Ville Platte Gazette
February 26, 2026
Legal Notice
city of ville platte
ORDINANCE NO. 02122026
SALE OF ABANDONED/ADJUDICATED PROPERTY
Sec. 16-27 - Sale of adjudicated property by public sale.
(a) Sale of adjudicated property may be made by public sale, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:2201 et seq.
(b) Minimum bid; appraisal.
(1) In the event the city government elects to set a dollar amount as a minimum bid for the sale of adjudicated property, the minimum bid for the sale of adjudicated property shall include the following:
a. The total amount of all statutory impositions of the city government and of any other political subdivision of the state affecting the property;
b. The total amount of all governmental liens affecting the property;
c. The costs of adjudication of the property to the city government at the tax sale of the property, if any; and
d. The costs of sale of the adjudicated property by public sale.
(2) The city government may, however, by special ordinance provide that the sale of adjudicated property by public sales shall occur after appraisal of the property, rather than as set forth in subsection (b)(1) of this section; in accordance with R.S. 47:2202, in which case the city government shall appoint a licensed appraiser to appraise and value the property. In such case, the minimum bid at the first public sale of the property shall be at least two-thirds of the appraised value of the property. If the property fails to sell at the first public sale, the minimum bid at the second public sale of the property shall be one-third of the appraised value of the property. If the property fails to sell at the second public sale, the city government may, by subsequent ordinance, sell the property at the minimum bid set forth in subsection (b)(1) of this section.
(3) In addition, the city government may, by special ordinance, provide for the sale of adjudicated property at public sale to the highest bidder without setting a minimum bid or requiring an appraisal, in accordance with R.S. 47:2202(A), as amended.
(c) The sale of adjudicated property by public sale may be initiated either by the city government or by any person, in accordance with the following procedures:
(1) Initiation of public sale by city government. The city government may provide by special ordinance for the sale of adjudicated property at a public sale, which ordinance shall contain the following:
a. The legal description of the adjudicated property to be sold at public sale (including the lot, square and subdivision name, if applicable);
b. The municipal address of the adjudicated property to be sold at public sale;
c. The name and address of the owner of record of the property, as reflected in the records of the assessor’s office, as of the date of the tax sale by which the property was adjudicated to the city government or its predecessors.
d. In the event the city government elects to set a dollar amount as a minimum bid for the sale of adjudicated property, the ordinance shall state the minimum bid for which the property shall be sold. In the event the city government provides that the sale of adjudicated property shall occur after appraisal, as provided for by subsection (b)(2) of this section, the ordinance shall state that the sale shall be subject to appraisal. In the event the city government provides that the sale of adjudicated property shall be without a minimum bid or appraisal, as provided in subsection (b)(3) of this section, the ordinance shall state that the sale shall be to the highest bidder with no minimum bid or appraisal.
(2) Initiation by persons. Whenever a person desires to initiate the sale of adjudicated property by public sale and the city government, in turn, is willing to sell the property, the person so desiring shall submit an application to the administrative department of the city government, requesting the sale of such property, which application shall contain the following:
a. A legal description of property (lot, square and subdivision name, if applicable);
b. Municipal address of property;
c. Name of the owner of record of the property at the time of adjudication and the year of the tax sale;
d. Affidavit certifying the prospective purchaser is not a member of immediate family of property owner or entity in which owner has a substantial economic interest;
e. A copy of tax sale deed evidencing the recordation in excess of three years;
f. A copy of current tax bill;
g. An executed offer letter to purchase the property;
h. Deposits.
1. A deposit, by cash, certified cashier’s check, or money order, in an amount as established by the city council form time to time, to cover the expenses of the public sale, including advertising, appraisals (if applicable), legal fees of the city government in connection with the sale, title abstract and mortgage certificate costs and all other costs associated with the public sale.
2. In the event the applicant is the highest bidder at the public sale of the adjudicated property, any unused funds on deposit shall be applied to the purchase price of the property sold at the public sale. If there are remaining funds on deposit after the payment of the purchase price of the property sold at the public sale, said remaining funds shall, upon authentication of the sale as described hereinbelow, be refunded to the applicant.
3. In the event the applicant fails to be the highest bidder at the public sale of the adjudicated property, this deposit shall be refunded to the applicant. In the event, however, that no one at the public sale bids up to the minimum amount, if any, required for the sale of the property, then the deposit shall be retained by the city government to pay the costs and expenses of the public sale; provided, however, that any monies remaining on deposit after the payment of said costs and expenses shall be refunded to the applicant.
