Sec. 2.

As used in this act:

(a) "Neighborhood area" means a portion of a municipality that has been delimited as a neighborhood unit in a plan of neighborhoods adopted by the legislative body, which plan has the function of designating the service area of elementary schools, playgrounds, or other local improvements.

(b) "Real property" includes land, building improvements, land under water, waterfront property, and any and all easements, franchises, and hereditaments, corporeal or incorporeal, and every estate, interest, privilege, easement, franchise, and right to that property, or appurtenant to that property, legal or equitable, including rights-of-way, terms for years, and liens, charges, or incumbrances by mortgage, judgment, or otherwise.

(c) "Municipality" means a city, village, or township.

(d) "Legislative body" means the city council, city commission, township board, or other legislative body of a city, village, or township.

(e) "Public use", when used with reference to land reserved for that purpose, means and relates to uses for the general benefit of the public, such as schools, libraries, public institutions, administration buildings, parks, boulevards, playgrounds, streets, alleys, easements or sewers, public lighting, water, gas, or other similar utilities, or improvements.

(f) "Privately owned lands" means all land not held by the municipal body, county, state, or federal government for public purposes.

(g) "Owner" means any person or persons, natural or corporate, owning a legal or equitable title to the land.

(h) "Project" means all of the undertakings authorized in this act for the improvement of a neighborhood area.

(i) "Blighted property" means property that meets any of the following criteria:

(i) The property has been declared a public nuisance in accordance with a local housing, building, plumbing, fire, or other related code or ordinance.

(ii) The property is an attractive nuisance because of physical condition or use.

(iii) The property is a fire hazard or is otherwise dangerous to the safety of persons or property.

(iv) The property has had the utilities, plumbing, heating, or sewerage disconnected, destroyed, removed, or rendered ineffective for a period of 1 year or more so that the property is unfit for its intended use.

(v) The property is tax reverted property owned by a municipality, by a county, or by this state. The sale, lease, or transfer of tax reverted property by a municipality, a county, or this state shall not result in the loss to the property of eligibility for any project authorized for the improvement of a neighborhood area under this act, tax or special assessment authorized under this act, or tax relief or assistance, including financial assistance, authorized under this act or any other act.

(vi) The property is owned or is under the control of a land bank fast track authority under the land bank fast track act, 2003 PA 258, MCL 124.751 to 124.774. The sale, lease, or transfer of the property by a land bank fast track authority shall not result in the loss to the property of the eligibility for any project authorized for the improvement of a neighborhood area under this act, tax or special assessment authorized under this act, or tax relief or assistance, including financial assistance, authorized under this act or any other act.

(vii) The property is improved real property that has remained vacant for 5 consecutive years and that is not maintained in accordance with applicable local housing or property maintenance codes or ordinances.

(viii) The property has code violations posing a severe and immediate health or safety threat and has not been substantially rehabilitated within 1 year after the receipt of notice to rehabilitate from the appropriate code enforcement agency or final determination of any appeal, whichever is later.

History: 1949, Act 208, Eff. Sept. 23, 1949 ;-- Am. 1957, Act 298, Eff. Sept. 27, 1957 ;-- Am. 2006, Act 676, Imd. Eff. Jan. 10, 2007