Sec. 373A.208. PRIVATE SALE TO LAND BANK. (a) Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection (f), property that is ordered sold pursuant to foreclosure of a tax lien may be sold in a private sale to a land bank by the officer charged with the sale of the property without first offering the property for sale as otherwise provided by Section 34.01, Tax Code, if:

(1) the market value of the property as appraised by the local appraisal district and as specified in the judgment of foreclosure is less than the total amount due under the judgment, including all taxes, penalties, and interest, plus the value of nontax liens held by a taxing unit and awarded by the judgment, court costs, and the cost of the sale;

(2) the property is not improved with a building or buildings;

(3) there are delinquent taxes on the property for a total of at least five years; and

(4) the municipality has executed with the other taxing units that are parties to the tax suit an interlocal agreement that enables those units to agree to participate in the program while retaining the right to withhold consent to the sale of specific properties to the land bank.

(b) A sale of property for use in connection with the program is a sale for a public purpose.

(c) If the person being sued in a suit for foreclosure of a tax lien does not contest the market value of the property in the suit, the person waives the right to challenge the amount of the market value determined by the court for purposes of the sale of the property under Section 33.50, Tax Code.

(d) For any sale of property under this subchapter, each person who was a defendant to the judgment, or that person's attorney, shall be given, not later than the 60th day before the date of sale, written notice of the proposed method of sale of the property by the officer charged with the sale of the property. Notice shall be given in the manner prescribed by Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.

(e) After receipt of the notice required by Subsection (d) and before the date of the proposed sale, the owner of the property subject to sale may file with the officer charged with the sale a written request that the property not be sold in the manner provided by this subchapter.

(f) If the officer charged with the sale receives a written request as provided by Subsection (e), the officer shall sell the property as otherwise provided in Section 34.01, Tax Code.

(g) The owner of the property subject to sale may not receive any proceeds of a sale under this subchapter. However, the owner does not have any personal liability for a deficiency of the judgment as a result of a sale under this subchapter.

(h) Notwithstanding any other law, if consent is given by the taxing units that are a party to the judgment, property may be sold to the land bank for less than the market value of the property as specified in the judgment or less than the total of all taxes, penalties, and interest, plus the value of nontax liens held by a taxing unit and awarded by the judgment, court costs, and the cost of the sale.

(i) The deed of conveyance of the property sold to a land bank under this section conveys to the land bank the right, title, and interest acquired or held by each taxing unit that was a party to the judgment, subject to the right of redemption.

(j) Property sold to and held by the land bank for subsequent resale is eligible for an exemption from ad valorem taxation for a period not to exceed three years from the date of acquisition. Property is eligible for an exemption under this subsection only during the period the property is held by the land bank.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 495 (H.B. 525), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.