Delinquent taxes — List; notice of sale; public auction.

(a) The Assessor of the District of Columbia shall prepare a list of all taxes on real property in the District subject to taxation on which the taxes are levied and in arrears on the first day of July of each year and on the first day of October of each year beginning with tax year 1994 and each tax year thereafter. The notice of sale and the delinquent tax list shall be advertised according to regulations prescribed by the Council of the District of Columbia in not less than 2 general circulation newspapers, published in the District, once every 2 weeks or more frequently. If the taxes due, together with the penalties and costs that may have accrued thereon, shall not be paid prior to the day fixed for sale, the property will be sold, under the direction of the Mayor of the District of Columbia, at public auction at the office of the said Collector of Taxes, commencing at least 3 weeks after the first publication of said notice and continuing on each following day, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays excepted, until all said delinquent property is sold; a description sufficient to identify the property shall be considered a proper description.

(b)

(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, only real property taxes delinquent as of October 1, 1993, that remain unpaid at the time of sale, shall be sold at the January 1995 real property tax sale.

(2) Real property taxes delinquent as of October 1, 1994, that remain unpaid at the time of sale shall be sold at the real property tax sale to be held on the third Tuesday in July 1995.

(3) Beginning calendar year 1996 and each year thereafter, the annual real property tax sale shall be held on the third Tuesday in July.