East Palo Alto · Foreclosure & auctions

Foreclosure and auctions in East Palo Alto

East Palo Alto requires the responsible person of a vacant property that is a public nuisance to file a vacant property maintenance plan within 10 days after service of the order. Foreclosure timelines and auction rules come from state law.

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Key points

Maintenance plan: The responsible person of a vacant public-nuisance property must file a plan no later than 10 days after service of the order.
Local manager: If the responsible person or a corporation's headquarters is more than 40 miles away, a local property management company within 40 miles inspects monthly.
Contact: The plan gives a 24-hour contact number for the manager and notifies adjacent and across-from properties of the manager's name and number.
Fees: Plan review has an annual fee and a renewal fee, set from time to time by city council resolution.
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 East Palo Alto 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

East Palo Alto code What East Palo Alto's code adds
Local contact	Contract a local property management company within 40 miles to perform monthly inspections. Applies: Applies if the responsible person, or a corporation's headquarters, is more than 40 miles from the property. § 8.10.040 · code text If the responsible person or the corporate headquarters of a corporation that is a responsible person is located more than forty (40) miles from the property, a local property management company within forty (40) miles shall be contracted to perform monthly inspections to verify that the property is in compliance with the requirements of this chapter. A 24-hour, 7-day-a-week contact number to report problems. Applies: Applies if the chief building official approves a management company beyond the 40-mile radius. § 8.10.040 · code text Alternatively, the chief building official may approve the owner's designation of a property management company in excess of the forty-mile radius provided the management company has a twenty-four-hour, seven-day a week contact number to report problems and complies with the requirements of this chapter as it pertains to the subject property. Give a 24-hour contact number for the person designated to manage and maintain the property. Applies: Part of the vacant property maintenance plan, required for a vacant property that is a public nuisance. § 8.10.040 · code text The name, address and other contact information (telephone and electronic mail address) of the person submitting the vacant property maintenance plan, of all responsible persons of the subject property, and a twenty-four-hour contact number for the person designated to manage and maintain the property for the responsible person.
Upkeep duties	Keep the property free of weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials, accumulated newspapers, flyers and notices (except those required by law) and discarded personal items; remove graffiti; landscape and maintain visible front and side yards; keep exteriors visible from the right-of-way free of obvious peeling paint and dilapidated stairs, handrails or structures; keep pools and spas drained and secured, or clear and pollutant-free, or drained and dry, with California security fencing; secure the property against unauthorized access, reglazing or boarding broken windows Applies: Minimum standards a vacant property maintenance plan must meet; the plan is required of the responsible person of a vacant property that is a public nuisance § 8.10.040 · code text The property shall be kept free of weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, trash, junk, debris, building materials, any accumulation of newspapers, circulars, flyers, notices, except those required by federal, state or local law, discarded personal items including, but not limited to, furniture, clothing, large and small appliances, printed material or any other items that give the appearance that the property is vacant; Notify adjacent and across-from properties of the manager's name and 24-hour contact number. Applies: Part of the vacant property maintenance plan, required for a vacant property that is a public nuisance. § 8.10.040 · code text A copy of a letter or other notice to properties immediately adjacent to and across from the subject property advising the residents of the name and twenty-four-hour contact number for the person responsible for managing and maintaining the property.
Deadline to register	No later than 10 days after service of the order to file a vacant property maintenance plan. Applies: Responsible person of a vacant property that is a public nuisance: city notice to correct, or abatement or enforcement action, in the last 12 months. § 8.10.030 · code text The responsible person shall file the vacant property maintenance plan no later than ten (10) days after service of order to file vacant property maintenance plan.
Registration fee	Set from time to time by city council resolution; an annual fee and a renewal fee. Applies: Applies to a vacant property maintenance plan reviewed by the building official. § 8.10.050 · code text The annual fee and renewal fee for reviewing, approving and/or monitoring a vacant property maintenance plan by the building official shall be established from time to time by the city council by resolution.
Registration	A vacant property maintenance plan must be filed. Applies: Responsible person of a vacant property that is a public nuisance: city notice to correct, or abatement or enforcement action, in the last 12 months. § 8.10.030 · code text When a property is deemed a public nuisance under this section, the responsible person, as defined herein, shall file with the chief building official a vacant property maintenance plan that meets the requirements established in Section 8.10.040.

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 East Palo Alto?

The responsible person of a vacant public-nuisance property must file a plan no later than 10 days after service of the order. If the responsible person or a corporation's headquarters is more than 40 miles away, a local property management company within 40 miles inspects monthly. The plan gives a 24-hour contact number for the manager and notifies adjacent and across-from properties of the manager's name and number. Plan review has an annual fee and a renewal fee, set from time to time by city council resolution.

General information, not legal advice.

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