ORS 312.122: Reduced redemption period when property subjected to waste or abandonment; hearing; notice; reasonable inquiry.

(1) A county may by ordinance provide the means to require the tax collector of the county to deed to the county pursuant to ORS 312.200 any real property sold to the county under ORS 312.100 after the expiration of the 30-day period provided in subsection (2) of this section if: (a) The property is subjected to waste that results in a forfeiture to the county of the right to possession of the property under ORS 312.180; or (b) The property is not occupied by the owner or any person or entity that appears in the records of the county to have a lien or other interest in the property for a period of six consecutive months, and the property has suffered a substantial depreciation in value or will suffer a substantial depreciation in value if not occupied. (2)(a) Upon determining that real property sold to the county under ORS 312.100 may be subject to waste or abandonment as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the county shall set a date, time and place within the county for a hearing for the purpose of determining whether the property should be deeded to the county pursuant to subsection (1) of this section. (b) The owner and any person or entity that appears in the records of the county to have a lien or other interest in the property shall be given an opportunity to be heard at the hearing provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection. (c) If the county determines after the hearing provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection that the property is subject to waste or abandonment as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the county governing body shall provide that any rights of possession the owner may have in the property are forfeited and direct the property be deeded to the county by the tax collector of the county after expiration of a period of 30 days from the date of the action of the county governing body determining property subject to forfeiture unless it is sooner redeemed by the owner or any person or entity that then appears in the records of the county to have a lien or other interest in the property. All rights of redemption with respect to the real property described in that deed shall terminate on the execution of the deed to the county. (d) The county shall, in its ordinance, provide for procedures for the hearing required under this subsection that are compatible with the requirements of due process of law. (3) Not less than 30 days prior to the hearing provided in subsection (2) of this section, the county shall notify the owner and any person or entity that then appears in the records of the county to have a lien or other interest in the property of the hearing. The notice shall contain: (a) The date, time and place of the hearing provided for in subsection (2) of this section; (b) The date of the judgment; (c) The normal date of expiration of the period of redemption under ORS 312.120; (d) A warning to the effect that if the county determines that the property is subject to waste or abandonment as provided in subsection (1) of this section, the property will be deeded to the county immediately after the expiration of 30 days from the date of the county governing body action so determining and that every right or interest of any person in the property will be forfeited forever to the county unless the property is redeemed within that 30-day period; (e) A legal description of the property and a tax account number; and (f) The name of the owner as it appears on the latest tax roll. (4) The notice required to be given under subsection (3) of this section shall be given by both certified mail and by regular first class mail. (5)(a) If the notice required under subsection (3) of this section is to be given to an owner, the notice shall be addressed to the owner or owners, as reflected in the county records of deeds, at the true and correct address of the owner as appearing on the instrument of conveyance under ORS 93.260 or as furnished under ORS 311.555 or as otherwise ascertained by the tax collector of the county pursuant to ORS 311.560. (b) If the person or entity to whom the notice is required under subsection (3) of this section to be given is a lienholder, or person or entity other than the owner, having or appearing to have a lien or other interest in the property, the notice shall be addressed to the lienholder, person or entity at the address that the county knows or after reasonable inquiry has reason to believe to be the address at which the lienholder, person or entity will most likely receive actual notice. (6) For purposes of subsection (5)(b) of this section, if the lienholder is a corporation or a limited partnership, the county shall be considered to have made reasonable inquiry if the notice is mailed to the registered agent or last registered office of the corporation or limited partnership, if any, as shown by the records on file in the office of the Corporation Commissioner, or if the corporation or limited partnership is not authorized to transact business in this state, to the principal office or place of business of the corporation or limited partnership. (7) As used in this section, “records of the county” has that meaning given in ORS 312.125 (7). [1989 c.687 §1; 2003 c.576 §421; 2009 c.33 §10]