(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Eligible delinquent land" means delinquent land or delinquent vacant land, as defined in section 5721.01 of the Revised Code, included in a delinquent tax list or delinquent vacant land tax list that has been certified delinquent within the meaning of section 5721.03 of the Revised Code, excluding any certificate parcel as defined in section 5721.30 of the Revised Code.

(2) "Delinquent taxes" means the cumulative amount of unpaid taxes, assessments, recoupment charges, penalties, and interest charged against eligible delinquent land that became delinquent before transfer of title to a county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation under this section.

(3) "Foreclosure costs" means the sum of all costs or other charges of publication, service of notice, prosecution, or other proceedings against the land under sections 323.25 to 323.28, 323.65 to 323.79, or Chapter 5721. of the Revised Code as may pertain to delinquent land or be fairly apportioned to it by the county treasurer.

(4) "Tax foreclosure sale" means a sale of delinquent land pursuant to foreclosure proceedings under sections 323.25 to 323.28, 323.65 to 323.79, or section 5721.14 or 5721.18 of the Revised Code.

(5) "Taxing authority" means the legislative authority of any taxing unit, as defined in section 5705.01 of the Revised Code, in which is located a parcel of eligible delinquent land acquired or to be acquired by a county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation in which a declaration under division (B) of this section is in effect.

(B) The legislative authority of a municipal corporation may declare by ordinance, or a board of county commissioners, a board of township trustees, or the board of directors of a county land reutilization corporation may declare by resolution, that it is in the public interest for the county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation to acquire tax-delinquent real property within the county, municipal corporation, or township for the public purpose of redeveloping the property or otherwise rendering it suitable for productive, tax-paying use. In any county, municipal corporation, or township in which such a declaration is in effect, the county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation may purchase or otherwise acquire title to eligible delinquent land, other than by appropriation, and the title shall pass free and clear of the lien for delinquent taxes as provided in division (D) of this section. The authority granted by this section is supplemental to the authority granted under sections 5722.01 to 5722.15 of the Revised Code.

(C) With respect to any parcel of eligible delinquent land purchased or acquired by a county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation in which a declaration is in effect under this section, the county, municipal corporation, or township may obtain the consent of each taxing authority for release of any claim on the delinquent taxes and associated costs attaching to that property at the time of conveyance to the county, municipal corporation, or township. Consent shall be obtained in writing, and shall be certified by the taxing authority granting consent or by the fiscal officer or other person authorized by the taxing authority to provide such consent. Consent may be obtained before or after title to the eligible delinquent land is transferred to the county, municipal corporation, or township. A county that has organized and designated a county land reutilization corporation for purposes of this chapter is not required to obtain such consent. Upon conveyance to a county land reutilization corporation, the consent shall be deemed to have been given to the extent that the corporation requires consent.

The taxing authority of a taxing unit and a county, municipal corporation, or township in which a declaration is in effect under this section may enter into an agreement whereby the taxing authority consents in advance to release of the taxing authority's claim on delinquent taxes and associated costs with respect to all or a specified number of parcels of eligible delinquent land that may be purchased or acquired by the county, municipal corporation, or township for the purposes of this section. The agreement shall provide for any terms and conditions on the release of such claim as are mutually agreeable to the taxing authority and county, municipal corporation, or township, including any notice to be provided by the county, municipal corporation, or township to the taxing authority of the purchase or acquisition of eligible delinquent land situated in the taxing unit; any option vesting in the taxing authority to revoke its release with respect to any parcel of eligible delinquent land before the release becomes effective; and the manner in which notice of such revocation shall be effected. Nothing in this section or in such an agreement shall be construed to bar a taxing authority from revoking its advance consent with respect to any parcels of eligible delinquent land purchased or acquired by the county, municipal corporation, or township before the county, municipal corporation, or township enters into a purchase or other agreement for acquisition of the parcels.

A county that has organized and designated a county land reutilization corporation is not required to enter into such an agreement with a taxing authority.

(D) The lien for the delinquent taxes and associated costs for which all of the taxing authorities have consented to release their claims under this section is hereby extinguished, and the transfer of title to such delinquent land to the county, municipal corporation, or township shall be transferred free and clear of the lien for such taxes and costs. If a taxing authority does not consent to the release of its claim on delinquent taxes and associated costs, the entire amount of the lien for such taxes and costs shall continue as otherwise provided by law until paid or otherwise discharged according to law. If a county land reutilization corporation acquires title to eligible delinquent land under this section, the lien for delinquent taxes and costs with respect to land acquired by the corporation shall be extinguished simultaneously with the transfer of title to the corporation, notwithstanding that the taxing authorities have not consented to release their claims under this section.

(E) All eligible delinquent land acquired by a county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation under this section is real property held for a public purpose and is exempted from taxation until the county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation sells or otherwise disposes of property.

(F) If a county, municipal corporation, township, or county land reutilization corporation sells or otherwise disposes of delinquent land it purchased or acquired and for which all or a portion of a taxing authority's claim for delinquent taxes was released under this section, whether by consent of the taxing authority or pursuant to division (D) of this section, the net proceeds from such sale or disposition shall be used for such redevelopment purposes the board of county commissioners, the legislative authority of the municipal corporation, the board of township trustees, or the board of directors of the county land reutilization corporation considers necessary or appropriate.

Amended by 128th General AssemblyFile No.9, HB 1, §101.01, eff. 10/16/2009.

Effective Date: 03-11-2004; 2008 SB353 04-07-2009