§ 22-98. Establishment of lien.

(a)

The amount of the cost of demolition, including all court costs, appraisal fees, administrative costs incurred by the tax commissioner, and all other costs necessarily associated with the abatement action, including restoration to grade of the real property after demolition, shall be a lien against the real property upon which such cost was incurred.

(b)

The lien provided for in this section shall attach to the real property upon the filing of a certified copy of the order requiring repair, closure, or demolition in the office of the clerk of superior court in the county where the real property is located and shall relate back to the date of the filing of the lis pendens notice required under this article. The clerk of superior court shall record and index such certified copy of the order in the deed records of the county and enter the lien on the general execution docket. The lien shall be superior to all other liens on the property, except liens for taxes to which the lien shall be inferior, and shall continue in force until paid. After filing a certified copy of the order with the clerk of superior court, the code enforcement officer shall forward a copy of the order and a final statement of costs to the city clerk. It shall be the duty of the city clerk to collect the amount of the lien in conjunction with the collection of ad valorem taxes on the property and to collect the amount of the lien as if it were a real property ad valorem tax, using all methods available for collecting real property ad valorem taxes, including specifically O.C.G.A. title 48, ch. 4; provided, however, that the limitation of O.C.G.A. § 48-4-78, which requires 12 months of delinquency before commencing a tax foreclosure, shall not apply. The city clerk shall remit the amount collected to the city. Thirty days after imposition of the lien, the unpaid lien amount shall bear interest and penalties in the same amount as applicable to interest and penalties on unpaid real property ad valorem taxes.

(c)

The tax commissioner shall collect and retain an amount equal to the cost of administering a lien authorized by this section unless such costs are waived by resolution of the city. Any such amount collected and retained for administration shall be deposited in the general fund of the county to pay the cost of administering the lien.

(d)

The city may waive and release any such lien imposed on property upon the owner of such property entering into a contract with the city agreeing to a timetable for rehabilitation of the real property or the dwelling, building, or structure on the property and demonstrating the financial means to accomplish such rehabilitation.

(e)

A review of the court order requiring the repair, alteration, improvement, or demolition of a dwelling, building, or structure shall be by petition for a writ of certiorari as contemplated in O.C.G.A. § 5-4-3.