(a) In the case of securing or enclosing an abandoned residential property as defined in Section 11-20-15.1, the municipality may elect to secure or enclose the exterior of a building or the underlying parcel on which it is located under this Section without application to the circuit court, in which case the provisions of Section 11-20-15.1 shall be the exclusive remedy for the recovery of the costs of such activity.
     (b) For the purposes of this Section:

Terms Used In Illinois Compiled Statutes 65 ILCS 5/11-31-1.01

  • Mortgage: The written agreement pledging property to a creditor as collateral for a loan.
  • Municipalities: has the meaning established in Section 1 of Article VII of the Constitution of the State of Illinois of 1970. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.27
  • State: when applied to different parts of the United States, may be construed to include the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14
  • United States: may be construed to include the said district and territories. See Illinois Compiled Statutes 5 ILCS 70/1.14

         (1) “Secure” or “securing” means boarding up, closing
    
off, or locking windows or entrances or otherwise making the interior of a building inaccessible to the general public; and
        (2) “Enclose” or “enclosing” means surrounding part
    
or all of the abandoned residential property’s underlying parcel with a fence or wall or otherwise making part or all of the abandoned residential property’s underlying parcel inaccessible to the general public.
    (c) This Section is repealed upon certification by the Secretary of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, after consultation with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, that the Mortgage Electronic Registration System program is effectively registering substantially all mortgaged residential properties located in the State of Illinois, is available for access by all municipalities located in the State of Illinois without charge to them, and such registration includes the telephone number for the mortgage servicer.