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As used in this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

(1)  “Adjudicated property” means a residential housing property on which taxes were due and which has been sold in accordance with law without appraisement following advertisement in the official journal of the local governmental subdivision and for which a tax deed by the local governmental subdivision’s tax collector has been issued that constitutes prima facie evidence that a valid sale was made.

(2)  “Alternate plan” means a renovation or rehabilitation plan for either a residential housing property below minimum habitability standards or a blighted housing property prepared by the owner or other secured party that preserves the historic integrity of the residential building and restores such property to minimum habitability standards as evidenced by (a) a physical condition assessment identifying components of the blighted housing property requiring repair, replacement, or improvement to restore the property to minimum habitability standards in a cost-effective manner, (b) an estimate and certificate of costs executed by the owner or other secured party, including a schedule of values executed by a contractor committed to complete the repairs, replacements, or improvements identified in the physical condition assessment within the estimate of costs, (c) evidence of funding commitments from government or commercial lenders sufficient to finance all costs identified in the estimate and certificate of costs, (d) a timetable evidencing the time frame within which the rehabilitation plan may be completed which shall include a date certain by which the rehabilitation will be completed, and (e) a detailed financial feasibility analysis, including documentation of the economic feasibility of the proposed reuse if the residential housing property is not to be occupied as the principal residence of the owner, including operating budgets or resale prices, or both, as appropriate.

(3)  “Approving resolution” means a resolution adopted by the governing authority of a local governmental subdivision following an administrative hearing at which the owner and secured parties were provided notice and each given an opportunity to show cause why a rehabilitation plan for the residential housing property should not be prepared and implemented and which resolution determines that (a) the residential housing property is confirmed to be a blighted housing property and (b) the owner and secured parties either failed to submit an acceptable alternate plan or submitted an unacceptable alternate plan.

(4)  “Blighted housing property” means (a) any residential housing property for which environmental remediation is required by state law, rule, or regulation and  the condition of which is found or declared by the public officer to be harmful to the health or welfare, including the economic welfare, of the residents of the local governmental subdivision wherein the residential property is located, (b) any residential housing property that, as of the effective date of this Chapter, had been determined to be a blighted property or an adjudicated property by the local governmental subdivision, (c) any residential housing property that (i) is offered by a party in interest for inclusion on a blighted housing properties list and (ii) the current condition of which is declared by the local governmental subdivision to be below minimum habitability standards and unfit for human habitation, occupancy, or use, or (d) any residential housing property that (i) has not been legally occupied for eighteen months prior to the time a public officer makes a determination that the property has been vacant for such eighteen-month period and (ii) has been determined to be a public nuisance by the local governmental subdivision, except no residential housing property in an area impacted by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita which was occupied as of August 28, 2005, shall be included if the owner is eligible for and receives assistance under the Road Home Housing Program.

(5)  “Blighted housing property list” means a list prepared and periodically updated by a designated public official that identifies blighted housing properties in the jurisdiction of the local governmental subdivision.

(6)  “Capital recovery payment” means a monthly payment to a local governmental subdivision or qualified rehabilitation entity after completion of the rehabilitation or renovation of the residential housing property based upon the amount of any costs incurred by the local governmental subdivision or qualified entity, including any new funds for reserves, repairs, transaction costs, or similar property costs.

(7)  “Commitment” means a legally binding agreement to receive and use a specific amount of money to complete construction or rehabilitation that can reasonably be expected to start within six months of the agreement date.

(8)  “Cost-effective manner” means the rehabilitation costs of a blighted housing property is less than fifty percent of the replacement costs of such property unless the blighted housing property has historic significance that must be preserved.

(9)  “Court” means the district court, city court, parish court, or municipal court with jurisdiction for the local governmental subdivision in which the blighted housing property is located.

(10)  “Designated official” means the chief executive officer of the local governmental subdivision or such other person designated to act on behalf of such chief executive officer by the local governmental subdivision.

