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Treasurer cites tax-title legislation, 311 city-owned parcels and property-management strain
Summary
The treasurer told budget hearings the tax-title program is shifting after new state legislation, the city owns 311 parcels (maintains about 38) and changes could increase foreclosed property volume and management costs.
Sandy Powell, the city’s treasurer-collector, told the budget hearing the treasury department is retooling the tax-title program to comply with recent state legislation and that the volume of properties subject to tax-title processes has dropped but could rise again depending on legal interpretation.
"Currently, we have 311 parcels that are city owned. Out of that, we maintain about 38 of them," Powell said, describing the city’s use of a vendor, Whitman Properties, to perform routine maintenance on city-owned foreclosed lots and residences.
Why it matters: The treasurer emphasized that changes to tax-title law could create a surge in properties needing maintenance. That would raise costs for contracted property management and could affect neighborhood conditions if funding or staffing is reduced.
Powell outlined operational impacts: the tax-title unit has shifted a half-time staff member from housing into the treasurer’s office to manage post-foreclosure and property-management work. The treasurer also said the department has increased its FTEs for FY26 to handle the revamped program and that the 3% OTPS cut would most directly affect property-management services (mowing, winter maintenance and basic upkeep), which could in turn increase blight risks if those services were reduced.
Powell described a build in interest-rate income and treasury investments that feed tax-relief programs, and noted an ongoing technical implementation: an open-government portal (OpenGov) and a shared tickets database will link building and code enforcement tickets to parcels rather than individuals so the treasurer’s office can better track enforcement and lean on properties when necessary.
Clarifying details and risks recorded during the hearing included Powell’s account that the treasurer’s office is watching legal questions around whether new tax-title rules apply retroactively and that a disputed case (referred to as the Lamport matter in the hearing) could affect timing and volume of foreclosures. Powell said the department is preparing for uncertain outcomes and will request clarification or additional funding if the law change drives increased workload.
