(a) For due, owing, and unpaid charges or fees for water, sewage, gas, electricity, garbage, or other utility services furnished by the Department of Parks and Recreation or the Department of General Services to real property, the department shall have a lien on that real property upon filing a notice of lien with the county recorder.
(b) The notice of lien shall contain all of the following:
(1) A description of the subject real property.
(2) The total amount of the lien.
(3) The type of service furnished.
(4) The period during which service was furnished, the amount owing for the period of service, and the date upon which the amount became due.
(5) A verified statement that notice of the delinquent charges or fees was mailed, postage prepaid, to the owner of record, to any other known owner, and to the person in possession of the subject real property at their last known address at least 30 days prior to the filing of the notice of lien with the county recorder.
(c) The lien shall not extend to delinquent charges or fees incurred more than four years prior to the filing of the notice of lien. The lien shall, except as provided in subdivision (e), continue in effect for four years after the filing of the notice of lien, unless sooner extinguished by payment, satisfaction, or merger in judgment of foreclosure.
(d) Within four years after the notice of lien is filed of record, an action to foreclose the lien may, notwithstanding any other provision of law, be brought in the name of the people in any court having jurisdiction to hear and dispose of actions to foreclose mechanics’ liens for like amounts. If the action is commenced in a court of competent jurisdiction in Sacramento County, the court is the proper court for trial, without regard to the residence of the defendants.
(e) Upon recording of lis pendens, the notice of lien shall continue in effect until the recording of the abstract of judgment thereon, unless the lien be otherwise extinguished, but not in any event in excess of 10 years from the date of recording of the notice of lien. The lien of abstract shall take priority from the date of recordation of the notice of lien.
(f) The Director of Parks and Recreation or the Director of General Services, as the case may be, or the Attorney General may execute and file those notices, releases, and satisfaction, as may be necessary or convenient in carrying out this section.
(Amended by Stats. 1981, Ch. 714, Sec. 361.)