay any such fee.

The title is not invalid because of any irregularity, informality, or omission of any proceedings under section 323.25, sections 323.65 to 323.79, this chapter, or Chapter 5721. of the Revised Code, or in any processes of taxation, if such irregularity, informality, or omission does not abrogate any provision of such chapters for notice to holders of title, lien, or mortgage to, or other interests in, the foreclosed lands.

Amended by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §1, eff. 9/8/2016.

Amended by â.o">130th General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 172, §1, eff. 9/4/2014.

Effective Date: 03-31-2003; 2008 SB353 04-07-2009

Related Legislative Provision: See 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §5.