Michigan § 211.78h - Petition for foreclosure; filing in circuit court; removal of property from petition; withholding property by foreclosing governmental unit; hearing date.

(1) Not later than June 15 in each tax year, the foreclosing governmental unit shall file a single petition with the clerk of the circuit court of that county listing all property forfeited and not redeemed to the county treasurer under section 78g to be foreclosed under section 78k for the total of the forfeited unpaid delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, and fees. If available to the foreclosing governmental unit, the petition shall include the street address of each parcel of property set forth in the petition. The petition shall seek a judgment in favor of the foreclosing governmental unit for the forfeited unpaid delinquent taxes, interest, penalties, and fees listed against each parcel of property. The petition shall request that a judgment be entered vesting absolute title to each parcel of property in the foreclosing governmental unit, without right of redemption.

(2) If property is redeemed after the petition for foreclosure is filed under this section, the foreclosing governmental unit shall request that the circuit court remove that property from the petition for foreclosure before entry of judgment foreclosing the property under section 78k.

(3) The foreclosing governmental unit may withhold the following property from the petition for foreclosure filed under this section:

(a) Property the title to which is held by minor heirs or persons who are incompetent, persons without means of support, or persons unable to manage their affairs due to age or infirmity, until a guardian is appointed to protect that person's rights and interests.

(b) Property the title to which is held by a person undergoing substantial financial hardship, as determined under a written policy developed and adopted by the foreclosing governmental unit. The foreclosing governmental unit shall make available to the public the written policy adopted under this subdivision. The written policy adopted under this subdivision shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(i) The person requesting that the property be withheld from the petition for foreclosure holds the title to the property.

(ii) The total household resources of the person requesting that the property be withheld from the petition for foreclosure meets the federal poverty income standards as defined and determined annually by the United States office of management and budget or alternative guidelines adopted by the foreclosing governmental unit, provided that the alternative guidelines include all persons who would otherwise meet the federal poverty income standards under this subparagraph. As used in this subparagraph, "total household resources" means that term as defined in section 508 of the income tax act of 1967, 1967 PA 281, MCL 206.508.

(c) Property the title to which is held by a person subject to a delinquent property tax installment payment plan or tax foreclosure avoidance agreement under section 78q.

(4) If a foreclosing governmental unit withholds property from the petition for foreclosure under subsection (3), a taxing unit's lien for taxes due or the foreclosing governmental unit's right to include the property in a subsequent petition for foreclosure is not prejudiced.

(5) The clerk of the circuit court in which the petition is filed shall immediately set the date, time, and place for a hearing on the petition for foreclosure, which hearing shall be held not more than 30 days before the March 1 immediately succeeding the date the petition for foreclosure is filed.