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Oakland County treasurer urges residents to seek help ahead of March 31 tax foreclosure deadline
Summary
Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg briefed the Birmingham City Commission on outreach and programs designed to prevent property tax foreclosures, described the three-year delinquency/forfeiture/foreclosure timeline, and outlined county assistance including repayment agreements and a financial empowerment center.
Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg presented an outreach briefing to the Birmingham City Commission on March 24, urging homeowners with delinquent taxes to contact the county ahead of the March 31 foreclosure deadline.
What he told the commission: Wittenberg explained the county’s three-year tax enforcement timeline: year one is delinquent status, year two becomes forfeiture (a lien), and year three may progress to foreclosure and a tax sale. He said each tax year is treated independently. Wittenberg said his office’s goal is tax collection — not foreclosure — and described taxpayer assistance options the county offers: repayment agreements, in-person taxpayer-assistance meetings, financial coaching through a county “financial empowerment center,” and referrals to low-income legal aid such as Lakeshore Legal Aid.
Local statistics and process detail: For Birmingham specifically, Wittenberg summarized county records showing, for the 2023 reporting year, 337 delinquent parcels and 47 forfeited parcels, with one foreclosure in the year cited. He said countywide for the 2021 tax year roughly 41,000 parcels became delinquent in the county and a much smaller number reached tax sale; the county’s foreclosure and sale totals have trended lower in recent years. He described the statutory interest and fees (including 1% per month in the first year and 1.5% retroactive rates thereafter) and the statutory process that allows surplus sale proceeds — after the county makes itself whole — to be claimed by prior interest-holders via a court process.
How residents can get help: Wittenberg offered local contact points: Oakland County Treasurer’s Office at (248) 858-0611, county treasurer website oakgov.com/treasurer, county equalization office phone number for assessor inquiries, and Lakeshore Legal Aid at +1 (888) 783-8190 for eligible legal help. He also encouraged residents to check county outreach materials and upcoming informational videos posted online.
Commission response: Commissioners thanked Wittenberg for the presentation and said they would share county resources on social media and via city communications to alert residents about assistance options and the impending deadline.
Ending: No policy action was taken by the commission at this hearing; staff and county personnel plan continued outreach to homeowners with delinquent taxes.
