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Council raises registration fee to $300 for properties with mortgages in default
Summary
Titusville City Council on Sept. 23 adopted Resolution 17-2025, increasing the registration fee for residential properties with mortgages in default to $300 and approving a 50/50 revenue split with the contracted registry vendor; councilors discussed whether registration should occur more frequently than once a year.
Titusville City Council on Sept. 23 approved Resolution 17-2025 to set the registration fee for real properties with mortgages in default at $300.
The change was intended to update a fee previously set in council policy and to convert the fee split with the city's contract vendor to a percentage basis. City staff said the new $300 fee would be split 50/50 between the city and the vendor once a contract reflecting the change is executed.
Council discussion focused on how often properties in default should be required to register. Council Member Amber Nelson pressed for more frequent registration, saying notes on defaulted mortgages sometimes change hands multiple times in a year and a single annual registration could leave gaps in the city's records. Property Registry representative CJ Johnson told council his company tracks ownership changes and notifies new parties; he said many clients already register twice a year and that tracking changes between owners is feasible.
City staff and councilors also discussed the limits of adopting frequency changes by resolution versus by ordinance; staff advised that moving from an annual requirement in the code to a biannual or per-transfer registration would require ordinance amendments and follow-up contract adjustments.
Council voted by roll call to adopt Resolution 17-2025. The clerk recorded votes as: Member Moscoso ' yes; Member Nelson ' yes; Mayor Andrew Connors ' yes; Vice Mayor Cole ' yes; Member Stockel ' yes. The motion carried unanimously.
Council directed staff and the city attorney to return with ordinance language and contract changes if the council decides to require more frequent registrations or registration on each change of ownership.
Why it matters: the registration program is used to require contact information for vacant properties in default and to help the city identify responsible parties for maintenance and safety. Councilors said a higher fee and clearer collection schedule aim to improve compliance and hold out-of-area lenders and investors accountable.
Details: staff said the current contract model previously used a fixed-dollar split; under the new approach the $300 fee would be administered as a percentage share of the fee until formal contract changes are in place. If the council later moves to a per-transfer or twice-yearly requirement, staff warned it would require ordinance revision and a vendor contract amendment.
