Property Tax Foreclosures: A Preventable Threat

Each year, the month of February ushers in tax foreclosure prevention season in Detroit. The taking of homes in MorningSide by the Wayne County Treasurer for non-payment of property taxes has become the biggest threat to our neighborhood’s stability over the past decade. On March 31, the Treasurer will take ownership of all properties that are two or more years behind in tax payments.

Preliminary numbers as of February 6 show 221 MorningSide addresses in danger of foreclosure. A comparable list contained 213 addresses during the same week in 2022. This 2023 total represents supposedly occupied structures; additional vacant lots that may be foreclosed are not included.

MorningSide leadership will again organize the task of passing out flyers and knocking doors at each address in danger of foreclosure. Our efforts will be coordinated with Councilmember Johnson’s staff and several nonprofit agencies that provide assistance. Last year, we touched over 190 homes, most of which ultimately avoided being auctioned by the Treasurer.

Homeowners in danger of foreclosure can access several programs that provide funds or payment plans. Most promising is the State of Michigan’s MiHAF fund that grants up to $25k for income-eligible households to pay back due taxes. Renters whose landlords face tax foreclosure and want to purchase their house can explore the Make It Home program.

Any properties whose owners do not pay their past due taxes or enter into a payment plan by March 31 will be auctioned off by the Treasurer in September. Over 20 MorningSide homes, along with a couple dozen vacant lots, were sold to new owners through the September/October 2022 Wayne County Treasurer Auction process.

A few committed volunteers are still needed to contact neighbors facing foreclosure. If you can assist, please email me at ericdue@umich.edu or morningsidecommunity2@gmail.com. Let’s go for zero MorningSide houses in the 2023 tax auction.