Title: Chronic Nuisance Service Assessments

Summary: Authorizing a local government to levy non-ad valorem assessments to recover costs incurred in eliminating chronic nuisances on real property; requiring local governments that levy the assessments to adopt ordinances containing certain provisions; providing for payment and collection of the assessments, etc.

Full Text:
An act relating to chronic nuisance service assessments; creating s. 193.0236, F.S.; authorizing a local government to levy non-ad valorem assessments to recover costs incurred in eliminating chronic nuisances on real property; requiring local governments that levy the assessments to adopt ordinances containing certain provisions; providing for payment and collection of the assessments; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Section 193.0236, Florida Statutes, is created to read: 193.0236 Chronic nuisance service assessments.  (1) A local government as defined in s. 197.3632(1) may levy non-ad valorem assessments to recover costs incurred in providing services to eliminate chronic nuisances on real property. (2) A local government that levies a chronic nuisance service assessment under this section must adopt an ordinance that: (a) Specifies activities that constitute a nuisance. (b) Defines the term  chronic nuisance  and specifies factors, such as the type of nuisance and the frequency of occurrence, which determine the existence of a chronic nuisance. (c) Establishes the procedures by which the local government provides notice of the chronic nuisance to the owner of the real property. (d) Provides a specified period for the owner to correct the chronic nuisance before an assessment is levied. (e) Establishes an appeals process that permits the owner to appeal the notice of the chronic nuisance and present a defense. (3) A non-ad valorem assessment levied under this section remains a lien, coequal with the lien of all state, county, district, and municipal taxes and superior in dignity to all other liens, titles, and claims, until paid. A local government may collect the assessments pursuant to the uniform method provided in s. 197.3632 or an alternative method provided by law. Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2014.