Liens for taxes or assessments — Petition to enforce; redemption.

(a) Whenever any real estate in the District of Columbia has been, or shall hereafter be, offered for sale for nonpayment of taxes or assessments of any kind whatsoever, and shall have been bid off in the name of the District of Columbia, and more than 6 months shall have elapsed since such property was bid off as aforesaid and the same has not been redeemed as provided by law, the Mayor of said District may, in the name of the District aforesaid, petition the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to enforce the lien of said District for taxes or other assessments on the aforesaid property by decreeing a sale thereof; and up to the time of the sale hereinafter provided for such property may be redeemed by the owner or other person having an interest therein by the payment of all taxes or assessments due the District of Columbia upon said property and all legal penalties and costs thereon, together with such other expenses as may have been incurred by said District prior to, and as a result of, the filing of the action herein provided for.

(a-1) The lien created by nonpayment of real property taxes is an automatic lien which is perfected whenever full payment including penalty and interest is not made on the due date and shall be a prior and preferred claim over all other liens.

(b) The time period for redemption of properties brought to tax sale under § 47-1205(b) , shall be 6 months.