§ 56-541. Recovery of costs.

(a)

Notice of assessment and certification of costs. If the city causes a building or structure to be vacated, repaired, or demolished, the costs of such abatement shall be determined, including the reasonable costs of administering the provisions of this chapter with respect to the property affected. The costs incurred by the city in administering the provisions of this article and costs incurred in vacating, closing and securing, repairing or demolishing a dangerous building, shall be certified by the director of neighborhood and housing services to the director of finance as a special assessment represented by a special tax bill against the real property affected.

(b)

Effect of mechanic's lien on issuance of special tax bill. No special tax bill shall be issued if the building or structure is demolished, secured or repaired by a contractor pursuant to an order issued by the city and such contractor files a mechanic's lien against the property where the dangerous building is located. The contractor may enforce this lien as provided in RSMo 429.010 to 429.360.

(c)

Use of federal funds. No special tax bill shall be issued when federal funds are being used which are subject to a prohibition of recovery by a special assessment process. The proof of such exception shall be the burden of any person asserting it.

(d)

Liability created; payment of assessment; collection; lien. The special tax bill from the date of its issuance shall be deemed a personal debt against the person or persons who were the owners of record of the property at the time the city caused the dangerous building thereon to be vacated, closed, secured, repaired or demolished. If there was more than one owner of record of the property at the time the city caused the dangerous building thereon to be vacated, closed, secured, repaired or demolished, they shall be jointly and severally liable for the personal debt. The tax bill shall be paid as provided in section 2-1722 of this Code of Ordinances. The city may initiate actions against such owner(s) to collect the personal debt once the special assessment becomes delinquent. The special tax bill from the date of its issuance shall also be a lien on the property until paid. The lien may be enforced by any method appropriate for the enforcement of special assessments generally.

(Ord. No. 941034, § A(20.136), 9-15-94; Ord. No. 980930, § 1, 8-6-98; Ord. No. 991155, § 1, 9-16-99; Ord. No. 001506, § 1, 11-6-00; Ord. No. 050665, § 1, 6-23-05; Ord. No. 120876, § 1, 10-18-12; Ord. No. 130937 , § 7, 12-19-13; Ord. No. 170511 , § 2, 7-27-17