(d) Advertising.
(1) In the event of initiation of sale of adjudicated property by public sale by the city government or any person, the public sale shall be advertised twice in the official journal of the city government, the first advertisement being at least 30 days prior to the date of the public sale, and the second advertisement being no more than seven days prior to the date of the public sale. Each advertisement shall be on a form prescribed by the city government, and shall contain the following information:
a. Notice of the sale;
b. The amount of the minimum bid, if any. If the sale is subject to appraisal, the advertisement shall so state. If the sale is without minimum bid or appraisal, the advertisement shall so state;
c. The name and address of the department within the city government to which bids shall be submitted;
d. The date, time and physical and/or electronic addresses of in-person bidding on the property;
e. A description of the property to be sold at public sale (including the lot, square and subdivision name, if applicable), as well as the municipal address of the property (if applicable);
f. Any other terms which the city government may require.
(2) All bids shall be on a form, either written or electronic, prescribed by the city government.
(e) All bids received shall be submitted by the administrative department to the full city council at its next regularly scheduled meeting, at which time the city council may adopt an ordinance approving the sale of the property to the highest bidder, as provided by R.S. 47:2204. The ordinance, if adopted, shall include the following requirements:
(1) A requirement that the purchaser certify in writing to the administrative department of the city government that he or his agent has examined the mortgage and conveyance records of the city to determine the names and last known addresses of:
a. The tax debtor at the time of the tax sale of the property;
b. Any person requesting notice pursuant to R.S. 47:2159;
c. The owner of the property, including the owner of record at the time of the tax sale of the property;
d. Any other person holding an interest in the property, including a mortgage, privilege, lien or other encumbrance on the property, and including a tax sale purchaser.
Attached to this certification shall be a written list of all names and last known addresses of the persons listed hereinabove;
(2) A requirement that the purchaser of the adjudicated property shall send the written notice to any person described in subsection (e)(l) of this section in the form provided by R.S.
47:2206(A). A copy of said written notice shall be furnished to the administrative department of the city
government with a certification that the notice has been sent to said persons;
(3) A requirement that the purchaser file in the mortgage records of the city a copy of the written notice required in subsection (e)(2) of this section, and furnish the administrative department of the city government with stamped copies of the recorded notice;
(4) A requirement that the purchaser shall cause to be published in the official records of the city a notice in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2206(B), and furnish to the administrative department of the city government with an affidavit of publication of said notice prepared by the official Journal;
(5) An acknowledgment in writing from the purchaser that the adjudicated property is sold without any warranty, except a warranty against eviction resulting from a prior alienation of the property by the city government or its predecessor;
(6) The name and address of the purchaser, the amount of money for which the property has been sold and a requirement that the purchaser remit the purchase price of the property, by cash, cashier’s/certified check or money order, contemporaneously with the furnishing of the other documents listed in this subsection (e), with an appropriate credit for any sums previously deposited for costs by the purchaser.
(f) Authentication of sale.
(1) At the expiration of the 60-day or six-month redemption periods, set forth in R.S. 47:2206(A) and (B), the purchaser shall begin the process of authentication of the sale of the adjudicated property within 90 days of receiving the letter from Ville Platte City Government notifying them that they have successfully bid on the property, and the purchaser shall complete the authentication process, including the satisfaction of any terms, conditions, and requirements set forth in the ordinances providing for the sale of adjudicated property, within nine months of beginning the authentication process. If the purchaser does not begin and complete the authentication process within this time period, the adjudicated property shall be sold to the person(s) or entity that was the next highest bidder in the sale of the property. If the purchaser does not begin and complete the authentication process within this time period, and the purchaser was the only bidder on the adjudicated property, the adjudicated property shall again be offered for sale at a public sale by Ville Platte City Government. The authentication of the sale of the adjudicated property shall be as provided in R.S. 47:2207.
(2) The authentication shall be in the form of an act of sale prescribed by R.S. 47:2207(B), which act of sale shall be prepared and filed into the conveyance records of the parish. The purchaser shall pay all costs incurred in preparing, filing and/or recording the said act of sale authenticating the sale. The act of sale authenticating the sale of the adjudicated property shall be without warranty, except a warranty against eviction resulting from a prior alienation of the property by the city government or its predecessor, as provided in R.S. 47:2207(A).
