Commerce · Foreclosure & auctions

Foreclosure and auctions in Commerce

Commerce requires the beneficiary and trustee to register abandoned or vacant property within 10 calendar days of the inspection that shows the vacancy. Violations are a misdemeanor and each day is a separate offense.

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Key points

Registration: The beneficiary and trustee must register property found abandoned or showing vacancy with the city within 10 calendar days of the inspection.
Annual fee: The annual fee is set by city council resolution; later annual registrations and fees are due January first and received by January thirty-first.
Securing: Secure the property within 72 hours of becoming abandoned or vacant; boarding needs prior written approval and must meet at least current HUD standards.
Penalty: A violation is a misdemeanor and subject to administrative citations; each day, or part of a day, is a separate offense.
State timeline: State law: notice of sale comes at least 3 months after notice of default is recorded and at least 20 days before the sale.
State sale window: Under state law, a 1–4 unit trustee's sale is not final for 15 days; eligible bidders who give notice may bid within 45 days.

Each rule below is marked Commerce 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

Commerce code What Commerce's code adds
Local contact	Name, address and phone of a local property management company responsible for security, maintenance and marketing. Applies: Given on the registration form filed by the beneficiary and trustee. § 9.33.050 · code text The name, street address, telephone and facsimile number of a local property management company responsible for the security, maintenance, and marketing of the real property;
Upkeep duties	Remove graffiti and tagging, or paint over it with a color matching the exterior. § 9.33.070 · code text Buildings or structures with graffiti, tagging, or other markings, or graffiti, tagging, or other markings that have not been completely removed or painted over with a color matching the exterior of the remaining portion of the building or structure; Keep exterior areas free of lumber, junk, trash, debris, construction material, furniture, appliances, clothing and abandoned personal property. Applies: Applies to real property subject to the registration requirement of this chapter. § 9.33.070 · code text Accumulations of lumber, junk, trash, debris, construction material, household furniture, appliances, clothing, or discarded, unused, or abandoned personal property on exterior portions of the real property; Prevent buildup of newspapers, circulars, flyers, notices or other printed material that makes the property look vacant. Applies: Except materials required by federal, state or local law. § 9.33.070 · code text Accumulations of newspapers, circulars, flyers, notices, or other printed material that give the appearance that the property is vacant (except those required by federal, state, or local law); Adequately trim, prune, cut, fertilize, water or replace vegetation. Applies: Applies when vegetation is overgrown, dead, decaying or otherwise not adequately maintained. § 9.33.070 · code text Vegetation which is overgrown, dead, decaying, or otherwise that is not adequately trimmed, pruned, cut, fertilized, watered, or replaced; Keep pools, spas and other water free of pollutants and debris, and prevent conditions likely to harbor mosquitoes, insects or vectors. Secure and maintain pools as required. Applies: Applies to real property subject to the registration requirement of this chapter. § 9.33.070 · code text Swimming pools, spas, or other bodies of water that are not maintained in such a manner as to be free and clear of pollutants or debris, or that are maintained in such a manner as to be likely to harbor mosquitoes, insects, or vector Secure the property within 72 hours of becoming abandoned or vacant or showing signs of vacancy, by closing, locking or boarding openings a child could use. § 9.33.080 · code text shall be secured within seventy-two hours of becoming abandoned, vacant, or showing evidence of vacancy, in a manner to prevent access by unauthorized persons Get prior written approval before boarding windows, doors or other openings. Approved boarding must meet at least current HUD securing standards. Applies: Applies to boarding of windows, doors or other openings. § 9.33.080 · code text No window, door, or other opening shall be boarded without prior written approval of the city administrator (or designee thereof) and when such approval has been granted, the boarding of any window, door, or other opening shall be completed to a minimum of the current United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) securing standards Submit a letter of agency or similar authorization to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department every 30 calendar days, and post approved no-trespassing signs. Applies: Applies to responsible parties for real property subject to registration. § 9.33.080 · code text Responsible parties for any real property subject to registration pursuant to this chapter shall submit a "letter of agency" or other similarly entitled authorization to the Los Angles County Sheriff's Department every thirty calendar days and post "no trespassing" signs as required and approved by the city