(11)  “Governing authority” means the body which exercises the legislative functions of the local governmental subdivision.

(12)  “Hearing officer” means an officer of the local governmental subdivision appropriately qualified to carry out the responsibilities of hearing appeals and who does not report to the public officer.

(13)  “Local governmental subdivision” means any parish or municipality.

(14)  “Minimum habitability standards” means the minimum property standards requirements set forth by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 24 C.F.R. § 200.929(b), particularly those standards in HUD 4910.1(HUD Minimum Property Standards for Housing).

(15)  “Municipality” means an incorporated city, town, or village as defined in Article VI, Section 44(3) of the Constitution of Louisiana of 1974.

(16)  “Owner” means the holder or holders of title to a blighted housing property.

(17)  “Party in interest” means (a) any individual, association, and corporation who has an interest of record in a residential housing property and any who has the right to possession of such property, (b) any owner of property adjacent to the residential housing property, or (c) any neighborhood association of property owners recognized by the local governmental subdivision covering an area inclusive of a residential housing property that is below minimum habitability standards.

(18)  “Public officer” means an officer of the local governmental subdivision appropriately qualified to carry out the responsibilities of inspecting housing properties to determine whether such properties comply with state and local building codes and local health and safety codes and designated by resolution of the governing body of the local governmental subdivision in which the housing property is located.

(19)  “Qualified rehabilitation entity” means any person or entity designated by the local governmental subdivision or the state housing agency on the basis of having demonstrated knowledge and substantial experience in the construction or rehabilitation of residential housing properties, the provision of affordable housing, the restoration of blighted property, the revitalization and improvement of neighborhoods and that is well qualified by virtue of its staff, professional consultants, financial resources, and prior activities to carry out the rehabilitation of blighted residential housing properties.

(20)  “Receiver” means either the local governmental subdivision, secured party, or a qualified rehabilitation entity approved by the court.

(21)  “Receivership” means the judicially established framework for real property interest which is created by the court with respect to a blighted housing property pursuant to which a receiver is designated to preserve, rehabilitate, restore, and operate the blighted housing property.

(22)  “Receivership term” means the period of time established by the court commencing as of the date that the receivership is established and ending not earlier than the date required by the receiver to collect all capital recovery payments and not later than the date the owner is approved by the court to take possession and use of the property.  In no event shall a receivership term be longer than five years.

(23)  “Rehabilitation plan” means (a) a renovation or rehabilitation plan for a blighted housing property approved by the local governmental subdivision that is consistent with any neighborhood redevelopment strategy, preserves the historic integrity of the residential housing property and restores such property to minimum habitability standards based upon (i) a physical condition assessment identifying components of the blighted housing property requiring repair, replacement, or improvement to restore the property to minimum habitability standards in a cost- effective manner, (ii) an estimate and certificate of costs executed by a public officer, including a schedule of values executed by a contractor committed to complete the repairs, replacements, or improvements identified in the physical condition assessment within the estimate of costs, (iii) evidence of funding commitments from government or commercial lenders sufficient to finance all costs identified in the estimate and certificate of costs, and (iv) a tentative timetable evidencing the time frame within which the rehabilitation plan may be completed, (b) an operating budget, including any required or permitted capital recovery payment, and (c) a receivership term.

(24) “Replacement costs” means the costs of constructing a housing unit of the same size and with the same features on the sight of the blighted housing property.

(25)  “Secured party” means any lienholder, mortgagee, or other secured party with an interest in the blighted housing property that is recorded in the local governmental subdivision’s mortgage, conveyance, or clerk of court records or the secretary of state’s records.

(26)  “State housing agency” means the Louisiana Housing Corporation, a public body corporate and politic constituting a political subdivision and instrumentality of the state of Louisiana, created and organized pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 3-A of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended.

Acts 2006, No. 355, §1, eff. June 13, 2006; Acts 2011, No. 408, §5(B), eff. July 5, 2011.