(g) Contemporaneously with filing the act of sale authenticating the sale as provided in subsection (f) of this section, the purchaser shall file, at his cost, an affidavit into the mortgage records of the parish in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2208, and shall furnish to the administrative department of the city government with a stamped copy of the recorded affidavit. The filing of said affidavit shall, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:2208(B), operate as a cancellation, termination, release and erasure of record of all statutory impositions of all political subdivisions then due and owing, of all governmental liens and of all interests, liens, mortgages, privileges and other encumbrances recorded against the property sold and listed in the affidavit.
(h) Proceeds of sale.
(1) Except as otherwise agreed upon by the holders of statutory impositions and governmental liens, all proceeds from the sale of adjudicated property by public sale, after the deduction of costs of the sale, shall be paid on a pro rata basis to the holders of such statutory impositions and governmental liens;
(2) Any amount in excess of the costs of the sale, statutory impositions and governmental liens shall be paid to the city government.
(i) In the event the adjudicated property is redeemed within the redemption periods set forth in R.S. 47:2206(A) and (B), then all sums deposited or paid by the purchaser for the purchase price of the adjudicated property shall be refunded to the purchaser by the city government, with legal interest, within 30 days after the city government is notified of said redemption.
(j) Donation of adjudicated property.
1. The city government may donate adjudicated property to any person to the extent permitted by the state constitution, as provided by R.S. 47:2205, subject to all statutory impositions, governmental liens and costs associated with the donation.
2. Said donation may be initiated by an entity qualifying for said donation under the state constitution, by submission of an application to the administrative department of the city government requesting the donation of identified, adjudicated property, which application shall include the following:
a) Legal description of property (lot, square and subdivision name, if applicable);
b) Municipal address of property;
c) Name of the owner of record of the property at time of adjudication and the year of the tax
d) Affidavit certifying no member of the nonprofit entity is a member of immediate family of property owner or nonprofit entity in which property owner has a substantial economic interest;
e) A copy of tax sale deed evidencing the recordation in excess of three years;
f) A copy of current tax sale bill;
g) A description of the purposes for which the donated property will be used by donee;
h) A deposit, by cash, certified/cashier’s check or money order, in an amount as established by the city council from time to time, to cover the expenses of the donation, including notices, appraisals, legal fees of the city government, title abstracts and mortgage certificate costs and all other costs associated with the donation. Upon authentication of the donation, all unused funds on deposit, if any, shall be refunded by donee.
i) Proof of the nonprofit status of the donee, including the articles of incorporation or organization of the donee, and IRS 501 (c)(3) and IRS 501 (c)(4) letters.
3. Upon receipt of the application, the administrative department of the city government shall submit the application to the full city council at its next regularly scheduled meeting, at which time the council may adopt an ordinance declaring the property as surplus and not needed for a public purpose, and approving the donation of the property to the applicant. The ordinance, if adopted, shall contain the following:
a) A requirement that the donee certify in writing to the administrative department of city government that he or his agent has examined the mortgage and conveyance records of the parish to determine the names and last known addresses of:
1. The tax debtor at the time of the tax sale of the property;
2. Any person requesting notice pursuant to R.S. 47:2159;
3. The owner of the property, including the owner of record at the time of the tax sale of the property; and
4. Any other person holding an interest in the property, including a mortgage, privilege, lien or other encumbrance on the property, and including a tax sale purchaser; attached to this certification shall be a written list of all names and last known addresses of the persons listed hereinabove.
b) A requirement that the donee of the adjudicated property shall send the written notice to any person described in subsection (c)(l) of this section, in the form provided by R.S. 47:2206(A). A copy of said written notice shall be furnished to the administrative department of the city government with the certification set forth in subsection (c)(l) of this section.
a) A requirement that the donee file in the mortgage records of the parish a copy of the written notice required in subsection (c)(2) of this section, and furnish the administrative department of the city government with stamped copies of the recorded notice.
b) A requirement that the donee shall cause to be published in the official records of the city a notice in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2206(B), and furnish the administrative department of the city government with an affidavit of publication of said notice prepared by the official journal.
c) An acknowledgment in writing from the donee that the adjudicated property is donated without any warranty, except a warranty against eviction resulting from a prior alienation of the property by the city government or its predecessor.
d) The name and address of the donee, and a requirement that donee remit all sums due for the satisfaction of statutory impositions, governmental liens, and fees and costs incurred by the city government in connection with the donation, by cash, cashier’s/certified check or money order, contemporaneously with the furnishing of the other documents listed in this subsection (c), with an appropriate credit for any sums previously deposited by the donee.
