Sauk Village — Ch. 18 Art. XIX Registration of Defaulted Mortgage and Vacant Properties § 18-1135
Inspection and registration of real property that is not subject to a mortgage in default
Operative Text
(a) Any owner of vacant property located within the village shall within ten days after the property becomes vacant, or within ten days after assuming ownership of the property, whichever is later, register the real property with the village registry. ..... (b) Initial registration pursuant to this section shall contain at a minimum the name of the owner, the mailing address of the owner, e-mail address, and telephone number of the owner, and if applicable, the name and telephone number of the property manager and said person's address, e-mail address, and telephone number. ..... (c) At the time of initial registration each registrant shall pay a non-refundable semi-annual registration fee of $350.00 for each vacant property. Subsequent semi-annual registrations of vacant properties and fees in the amount of $350.00 are due within ten days of the expiration of the previous registration. Said fees shall be used to offset the costs of: (1) registration and registration enforcement, (2) code enforcement and mitigation related to vacant properties, and (3) for any related purposes as may be adopted in the policy set forth in this chapter. Said fees shall be deposited to a special account in the village's department dedicated to the cost of implementation and enforcement of this article, and fulfilling the purpose and intent of this chapter. ..... (d) Each individual property on the registry that has been registered for 12 months or more prior to the effective date shall have 30 days to renew the registration and pay the $350.00 semi-annual registration fee. Properties registered less than 12 months prior to the effective date shall renew the registration every six months from the expiration of the original registration renewal date and shall pay the $350.00. ..... (e) If the property is sold or transferred, the new owner is subject to all the terms of this chapter. Within ten days of the transfer, the new owner shall register the vacant property or update the existing registration. The previous owner(s) will not be released from the responsibility of paying all previous unpaid fees, fines, and penalties accrued during that owner's involvement with the vacant property. ..... (f) If the vacant property is not registered, or either the registration fee or the semi-annual registration fee is not paid within 30 days of when the registration or semi-annual registration is required pursuant to this section, a late fee shall be equivalent to ten percent of the semi-annual registration fee shall be charged for every 30-day period, or portion thereof, the property is not registered and shall be due and payable with the registration. This section shall apply to the initial registration and registrations required by subsequent owners of the vacant property. ..... (g) Properties subject to this section shall remain subject to the semi-annual registration requirement, and the inspection, security, and maintenance standards of this section as long as the property is vacant. ..... (h) Failure of the owner to properly register or to modify the registration to reflect a change of circumstances as required by this article is a violation of this chapter and shall be subject to enforcement by any of the enforcement means available to the village. ..... (i) If any property is in violation of this chapter the village may take the necessary action to ensure compliance with and place a lien on the property for the cost of the outstanding obligation and any additional cost incurred to the property into compliance. ..... (j) Properties registered as a result of this section are not required to be registered again pursuant to the defaulted mortgage property section. .....
Sauk Village Code § 18-1135 requires owners of vacant properties that are not subject to a defaulted mortgage to register those properties with the village within ten days of the property becoming vacant or within ten days of taking ownership, whichever comes later. Registration must include owner contact information and, where applicable, property manager details, and carries a non-refundable semi-annual fee of $350 per property. If registration or fees are not completed on time, a late fee of 10% of the semi-annual fee accrues for every 30-day period of non-compliance, and the village may place a lien on the property to recover outstanding costs. When a property is sold, the new owner inherits all obligations under this section, while the prior owner remains liable for any unpaid fees or penalties accumulated during their period of ownership.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 18-1135, property owners who hold vacant real estate in Sauk Village generally maintain compliance by registering each vacant property with the village registry within the ten-day window, submitting complete owner and property manager contact information, and paying the $350 semi-annual registration fee on time. Compliant operators track each property's semi-annual renewal date carefully, since fees not paid within 30 days of the due date begin accruing a 10% late charge for every additional 30-day period. When a property changes hands, the new owner typically updates or initiates registration within ten days of the transfer, and prior owners should be aware that unpaid fees and penalties from their period of ownership do not automatically transfer away from them.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
While § 18-1135 primarily imposes obligations on property owners rather than tenants, the provision is relevant to anyone living near or affected by vacant properties in Sauk Village, since it establishes a public registry and maintenance standards intended to keep such properties secure and up to code. Tenants or neighbors who believe a vacant property is unregistered or out of compliance with § 18-1135 can contact the village directly, as the code authorizes the village to pursue enforcement through any available means, including placing liens on non-compliant properties. Tenant-rights organizations and local housing advocacy groups can help individuals understand how this registration framework intersects with broader housing conditions in the area.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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