Oakland County treasurer urges residents to seek help before March 31 foreclosure deadline

Oakland County Treasurer Robert Wittenberg told the Madison Heights City Council on Feb. 10 that residents who owe property taxes for 2022 or earlier risk foreclosure if they do not contact the treasurer's office before the March 31 deadline.

Wittenberg said the county acts as the collections agent for delinquent taxes once city-collected taxes are turned over on March 1. "If you don't listen to anything else that I say tonight, the most important thing is reach out to us, please," he said. "We don't need—we don't know you need help unless you tell us you need help."

The treasurer outlined the county's three-year foreclosure cycle and 2024 data to show the scope of enforcement: 41,465 parcels were turned over as delinquent in the last cycle; 39,344 of those paid in full before foreclosure; 1,312 entered repayment agreements or taxpayer-assistance meetings; and 131 properties were foreclosed after file review. Wittenberg said most foreclosed parcels were vacant land or vacant structures and that the office sends multiple notices, visits properties and runs file reviews before final foreclosure.

Wittenberg emphasized the limits of local authority: interest and fees added during the cycle are set by state statute and cannot be forgiven by the treasurer's office, though the office can offer repayment agreements and connect taxpayers with community resources. "We have no control over the interest and fees. That is state statute," he said.

He described outreach and assistance programs available to residents, including one-on-one taxpayer assistance meetings (TAMs) by phone, the county's Financial Empowerment Center (which provides budgeting and debt-help services), and referrals to Lakeshore Legal Aid for eligible low-income residents and seniors. He provided phone numbers: Financial Empowerment Center (248) 858-0672 and the treasurer's office (248) 858-0611; the assessor's office for poverty-exemption questions is (248) 858-0740, and the treasurer's website is oakgov.com/treasurer.

Wittenberg also described the MyHAP program, funded with federal COVID-relief dollars administered through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). He said MyHAP provided grants of up to $25,000 to cover delinquent taxes, mortgages, utilities and other housing-related costs and that about $7.4 million from that program went to taxpayers in Oakland County; the program's funds were exhausted in December 2023.

A council member asked why a specific parcel remained on lists; Wittenberg explained that individual cases can involve probate, bankruptcy or other complications and that a TAM can better identify options. He left copies of his presentation and asked the city manager to post county contact information on the city's website.

Wittenberg closed by reiterating the March 31 deadline for paying 2022 and earlier taxes to avoid foreclosure and encouraged anyone who may owe such taxes to contact his office for possible repayment arrangements and assistance.