55 ILCS 5/5-1121 — Illinois Code / Chapter 55 / Act 5 / Section 5-1121
Section 5-1121
Status: in_force

(55 ILCS 5/5-1121) Sec. 5-1121. Demolition, repair, or enclosure. (a) The county board of each county may demolish, repair, or enclose or cause the demolition, repair, or enclosure of dangerous and unsafe buildings or uncompleted and abandoned buildings within the territory of the county, but outside the territory of any municipality, and may remove or cause the removal of garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials from those buildings. If a township within the county makes a formal request to the county board as provided in Section 85-50 of the Township Code that the county board commence specified proceedings under this Section with respect to property located within the township but outside the territory of any municipality, then, at the next regular county board meeting occurring at least 10 days after the formal request is made to the county board, the county board shall either commence the requested proceedings or decline to do so (either formally or by failing to commence the proceedings within 60 days after the request) and shall notify the township board making the request of the county board's decision. In any county having adopted, by referendum or otherwise, a county health department as provided by Division 5-25 of the Counties Code or its predecessor, the county board of any such county may upon a formal request by the city, village, or incorporated town demolish, repair or cause the demolition or repair of dangerous and unsafe buildings or uncompleted and abandoned buildings within the territory of any city, village, or incorporated town having a population of less than 50,000. The county board shall apply to the circuit court of the county in which the building is located (i) for an order authorizing action to be taken with respect to a building if the owner or owners of the building, including the lien holders of record, after at least 15 days' written notice by mail to do so, have failed to commence proceedings to put the building in a safe condition or to demolish it or (ii) for an order requiring the owner or owners of record to demolish, repair, or enclose the building or to remove garbage, debris, and other hazardous, noxious, or unhealthy substances or materials from the building. It is not a defense to the cause of action that the building is boarded up or otherwise enclosed, although the court may order the defendant to have the building boarded up or otherwise enclosed. Where, upon diligent search, the identity or whereabouts of the owner or owners of the building, including the lien holders of record, is not ascertainable, notice mailed to the person or persons in whose name the real estate was last assessed and the posting of such notice upon the premises sought to be demolished or repaired is sufficient notice under this Section. The hearing upon the application to the circuit court shall be expedited by the court and shall be given precedence over all other suits. The cost of the demolition, repair, enclosure, or removal incurred by the county, by an intervenor, or by a lien holder of record, including court costs, attorney's fees, and other costs related to the enforcement of this Section, is recoverable from the owner or owners of the real estate or the previous owner or both if the property was transferred during the 15 day notice period and is a lien on the real estate; the lien is superior to all prior existing liens and encumbrances, except taxes, if, within 180 days after the repair, demolition, enclosure, or removal, the county, the lien holder of record, or the intervenor who incurred the cost and expense shall file a notice of lien for the cost and expense incurred in the office of the recorder in the county in which the real estate is located or in the office of the registrar of titles of the county if the real estate affected is registered under the Registered Titles (Torrens) Act. The notice must consist of a sworn statement setting out (1) a description of the real estate sufficient for its identification, (2) the amount of money representing the cost and expense incurred, and (3) the date or dates when the cost and expense was incurred by the county, the lien holder of record, or the intervenor. Upon payment of the cost and expense by the owner of or persons interested in the property after the notice of lien has been filed, the lien shall be released by the county, the person in whose name the lien has been filed, or the assignee of the lien, and the release may be filed of record as in the case of filing notice of lien. Unless the lien is enforced under subsection (b), the lien may be enforced by foreclosure proceedings as in the case of mortgage foreclosures under Article XV of the Code of Civil Procedure or mechanics' lien foreclosures. An action to foreclose this lien may be commenced at any time after the date of filing of the notice of lien. The costs of foreclosure incurred by the county, including court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, advances to preserve the property, and other costs related to the enforcement of this subsection, plus statutory interest, are a lien on the real estate and are recoverable by the county from the owner or owners of the real estate. All liens arising under this subsection (a) shall be assignable. The assignee of the lien shall have the same power to enforce the lien as the assigning party, except that the lien may not be enforced under subsection (b). If the appropriate official of any county determines that any dangerous and unsafe building or uncompleted and abandoned building within its territory fulfills the requirements for an action by the county under the Abandoned Housing Rehabilitation Act, the county may petition under that Act in a proceeding brought under this subsection. (b) In any case where a county has obtained a lien under subsection (a), the county may enforce the lien under this subsection (b) in the same proceeding in which the lien is authorized. A county desiring to enforce a lien under this subsection (b) shall petition the court to retain jurisdiction for foreclosure proceedings under this subsection. Notice of the petition shall be served, by certified or registered mail, on all persons who were served notice under subsection (a). The court shall conduct a hearing on the petition not less than 15 days after the notice is served. If the court determines that the requirements of this subsection (b) have been satisfied, it shall grant the petition and retain jurisdiction over the matter until the foreclosure proceeding is completed. The costs of foreclosure incurred by the county, including court costs, reasonable attorneys' fees, advances to preserve the property, and other costs related to the enforcement of this subsection, plus statutory interest, are a lien on the real estate and are recoverable by the county from the owner or owners of the real estate. If the court denies the petition, the county may enforce the lien in a separate action as provided in subsection (a). All persons designated in Section 15-1501 of the Code of Civil Procedure as necessary parties in a mortgage foreclosure action shall be joined as parties before issuance of an order of foreclosure. Persons designated in Section 15-1501 of the Code of Civil Procedure as permissible parties may also be joined as parties in the action. The provisions of Article XV of the Code of Civil Procedure applicable to mortgage foreclosures shall apply to the foreclosure of a lien under this subsection (b), except to the extent that those provisions are inconsistent with this subsection. For purposes of foreclosures of liens under this subsection, however, the redemption period described in subsection (b) of Section 15-1603 of the Code of Civil Procedure shall end 60 days after the date of entry of the order of foreclosure. (c) In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the county board of any county may petition the circuit court to have property declared abandoned under this subsection (c) if: (1) the property has been tax delinquent for 2 or more years or bills for water service