Meisner halts 2021 tax foreclosures
Treasurer extends moratorium for property owners amid COVID-19
For the second consecutive year, Oakland County Treasurer Andy Meisner is temporarily halting tax foreclosures on residential and commercial properties due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meisner has extended the county’s property tax foreclosure moratorium to help property owners retain their properties in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, 2,606 parcels are being withheld from tax foreclosure with 1,874 properties being withheld from tax foreclosure in 2020. Due to public health and safety concerns, a total of 13 properties,
with a range of environmental issues, will be foreclosed upon.
Even though the tax foreclosures are being temporarily halted, the treasurer’s office is encouraging residents and business owners to do what they can to make payments on their delinquent taxes.
The office will continue to help property owners create repayment plans to avoid losing those properties to foreclosure. Since Jan. 2, the office has issued over 1,000 payment plans.
“As the economic, social and other challenges created by the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Oakland County property owners should not have the additional burden of losing a home or commercial property,” said Meisner. “We will continue working with our residents and property owners and encourage them to contact our office for online, drop box and in-person payment options as well as payment plan assistance.”
Of the 2,606 properties being withheld from foreclosure this year, around 800 do not have a payment plan in place. Most of the properties that were at risk of foreclosure in 2021 were in Hazel Park (149), Oak Park (143), Pontiac (904), Southfield (380) and Waterford Township (147), making up 66% of the total.
The treasurer’s office can be contacted at (248)-8580611 or by visiting: https:// www.oakgov.com/treasurer/ residents/Pages/tax.aspx.
Following a Michigan Supreme Court and eventual change in state law, county treasurers can no longer collect surplus proceeds, above what was owed in taxes, made from the sale of a foreclosed property. The property owners will soon be able to file claims to collect on those surplus proceeds.