559.208 Assessment lien; priority; foreclosure; bid; actions; receiver.

Sec. 108.

    (1) Sums assessed to a co-owner by the association of co-owners that are unpaid together with interest on such sums, collection and late charges, advances made by the association of co-owners for taxes or other liens to protect its lien, attorney fees, and fines in accordance with the condominium documents, constitute a lien upon the unit or units in the project owned by the co-owner at the time of the assessment before other liens except tax liens on the condominium unit in favor of any state or federal taxing authority and sums unpaid on a first mortgage of record, except that past due assessments that are evidenced by a notice of lien recorded as set forth in subsection (3) have priority over a first mortgage recorded subsequent to the recording of the notice of lien. The lien upon each condominium unit owned by the co-owner shall be in the amount assessed against the condominium unit, plus a proportionate share of the total of all other unpaid assessments attributable to condominium units no longer owned by the co-owner but which became due while the co-owner had title to the condominium units. The lien may be foreclosed by an action or by advertisement by the association of co-owners in the name of the condominium project on behalf of the other co-owners.

    (2) A foreclosure shall be in the same manner as a foreclosure under the laws relating to foreclosure of real estate mortgages by advertisement or judicial action except that to the extent the condominium documents provide, the association of co-owners is entitled to reasonable interest, expenses, costs, and attorney fees for foreclosure by advertisement or judicial action. The redemption period for a foreclosure is 6 months from the date of sale unless the property is abandoned, in which event the redemption period is 1 month from the date of sale.

    (3) A foreclosure proceeding may not be commenced without recordation and service of notice of lien in accordance with the following:

    (a) Notice of lien shall set forth all of the following:

    (i) The legal description of the condominium unit or condominium units to which the lien attaches.

    (ii) The name of the co-owner of record.

    (iii) The amounts due the association of co-owners at the date of the notice, exclusive of interest, costs, attorney fees, and future assessments.

    (b) The notice of lien shall be in recordable form, executed by an authorized representative of the association of co-owners and may contain other information that the association of co-owners considers appropriate.

    (c) The notice of lien shall be recorded in the office of register of deeds in the county in which the condominium project is located and shall be served upon the delinquent co-owner by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the last known address of the co-owner at least 10 days in advance of commencement of the foreclosure proceeding.

    (4) The association of co-owners, acting on behalf of all co-owners, unless prohibited by the master deed or bylaws, may bid in at the foreclosure sale, and acquire, hold, lease, mortgage, or convey the condominium unit.

    (5) An action to recover money judgments for unpaid assessments may be maintained without foreclosing or waiving the lien.

    (6) An action for money damages and foreclosure may be combined in 1 action.

    (7) A receiver may be appointed in an action for foreclosure of the assessment lien and may be empowered to take possession of the condominium unit, if not occupied by the co-owner, and to lease the condominium unit and collect and apply the rental from the condominium unit.

    (8) The co-owner of a condominium unit subject to foreclosure under this section, and any purchaser, grantee, successor, or assignee of the co-owner's interest in the condominium unit, is liable for assessments by the association of co-owners chargeable to the condominium unit that become due before expiration of the period of redemption together with interest, advances made by the association of co-owners for taxes or other liens to protect its lien, costs, and attorney fees incurred in their collection.

    (9) The mortgagee of a first mortgage of record of a condominium unit shall give notice to the association of co-owners of the commencement of foreclosure of the first mortgage by advertisement by serving a copy of the published notice of foreclosure required by statute upon the association of co-owners by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the resident agent of the association of co-owners at the agent's address as shown on the records of the Michigan corporation and securities bureau, or to the address the association provides to the mortgagee, if any, in those cases where the address is not registered, within 10 days after the first publication of the notice. The mortgagee of a first mortgage of record of a condominium unit shall give notice to the association of co-owners of intent to commence foreclosure of the first mortgage by judicial action by serving a notice setting forth the names of the mortgagors, the mortgagee, and the foreclosing assignee of a recorded assignment of the mortgage, if any; the date of the mortgage and the date the mortgage was recorded; the amount claimed to be due on the mortgage on the date of the notice; and a description of the mortgaged premises that substantially conforms with the description contained in the mortgage upon the association of co-owners by certified mail, return receipt requested, addressed to the resident agent of the association of co-owners at the agent's address as shown on the records of the Michigan corporation and securities bureau, or to the address the association provides to the mortgagee, if any, in those cases where the address is not registered, not less than 10 days before commencement of the judicial action. Failure of the mortgagee to provide notice as required by this section shall only provide the association with legal recourse and will not, in any event, invalidate any foreclosure proceeding between a mortgagee and mortgagor.