Penalty	A misdemeanor, and subject to administrative citations. Applies: Applies to anyone who causes, permits, suffers or fails to comply with a provision or obligation of this chapter. § 9.33.110 · code text any person who causes, permits, or suffers a violation of any provision of this chapter, or who fails to comply with any obligation or requirement of this chapter, is guilty of a misdemeanor violation punishable in accordance with Chapter 1.12 of Title 1 of the Commerce Municipal Code and is also subject to administrative citations Each day, or part of a day, the violation occurs is a separate offense. Applies: Applies when a violation is allowed, committed, continued, maintained or permitted. § 9.33.110 · code text Each person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day, or part thereof, during which a violation of this chapter, or of any law or regulation referenced herein, is allowed, committed, continued, maintained, or permitted by such person
Deadline to register	Within 10 calendar days of the inspection. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee; property found abandoned or showing vacancy in the inspection before a notice of default is recorded. § 9.33.050 · code text the beneficiary and trustee shall register the real property within the city, on city-approved forms, within ten calendar days of the inspection. Within 10 calendar days of the inspection. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee; property occupied but in default is later found vacant, in monthly inspections. § 9.33.050 · code text the beneficiary and trustee shall register the real property within the city within ten calendar days of said inspection. Within 10 calendar days of the inspection showing the vacancy. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee; property becomes vacant after a foreclosure sale to the beneficiary or a deed in lieu. § 9.33.050 · code text Registration shall be filed on city-approved forms within ten calendar days of the inspection demonstrating the vacancy or the evidence of vacancy. Due January first each year; must be received by January thirty-first of the year due. Applies: Applies to later annual registrations and fees. Each registration is valid for the calendar year. § 9.33.050 · code text Subsequent registrations and fees shall be due January first of each year and must be received by the city no later than January thirty-first of the year due.
Registration fee	An annual registration fee as set by city council resolution. Applies: Applies to the beneficiary and trustee registering real property found abandoned or showing signs of vacancy. § 9.33.050 · code text The registration forms shall be accompanied by an annual registration fee as set by city council resolution. A re-registration fee as set by city council resolution. Applies: Applies when title to an abandoned or vacant property is transferred to another responsible party. § 9.33.050 · code text A re-registration fee as set by city council resolution shall accompany the re-registration form.
Registration	Register the real property with the city. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee holding the deed of trust; property found abandoned or showing vacancy in the inspection before a notice of default is recorded. § 9.33.050 · code text If the property is found to be abandoned or shows evidence of vacancy (as these terms are defined by this chapter), the beneficiary and trustee shall register the real property within the city, on city-approved forms, within ten calendar days of the inspection. Register the real property with the city. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee; property occupied but in default is later found vacant or showing signs of vacancy. § 9.33.050 · code text the real property is found to be vacant or shows signs of vacancy, at which time the beneficiary and trustee shall register the real property within the city within ten calendar days of said inspection. Register the real property with the city. Applies: Beneficiary and trustee; property becomes vacant after foreclosure with title to the beneficiary, or after a deed in lieu of foreclosure or sale. § 9.33.050 · code text The beneficiary and trustee shall register with the city any real property which becomes vacant or shows evidence of vacancy after a foreclosure where the title was transferred to the beneficiary of a deed of trust involved in the foreclosure and any property which becomes vacant or shows evidence of vacancy after being transferred under a deed in lieu of foreclosure/sale. Re-register the real property with the city within 10 calendar days of the transfer. Applies: Applies to the new responsible party when title to an abandoned or vacant property is transferred. § 9.33.050 · code text the responsible party shall re-register the real property with the city on city-approved forms within ten calendar days of the transfer.

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 Commerce?

The beneficiary and trustee must register property found abandoned or showing vacancy with the city within 10 calendar days of the inspection. The annual fee is set by city council resolution; later annual registrations and fees are due January first and received by January thirty-first. Secure the property within 72 hours of becoming abandoned or vacant; boarding needs prior written approval and must meet at least current HUD standards. A violation is a misdemeanor and subject to administrative citations; each day, or part of a day, is a separate offense.

General information, not legal advice.

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