Placentia · Foreclosure & auctions

Foreclosure and auctions in Placentia

Placentia requires the beneficiary and trustee holding a deed of trust to register a vacant property with the chief building official within 10 days of identifying it, and renew yearly. Foreclosure steps follow state law.

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Key points

Registration: The beneficiary and trustee register within 10 days of identifying a vacant property after inspecting before a notice of default is recorded.
Renewal and fee: Registration is annual, valid one year from the registration date and not prorated. The city council sets the fee by resolution.
Local manager: A corporate or out-of-area beneficiary or trustee must identify the local property management company, if any, responsible for security, maintenance and marketing.
Boarded buildings: A boarded building must be rehabilitated for occupancy within 90 days after it is boarded.
Penalties: A $1,000 penalty per responsible party; $2,500 more if uncured 30 days after the due date; $5,000 a month if uncured after 60 days.
State timeline: State law: at least 3 months pass from the recorded notice of default to notice of sale, posted at least 20 days before sale.

Each rule below is marked Placentia code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Registering vacant and foreclosed homes

Placentia code What Placentia's code adds
Local contact	Identify the local property management company, if any, responsible for security, maintenance and marketing. Applies: Applies to a corporate or out-of-area beneficiary or trustee. § 20.30.040 · code text The registration pursuant to subsection b shall contain the identity of the beneficiary and trustee, the direct mailing address of the beneficiary and trustee and, in the case of a corporate or out of area beneficiary or trustee, the local property management company, if any, responsible for the security, maintenance and marketing of the property in question.
Upkeep duties	Rehabilitate the boarded building for occupancy within 90 days after it is boarded. Applies: Applies to any boarded building, whether boarded by the owner or because of city enforcement. § 20.30.030 · code text The owner of any boarded building, whether boarded by voluntary action of the owner or as a result of enforcement activity by the city, shall cause the boarded building to be rehabilitated for occupancy within 90 days after the building is boarded and shall comply with the provisions of subsection (a) of this section.
Penalty	$1,000 administrative penalty. Applies: Applies to each responsible party for a violation of the vacant property chapter. It is due on the date a hearing officer sets. § 20.30.090 · code text On the administrative penalty due date, as determined by a hearing officer as described in subsection (c) of this section, each responsible party shall pay an administrative penalty of $1,000. $2,500 supplemental administrative penalty. Applies: Applies if the violation is not abated or cured by the thirtieth day after the administrative penalty due date. § 20.30.090 · code text In the event that a violation of this chapter addressed by an order of a hearing officer has not been abated, cured, remedied, and/or eliminated to the reasonable satisfaction of the chief building official by the thirtieth day after the administrative penalty due date, each party subject to said order shall pay a supplemental administrative penalty of $2,500. $5,000 for each calendar month or part of a month. Applies: Applies if the violation is not abated or cured by the sixtieth day after the administrative penalty due date. § 20.30.090 · code text In the event that a violation of this chapter addressed by an order of a hearing officer has not been abated, cured, remedied and/or eliminated to the reasonable satisfaction of the chief building official by the sixtieth day after the administrative penalty due date, each party subject to said abatement order shall pay a second supplemental administrative penalty of $5,000 for each calendar month, or portion thereof, the building is in violation of the provisions of this chapter.
Deadline to register	Within 10 days of identifying a vacant property. Applies: The beneficiary and trustee holding the deed of trust register with the chief building official, after inspecting before a notice of default is recorded. § 20.30.040 · code text Within 10 days of identification of any vacant property, the beneficiary and trustee must register the property with the chief building official on specified forms.
Registration fee	Set by resolution of the city council. It may not exceed the reasonable estimated cost of administering the chapter. Applies: Applies to registering or re-registering a vacant property. § 20.30.050 · code text The fee for registering and reregistering a vacant property shall be set, from time to time, by resolution of the city council. The amount of the fee charges shall not exceed the reasonable estimated cost of administering the provisions of this chapter. Annual. Valid for one year from the registration date. Not prorated. Applies: Applies to each registration form. § 20.30.040 · code text An annual registration fee, adopted in conformance with Section 20.30.050, shall accompany the submission of each registration form. The fee and registration shall be valid for one year from the date of registration. Registration fees will not be prorated.
Registration	The beneficiary and trustee must register the vacant property with the chief building official and renew the registration every year. Applies: Applies to property found vacant, or showing signs of vacancy, on inspection before a notice of default is recorded. § 20.30.040 · code text Within 10 days of identification of any vacant property, the beneficiary and trustee must register the property with the chief building official on specified forms. Required. It also applies after a foreclosure sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure or sale. Applies: Applies to property with title transferred to the deed-of-trust beneficiary at a foreclosure sale, or by deed in lieu. § 20.30.040 · code text This section shall also apply to properties that have been the subject of a foreclosure sale wherein title has been transferred to the beneficiary of a deed of trust involved in the foreclosure, and to any properties transferred under a deed in lieu of foreclosure or sale.

Foreclosure steps and deadlines

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Time between notice of default and sale: At least three months after the notice of default is recorded before notice of sale; the sale itself no earlier than three months and 20 days after the notice of default (Civ. Code § 2924(a)(2), (a)(4)). Notice of trustee's sale: Posted, published and recorded at least 20 days before the sale (Civ. Code § 2924f(b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Homeowner protections

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No foreclosure while a loan modification is pending: If a complete first-lien modification application is submitted at least five business days before a sale, the servicer may not record a notice of default or sale, or hold the sale, while it is pending (Civ. Code § 2923.6(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

The trustee's sale (auction)

CA state law California law sets this statewide. When and where sales are held: At public auction in the county where the property is, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day (Civ. Code § 2924g(a)(1)). Tenant and owner-occupant priority after a sale (SB 1079): On 1–4 unit property, a trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible tenant buyers and eligible bidders who give notice of intent may bid within 45 days (Civ. Code § 2924m(c)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Tenants in a foreclosed home

CA state law California law sets this statewide. Tenants in a foreclosed property: A month-to-month tenant must get at least 90 days' written notice to quit; a tenant with a fixed-term lease signed before the sale may stay to the end of the lease (Code Civ. Proc. § 1161b(a), (b)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Debt after the sale

CA state law California law sets this statewide. No deficiency after a trustee's sale: After a nonjudicial trustee's sale, the lender cannot collect any shortfall from the borrower (Code Civ. Proc. § 580d(a)). California foreclosure rules — the full state rule →

Who this affects

Homeowners behind on a loanBuyers of bank-owned homesLenders and servicers

Frequently asked questions

Must a lender or owner register a vacant or foreclosed home in Placentia?

The beneficiary and trustee register within 10 days of identifying a vacant property after inspecting before a notice of default is recorded. Registration is annual, valid one year from the registration date and not prorated. The city council sets the fee by resolution. A corporate or out-of-area beneficiary or trustee must identify the local property management company, if any, responsible for security, maintenance and marketing. A boarded building must be rehabilitated for occupancy within 90 days after it is boarded. A $1,000 penalty per responsible party; $2,500 more if uncured 30 days after the due date; $5,000 a month if uncured after 60 days.

General information, not legal advice.

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