§4770.10. Special lien

A. Upon failure of any such property owner to pay the charges incurred pursuant to the ordinances authorized by this Subpart, the governing body may file a certified copy of said charges with the recorder of mortgages, and the same, when so filed and recorded, shall operate as a lien and privilege in favor of the city against the property on which the charges were incurred pursuant to this Subpart.

B. Such recordation shall constitute a privilege and lien against the immovable as a tax against the immovable, to be enforced and collected as any ordinary property tax lien to be assessed against the property; said lien and privilege may be collected in the manner fixed for collection of taxes and shall be subject to the same civil penalties for delinquencies. After the city has incurred such costs as constitute the lien and privilege on the property, the mayor or any director of any community development department of the city may send an attested bill of said costs and expenses which constitute the lien and privilege to the director of administration, who shall add the amount of said bill to the next tax bill of the owner. The lien obtained by the city pursuant to proper notification and filing shall include not only the costs provided for in Subsection A of this Section but shall include all attorney fees and costs of court incurred in the locating of the owner, the notification of the owner, and the enforcement and collection of the amount secured by the lien against the immovable and the improvements. If authorized by municipal ordinance, the municipality may also recover interest on the amounts secured by the lien. The interest shall not exceed the rate of legal interest provided in R.S. 9:3500 and shall be computed from the date of recordation of the lien until paid. The city's privilege and lien shall prime all other liens or privileges against the property filed after the notice to the owner to show cause is filed with the recorder of mortgages pursuant to R.S. 33:4762(D), regardless of the date on which the city's lien and privilege is perfected, except that the city's lien and privilege will not prime other tax liens against the property.

C. If within six months after the filing of the lien provided for in Subsection A of this Section, the property owner fails to pay such lien, the director of finance of the city, for the benefit of the city, shall have the authority to sell such property for the amount of all public liens operating against the property and any interest thereon. The procedure for notice, advertisement, and sale of the property shall be governed by the law applicable to the sale of real property for delinquent city taxes.

D. Any notice served pursuant to this Subpart shall be filed with the recorder of mortgages where the property is located. Once filed, said notice shall be deemed notice to all subsequent transferees. Any transferee of such property takes the property subject to all recorded liens, mortgages, and notices thereunto pertaining.

Acts 2003, No. 546, §1.