SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Request authority to settle certain municipal code enforcement liens imposed against real property located at 3172 Wessex Way, Clearwater, FL 33716. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The City is the owner and holder of four code enforcement liens imposed against real property located at 3172 Wessex Way (Property) and recorded in the Official Records of Pinellas County at Book 19325, Page 1189; Book 19374, Page 1758; Book 19214, Page 1091; and Book 19565, Page 522. The liens have balances of $31,000.00, $69,000.00, $30,150.00, and $29,500.00, respectively. The City incurred $6,529.80 in administrative costs in obtaining the liens.
The liens accrued because a prior property owner failed to bring the Property into compliance after being ordered to do so by the Municipal Code Enforcement Board (MCEB). That owner eventually lost the Property in a mortgage foreclosure lawsuit to the current property owner who has brought the Property into compliance. Additionally, the current owner intends to sell the Property to a prospective buyer on August 22, 2018.
The current property owner sought a lien reduction to administrative costs. The MCEB granted this request for the liens recorded at Book 19325, Page 1189 and Book 19374, Page 1758. The City supported the current owner’s lien reduction request. However, the MCEB’s rules prohibit lien reductions for "repeat violations." And unfortunately, the liens recorded at Book 19214, Page 1091 and Book 19565, Page 522 are repeat violations.
Therefore, authority is being sought to settle all four code enforcement liens recorded at for $6,529.80 in exchange for which the City will release the liens from the Property.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funds are available in cost code 0109600-530100 (Professional Services) to fund this contract for this fiscal year and will be budgeted in this cost code for each subsequent contract year.