City Tax Sales: Are property tax auctions killing home ownership?

Today on Midday, guest host Emily Sullivan, the enterprise City Hall reporter for The Baltimore Banner, takes a closer look at the annual Baltimore City tax sale. Let’s say you’re a homeowner who had a tough year – and you don’t pay your property tax bill. The city can place a lien on your house…and auction off that lien at the annual tax sale each May. (The online auction is scheduled this year for May 21.) An investigation by WYPR’s news partner, the Baltimore Banner, found that roughly 41,000 homes have been through the tax sale process since 2016. Debts attached to these properties have gone up for auction at a public, online process where individuals or LLCs can bid to purchase the liens. The buyer clears the debt with the city and state…but the homeowner now owes the third-party who purchased their debt. If the third-party remains unpaid, they can charge the homeowner steep interest…and eventually, can begin a foreclosure process to claim the property as their own. Joining Emily to discuss the problems created by the tax sales — and potential solutions — are three guests with unique perspectives on the issue:We begin with Baltimore Banner housing reporter Sophie Kasakove, who’s worked on the Banner's investigative series. Then, City Council member Odette Ramos (D, Dist. 14), and Dan Ellis, executive director of Neighborhood Housing Services, join us to discuss their efforts to improve the city’s tax sale process and expand the options for city homeowners who get caught up in that process.Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.