4. At the expiration of the 60-day or six-month redemption periods set forth in R.S. 47:2206(A) and (B), and upon satisfaction of any terms, conditions and requirements set forth in the ordinance approving the donation of the property, the donee may send a written notice to the administrative department of the city government, requesting that the city government authenticate the donation of the adjudicated property, as provided in R.S.
47:2207. In such event, the city government shall authenticate the donation within ten days from the date of such request, or as soon thereafter as practical. The authentication shall be in the form of an act of donation as prescribed by R.S. 47:2207(C), which act of donation shall be prepared and filed in the conveyance records of the parish. The donee shall pay all costs incurred in preparing, filing and/or recording the said act of donation authenticating the donation. The act of donation authenticating the donation of the adjudicated property shall be without warranty, except a warranty against eviction resulting from a prior alienation of the property by the city government or its predecessor, as provided by R.S. 47:2207(A).
5. Contemporaneously with the filing of the act of donation authenticating the donation as provided herein, the donee shall file, at his costs, an affidavit into the mortgage records of the parish, in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2208, and shall furnish the administrative department of the city government with a stamped copy of the recorded affidavit. The filing of said affidavit shall, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:2208(B), operate as a cancellation, termination, release and erasure of records of all statutory impositions of all political subdivisions then due and owing, of all governmental liens and of all interests, liens, mortgages, privileges and other encumbrances recorded against the property donated and listed in the affidavit.
6. In the event the adjudicated property is redeemed within the redemption periods set forth in R.S. 47:2206(A) and (B), then all sums deposited or paid by the donee as required hereinabove shall be refunded to the donee by the city government, with legal interest, within 30 days after the city government is notified of said redemption.
(k) Acquisition of full ownership of adjudicated property by city government.
1) The city government may, by ordinance duly enacted, declare that it intends to acquire a full ownership interest in an identified, adjudicated property, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:2236.
2) Filing; written notice.
a) In such event, the city government shall file a copy of the ordinance into the mortgage records of the parish. Within 30 days after such filing, or as soon thereafter as practical, the city government shall send written notice regarding its acquisition of a full ownership interest in the property, in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2236(B), to the following persons:
1. The tax debtor at the time of the tax sale of the property;
2. Any person requesting notice pursuant to R.S. 47:2159;
3. The owner of the property, including the owner of record at the time of the tax sale of the property;
4. Any other person holding an interest in the property, including a mortgage, privilege, lien or other encumbrances on the property, and including a tax sale purchaser.
b) In addition, the city government shall cause to be published in the official journal of the city government the notice set forth in R.S. 47:2236(D).
3) If the adjudicated property is not redeemed within the redemption periods set forth in R.S.47:2236(C), the ordinance shall become operative, as provided in R.S. 47:2236(E). The city government shall file a notice in the conveyance records in the form prescribed in R.S. 47:2236(E), indicating that it has acquired full ownership of the property. Contemporaneously with said filing, the city government shall file an affidavit, in the form prescribed by R.S. 47:2236(F), into the mortgage records of the parish, which shall operate as a cancellation, termination, release or erasure of record of all statutory impositions of all political subdivisions then due and owing, of all governmental liens, and all interest, liens, mortgages, privileges and other encumbrances recorded against the property and listed in, the affidavit, in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 47:2236(G).
4) All costs of said sale shall be paid by the city government, as authorized in the ordinance. In the event the property is redeemed during the redemption period set forth in R.S. 47:2236(C), then said costs shall be included in the costs of redeeming said property, along with all other redemption costs.
5) The city government shall have the authority, to sell or donate adjudicated property of which it as acquired full ownership, in the manner provided in the city ordinances for the sale or donation of adjudicated property to others.
THIS ORDINANCE WAS INTRODUCED on the 10th day of Feburary, 2026, notice of Public Hearing having been published, said public hearing having been held, the title having been read, and the Ordinance considered. The final adoption of the foregoing ordinance having been moved and seconded, the roll was called and the following vote was taken and recorded:
YEAS: Lemoine, Sam, Jagneaux, Riggs, Roy
NAYS:
ABSENT: Frank
ABSTAINED:
CERTIFICATE:
There being a favorable vote on the ordinance of at least a majority of the authorized members of the City of Ville Platte, the ordinance was declared adopted on this, 12th day of Feburary, 2026.
/s/:Donald Bergeron
DONALD BERGERON, CITY CLERK
/s/:Ryan LeDay Williams
RYAN LEDAY WILLIAMS, MAYOR
022626
Cost is $560.00